The walk started at the Whipping Stocks public houseon theA50 Knutsford to Holmes Chapel road.  At 9.15am we passed through the kissing gate at the side of the Knutsford Lodge and followed the track towards Peover Hall.  Peover hall grounds were used as a hunting park in medieval times but are now occupied by rather placid cows.  After a couple of styles we enter the wooded area near the hall then pass through a collection of outbuildings which include a large shed containing a wooden horse, the horse being fixed to the ground in the middle of the shed.  We were told that this wooden horse which is used to practice polo shots is one of only a few in the country.  Nearby a stone sundial looked very impressive and a few more yards further brought us to the parish church of St. Lawrence over Peover and then to Peover Hall fronted by some fine examples of hedge topiary.

As we left Peover Hall behind we passed the clock tower and stables..  These stable buildings were erected in 1656 and were very elaborately built with carved Jacobean woodwork and ornamental plaster ceilings.  The site of the old Peover Hall, which was pulled down in 1656, is now a general storage area for the estate.

Moving further away from the hall we made a right turn towards St Anthony’s cottages.  These two adjoining cottages are called St Anthony’s Cottage East and St Anthony’s Cottage West. As we left the cottages behind we entered Long Lane which leads to the A50 road between Knutsford and Holmes Chapel and it was along the lane we passed the large greenhouse complex of R F Lawrence & Sons.

Reaching the A50 road we turned left and after crossing over the stream called Peover Eye we reached the Drovers Arms Inn.  At this point we climbed over a style and walked through a succession of rather wet fields until we reached the church at Lower Peover.  The churchyard contains the grave of Lord de Tabley and the church is an attractive building filled with Jacobean furniture.

After leaving the entrance to the churchyard and the old school buildings we came to the inn called “The Bells of Peover”.  From the Bells of Peover we again crossed Peover Eye and walked down the lanes until we reached Free Green Farm.  The footpath went through the farm and then onto an attractive track leading back to the A50 road and the Whipping Stocks Inn where the walk had started.

We had a good walk of over 6 miles and the weather had been fine.  Wildlife had been a little scarce but the interesting places we had seen more than compensated.

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