A spectacle

A day of mixed success.  Andy, Bonnie, Martin and I completed the second visit to the Altrincham walk, shortly to appear on www.superlative-walks.com. This photo shows a lovely small school at Dunham Massey, about half way round the walk and briefly explained here and now a private house.

The last time we attempted this walk, we were beset by torrential rain and, for some of the walk boggy underfoot conditions. We have since amended the route to incorporate a mile or so through the delightful National Trust property at Dunham Massey. Something must have gone awry with the planning because, once again, the heavens opened. Who could have planned for that?  In April, in England's North-West?

Soaked trousers would have been bad enough but, whilst ploughing through the quagmire on the towpath of the Bridgewater Canal, I took off my glasses to wipe the rain drops away and they broke in half. A sickening blow at most times but tomorrow morning I am off to Gibraltar for our friends' wedding, for which I will be taking the photos. Without my glasses that would be impractical.

Once again I discovered how pleasant opticians are. We visited three in Altrincham.  None could fix the specs but all were most pleasant and helpful. As it happens, when I got home, I found a spare pair with a prescription similar to the broken pair. And I have prescription sunglasses too. Disaster averted.

Nevertheless, the mile or so of the Bridgewater Canal towpath is now officially a superlative, having registered the greatest number, volume and intensity of complaints of any walk ever.