[caption id="attachment_4564" align="alignright" width="4160"] Making the most of a drier spell of weather.[/caption] By Kathryn Carty Nine East Cheshire Ramblers set out from just above the Ship Inn, Wincle for a circular walk taking in Croker Hill and Wincle Minn. The weather, whilst dry with reasonable visibility, lacked sunshine but it was certainly a bonus not to have rain and we were determined to make the most of the day. We also hoped that by climbing up into the hills we might avoid some of the mud resulting from what seemed like weeks of continuous rain. In the main this was achieved but we still encountered terrifically muddy stretches. We walked up through the donkeys’ field opposite where the cars were parked, and headed past Wincle Grange which is a beautiful sandstone building constructed by Cistercian monks from Combermere in Cheshire and it may date from the mid 14th century. The scenery was varied. We walked through a pretty wood towards Hawkslee Farm and then onto the Gritstone Trail and Wincle Minn. Morning coffee break was taken in a field overlooking the Cheshire Plain and Jodrell Bank. We then continued for a while on the Gritstone Trail with fine views towards the Roaches. The route went to Sutton Common and Croker Hill. Fieldfares were darting between trees so it was impossible to get a good look at them. Buzzards were also about and a lone kestrel. We saw crows dive bombing a buzzard, the buzzard making its lovely mewing sound. Lunch was a picnic in a sheltered spot on Fox Bank before heading down briefly to Hollin Lane, only walking on the road for yards before turning right onto the single tarmac road along Rossen Clough towards Civit Hills Farm. Just before the farm we took the path off to the left and we knew we were heading for serious mud. We weren’t prepared for the enormous horse which charged down the hill towards us, clearly bored with inactivity. Fortunately all was well and we got through the field safely on our way towards Butterlands Farm and Broomhill. We just followed the lane back towards Wincle Grange and back to the cars. Everyone felt a sense of achievement when we returned to our cars and felt all the better for having been out in the outdoors with nature and having climbed over 1700 feet.