Road closures Moneystone - Whiston - Oakamoor

This week an older couple are staying. We spoke on the phone and I explained the road closures and they were confident they understood that the only access to Moneystone is via A52. Unfortunately when they reached the end of Blakely Lane on the A52 there was a road closure sign and they lost confidence and followed the diversion sign. Essentially they then spent about an hour going round in circles. 

Blakeley Lane is open as far as Moneystone (1 mile) - holiday cottage guests should take this turning off A52.

Holiday guests need to ignore this sign and continue along Blakeley Lane towards Moneystone.

It would be helpful if this sign made it clear that the road is open as far as Moneystone. Not only would this help our guests have confidence that they can reach the holiday cottage, but it would also prevent all those people who are hopeful that they can get past the road closure and get to Oakamoor (they really, really can not) from going a mile down a country lane only to have to turn around again.

Blakeley Lane from Moneystone towards Oakamoor and Whiston is totally shut; you can't even walk past. My dog is not impressed as his favourite place to take me is for a wander down into the village. I think he was an urban dog in his earlier life so he prefers tarmac to woodland paths and is always in search of signs of human habitation.

Stormy is blind and simply doesn't believe that his favourite walk has a metal fence barring our way.

These road closures are because of water pipe works being undertaken by Severn Trent. They are working very hard in this area. The signs say that this road closure is likely to stay in place until 21st July.

For the latest availability at Barks Holidy Cottage please contact us.

Getting fit in the countryside

Churnet Way, Oakamoor to Alton

At this time of year gyms are packed with people burning off the seasonal excess that clings persistently to our midriffs. I am actually a member of two gyms! I justify that on the grounds that the spa at Alton Towers is shut while they do yet more building work there. The gym in Cheadle has fabulous classes and equipment, but no spa...and I do love a spa!

Probably the most effective way I find to kick off the calories is to walk. And the best place to walk is definitely out in the countryside. I was walking my dog along the Churnet Way between Alton and Oakamoor on a misty morning and saw a runner and dog coming towards me. My camera phone hasn't done the scene justice, but the silver birches made a stunning backdrop. To my slight embarrassment it turned out I was photographing another mother from my son's school. So we had a little chat and she is in training for a marathon and getting fit by running along the Churnet Way almost daily.

For cycling, horse riding, running and walking and pushing buggies, this is a lovely route through the valley. And unusually round here, it is on the flat!

Oakamoor to Whiston countryside action walk

As all our visitors mention, the countryside around here is truly lovely - unspoiled wooded valleys. And we want to keep it that way!  Just at the moment we locals are feeling under threat from outside developers helping themselves for the sake of profit, and we don't have a large local population to give a loud voice for the opposition case.

Laver Leisure, builders of holiday parks, have bought the local disused quarry. Said quarry has a restoration order on, to turn it back into countryside. But somehow, the county council are OK with screwing up all contracts that require the owners to restore the quarry, instead giving a green light to outside developers to build Moneystone Park. Shame!

Anyway, we are still at the planning stage and local people, who are fed up with the whole sorry business, are waking up to the high levels of traffic piling down our narrow lanes and all the other ills this profit taking exercise will impose on us.

So people from up and down the valley are meeting on Saturday 6th December at 9.45am to do a protest walk. Across the beautiful countryside that we will cross there are plans to build 250 lodges. Boo!

Any locals reading this. Please join in! Meet at Whiston Village Hall, 9.45am, Saturday.