Put the mere on your left and walk along the lane. Take the way-marked stile on the left about 200 yards after leaving the water, and follow the path across the meadow to another stile on to a path beside woods. At the end bear left along the bridleway through the woodland edge to join a roughly surfaced track near to Redesmere Sailing Club.

About 50 yards before a gate across the track take the footpath, left, to a footbridge, beyond which trace the sandy path through the trees at the head of the mere.

Carefully cross the main road to the stile virtually opposite. This field-edge path soon reaches the edge of an ornamental lake smothered, during summer, with yellow water lilies. Keep left to another stile and then reclaim the waterside path as the imposing Capesthorne Hall comes into view beyond another lake.

Cross over the old driveway (not the bridge) and walk beyond the lake to a stile into an access road. At the end cross the lane and take the footpath opposite, heading half-left to a stile.

Beyond follow the direction indicated by the arrow. Cross the farm road to a stile beside a gate, then another beyond a concrete water butt (beware the plank bridge at this stile). Turn left along the field edge and follow this right around (ignore the stile into woodland) to a stile beyond a gate.

Two more way-marked stiles take you to a dirt lane. Turn left, take the bend and fork left to and through a stile, then head for the left of the barns.

Take two stiles into the farmyard edge and walk along the driveway left of the buildings. Immediately past the hedge turn left along the rough lane. Pass by the thatched cottage and pick up a path into the bluebell woods soon afterwards.

Turn left at the junction beneath enormous oaks, soon joining a rough lane to gain the main road. Turn right along the footpath, then in 250 yards turn left along Fanshawe Lane back to Redesmere.

From Jarrold Short Walks – leisure walks for all ages, by author Neil Coates. Published by Jarrold Publishing, available from local bookshops, and Jarrold Publishing, Whitefriars, Norwich, NR3 1TR, or e-mail: info@totalwalking.co.uk

DETAILS

Start: Redesmere
Parking: Free, beside Redesmere
Distance: 2½ miles
Time: 1½ hours
Route features: Woodland, waterside and field paths. Two busy main road crossing.
Ordnance Survey Maps: Explorer 268 (Wilmslow, Macclesfield and Congleton)

It is advisable for anyone who plans to follow the walk to take a copy of the relevant Ordnance Survey map.