MAGIC HOUR RUN - Crowton & The River Weaver, Cheshire

What a perfect morning for a run. Today I’m returning to one of my favourite areas, the Weaver Valley between Acton Bridge and Frodsham. The valley is all open farmland with the river Weaver winding its way from Winsford where salt was once loaded onto boats for the trip down the river to Frodsham and beyond to the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey.

Our route is a 5 mile figure of eight and so you could do either end as a 2.5 miler if you want a shorter walk. We start from The Hare & Hounds at Crowton and drop down to the river at Pickerings Cut and heading under the West Coast Mainline at Dutton Viaduct and up to Dutton Lock.

The river has been altered here with huge locks to allow large vessels to navigate the river, from here we climb out of the valley to Acton Cliff near Acton Bridge, an area I know well as I lived here for a spell in my youth, I recall a Christmas Day when I headed up to The Maypole in Acton Bridge for a quick pint while the Christmas dinner was cooking, unfortunately the Marston Pedigree was particularly fine that day and we got talking with the brother of Jennifer Saunders (the well known comedian from French & Saunders whose family lived in the village). I stumbled home after far too much ale and fell asleep with my foot by the fire only to awake a couple of hours later with the bottom of my fancy trainers melted off and the Christmas dinner burnt to ash.

Anyway I digress, the route then drops down the hill and we take the other path back to Crowton, note there is a short section of this path which is a bit boggy so have a change of shoes ready as you will want to visit the Hare & Hounds afterwards I’m sure.

The Route

Starting from the Hare & Hound turn right passing the church then take the Church Walk Bridleway left over the fields to Pikenall Lane, go straight on and then left into Chapel Lane beside the rail tracks. Go straight on through the farm yard and down the field to Cliff Lane (this is the crossover point on our figure of eight). Turn left and follow the lane to the end and the right down Crewood Common Road to the end beside the river at Pickerings Cut. Head across the bridge and alongside the river weaver heading under Dutton Viaduct and up to Dutton Lock. Take the path right marked Acton Bridge. Follow the path up the hill to Cliff Lane and turn right back down to our crossover point. Take the other path on the left which goes right and then diagonally left across a field, through some woods and through the boggy bit before heading left and up to Ainsworth Lane where we turn left and follow it back into Crowton Village.