Last Updated on July 22, 2015 by HodgePodgeDays
Abney Hall is one of my favourite places to visit and it’s virtually on our doorstep. It’s just outside Cheadle village and is less than ten minutes in the car from our house. It has everything a little adventurer and his fairly exhausted parents need to while away a couple of hours. We went over the weekend with the promise of some pond dipping and an ice cream, what more could a small boy want?
We parked up and walked round to the pond. The pond was looking incredibly healthy, with water lilies in bud and lots of ducks and birds in and around the water. Last year the pond suddenly developed a sink hole and all the water drained away, so it was good to see it looking in such fine fettle.
We found a suitable spot and tried pond dripping. There wasn’t much to be found, but the small boy enjoys the process of pond dipping as much as catching something, and every good fisherman knows they can’t catch something every time. His Dad however did catch some tin cans and other rubbish, which we put in our bucket and took away to a bin. I wish people were more considerate!
Having no luck at the pond, we walked up and around near the Hall and then down the steps to the stream. As a child I used to paddle in the stream which always looks clear and cool and it’s quite shallow so it’s great for (supervised) little ones to play in. Plus there’s the stunning backdrop of Abney Hall to admire!
The boys didn’t manage to catch anything in the stream either, so we decided it was time for some ice cream. I’d already managed to cross the stream (without getting my feet wet) so the boys had to follow. The small boy was a little nervous, but managed it by holding on tight to Daddy’s hand. Later he had to cross some stepping stones over slightly deeper water, which he did all by himself.
We walked round to the cafe, spotting a heron, cows, a squirrel and several different kinds of birds along the way. We had a lovely few hours, a nice walk and a bit of an adventure. Not bad for a Sunday afternoon!
What a lovely day out….It looks the perfect place to visit in the summer! 😀
It’s great that you’ve got Abney hall and all it’s grounds so close to you, there’s nothing better for than some pond dipping and an ice cream for a calm day out. Your son looks like he’s really in his element pond dipping with daddy, it’s a shame there wasn’t much wildlife out to catch! Thanks for linking up with me on Country Kids.
I have never heard of Abney Hall but it looks a great place for a Sunday stroll. I used to love pond dipping in our local pond though I never managed to catch anything. I won’t take up fishing anytime soon. #countrykids x
How have I never heard of this place? Weill be visiting here soon I am sure xx
Lived in Cheshire all my life and never heard of this place! Looks amazing and is now on the days out list. That’s crazy about the sink hole! Pretty scary reading about it.