Pastoral haunts

One area not that far away that I enjoy going to is Hassall Green just out of the sprawl of this area near Sandbach, Cheshire that you can access via the Salt Line , a former railway line I did play along as a boy that transported Brine Extracted Salt towards Stoke and the major ports of the North West of England.

This intresting church is St. Phillips which is actually a corrigated tin structure famously painted pink, erected as the village population grew and the Church of England didn't wish to lose followers to the Methodists who were massive in our area.

When we talked about the former railway being a way of transporting salt, so was the Trent & Mersey Canal of which Lock 59,shown here is a good example of the locks you encounter along this stretch that runs very close to that of the M6 Motorway linking the Midlands with the North West so really the whole area is a transport hub with trains along the Stoke-Nottingham line and from Crewe to Manchester (plus loads of places) completing the picture.

Canalside view

After Friday's excursion we return to nearer to home with a canal cottage, one built for employees of the canal operators in traditional, locally sourced brick.

It has kept a number of the original features such as the wooden framed windows and doors plus the gate.

I have remarked about modern developments and much of that which is present here goes to the early part of this century with agreements (covenants) controlling the use any ground that goes to the canals edge while two narrow boats head towards Middlewich and Runcorn.

Disembarking

Some Scouts and Cubs are in the fortunate position of having their own minibus to take youngster to various places for camp, hiking or other relevant scouting activities  while others may hire one with the driver having a appropriate license to drive one.

Here the Cubs are almost set for an adventure made possible by their bus and a trained volunteer driver.