;)
Volunteers of the Sandstone Ridge have been exploring all sorts of interesting ideas and undertaking some exciting projects during the Covid secure restrictions.
One such project involves re-tracing the steps of a walk which was published in 1867 and which was entitled 'A Day in Cheshire'; Ashton Weekly Reporter, and Stalybridge and Duckinfield Chronicle, 6 April 1867. Much of the text relates to areas on The Sandstone Ridge.
Whether the narrative is embellished or not, it will be interesting to try to retrace the footsteps of our Victorian walkers, the transcript of the article concluding with the following:
'... flashes of memory will at intervals suddenly strike up and remind me of days that are gone, yet not one recollection sparkles with greater brilliancy than that short space spent among the hills and vales in the
neighbourhood of Frodsham ...'. For those of you who might not know, Frodsham represents the Northern Gateway to the Sandstone Ridge.
This is very much a 'work in progress' project but we look forward to comparing nuggets of information from 1867 (the year in which the 1867 Reform Act enfranchised part of the urban male working class) with 2020.
Keep watching this space — our thanks to Kath Gee and Susan Lorimer, in particular, who are involved in this initiative.