We met up at Fletcher Moss Gardens on a  beautiful crisp, cold, but dry and sunny day. A walk through the gardens took us to Stenner Lane which we followed all the way to the river Mersey. The river was fast-flowing and swelled after the heavy rains of Storm Bert. Crossing the river over Simons bridge, we followed Ford Lane to the outskirts of Northenden. Walking alongside the river was challenging at times with huge puddles on the path along the way, including one completely flooded section which required us to edge sideways along a high kerb, holding onto a barrier alongside the river. An interesting addition to a potentially simple walk! It was here that I discovered that my boots were leaking. I think a letter to Santa Claus might have been needed. We headed into the Northenden Riverside Park, the site of the former Northenden Mill by a weir, which was in full flow following the rain of the past few days. From here, we walked through Kenworthy Woods and skirted around Northenden, eventually heading  to Palatine Road, just off which was our lunch stop at the Farmers Arms. This was the last walk of 2024 and I’m looking forward to more interesting walks in 2025.