Rufford Marina & Mere Sands Wood Walk 🥾

Our next walk takes us to Rufford, where we’ll head straight to the marina for our coffee stop at The Boathouse Brasserie. After all, no sensible walk should begin before caffeine has been administered! After coffee, we cross the road and make our way down to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, following it for a short distance before tackling the day’s first challenge – a short flight of steps. No oxygen masks required.

We then follow a short lane before crossing a busy road, so please take care. Yes, I know you’re all adults but if I don’t mention it I will worry. From there, we follow country lanes to Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve, where we’ll stop for lunch, there are toilets and picnic tables available. After lunch, we’ll take a leisurely stroll around the nature reserve, keeping an eye out for wildlife and attempting to identify birds with complete confidence while secretly having no idea what we’re talking about, me at least.

We’ll have to cross the busy road again, Mother mode activated: please take care. Then down along side a small beck till we reach another small road again take care. After crossing this road unfortunately, I discovered that our one and only real hazard then appears – a small stile-style wall, yes, you heard right a stile style wall. Try saying that after a pint! Once over that, it’s plain sailing back to the marina.

Walk Details

📏 8.73 km (5.42 miles)
⛰️ 7m ascent (23ft)
📉 Gradient: -5%
🥾 Mostly flat and easy-going, with only the steps and the infamous stile-style wall to contend with.

Pace of Walk This is a Beverley Speed walk – a lovely leisurely pace where nobody gets left behind and even the snails feel under pressure. We’ll have plenty of time to admire the complete lack of scenery, enjoy a good natter and still be back in time for a cosy drink or two.

After the Walk

If you still have some energy left after conquering the dizzying heights of 23 feet, there’s plenty to see around Rufford. You can explore the marina, visit St Mary’s Church across the road, or take a 10-minute stroll to Rufford Old Hall.

Entry to Rufford Old Hall currently costs:

• Adult: £14.30 (£13.00 without Gift Aid) National Trust members can, of course, wander in for free and anyone can access the grounds for free but please show your NT card if you have one it helps maintain these buildings.

As always, my biggest concern as a walk leader isn’t getting lost, though that is a concern, falling in a ditch, or even surviving the stile-style wall. It’s making sure everyone gets back in one piece and, more importantly, that you’ve all enjoyed yourselves.

So if we return to the marina with the same number of people we started with, smiling faces, and no emergency calls to Mountain Rescue, even though we don’t pass a mountain, I’ll consider it a successful day out!

Looking forward to seeing you all there. Just remember: take care crossing the roads, watch out for the stile-style wall, don’t peak too early at the coffee stop, and try not to overtake Beverley —as is her nature, she’ll only slow down even more! 😄.I trust my sales pitch has convinced you all that this is the must-do event of the season. . Mick kindly agreed to be back marker, so nobody will get lost, left behind, or accidentally wander off in search of excitement