Exploring Astbury: A Beautiful Run/Walk From Astbury Mere to Astbury Village and along the Macclesfield Canal

Today we’re in Congleton, Cheshire exploring the beautiful countryside around Astbury. Astbury is a pretty little village centred around a village green with lovely old buildings including some black and white timber framed houses, the local pub the Egerton Arms and St Marys church which dates back to the 12th Century. We actually start our route about a mile and a half away at Astbury Mere, which was a sand quarry between the 1930’s and 1980’s but is now just a quiet lake perfect for a walk or run. We head out from the mere to Astbury Mere via the Stony Lane path, pausing at St Marys in Astbury to take a look at the church then head over the fields and pick up the Macclesfield Canal following it back to Astbury Gold Course which we cross and then head down Lamberts lane pausing to throw a stone in the wishing well (I bet you can guess what I wished for) before completing our run back at Astbury Mere, the route is 6 miles in total.

Astbury Mere

We’ve been here before, we filmed the parkrun route which is basically 3 laps of the mere. Originally a sand quarry, it became a country park in the 1990’s. Stoke-on-Trent Angling Society own the lake itself which is stocked with carp, perch, pike and roach for their members. The trust own the surrounding land with a path around the lake. At the far side is a Watersport centre and by the pay and display car park is a cafe.

St Marys Church

The church is lovely, dating back to the 12th century it was rebuilt in the 13th and 14th century and is well worth stopping along the way to look at.

Macclesfield Canal

We pick up the canal close to its southern end (it runs from Hall Green near Kidsgrove to Marple Junction), in total the canal is 26 miles and along the way we see an old marker for Marple stating its 23 miles away at that point. I really must make a post of running the canal from Kidsgrove to Marple as it cuts through some stunning countryside and Marple is one of my new favourite places.

The Route

From the car park head down to the lake and turn right. Follow the path around the lake, after the waterspouts centre take the steps on the right, at the top go straight on to the road and turn left. Follow the road and then turn right on the Stony Lane path, at the crossroads in the paths take the path straight on (to the left of the house), the path comes out on Church lane at Astbury where we turn right and then right again on Peel Lane into the village. Head down to the main road and turn left and immediately left again on the path behind the garage. At the farm go straight on to the farm track, turn right and then immediately left on the path over the fields to Watery Lane. At the lane turn left and then take the path on the right over the field to the canal where we turn left. Follow the canal until you see the golf course on your left, at the footbridge turn left through the woods to the golf course, turn right and go straight across the golf course (taking care for flying golf balls), the path eventually comes out on the Lamberts lane track where we turn left following it down to the stream where we turn right (making a wish at the wishing well) then follow the track back to Fox Hollow crossing the road back to the mere. Turn right and then left back down the steps we came up earlier now turn right and complete your lap of the mere to the starting point.