Lancashire Trail Part 3: 10th September

An early start today dropping of Chris's car at what was the New Seven Stars Inn; she remembered to leave her shoes in her car this week, so driving would be easier at the end of the walk. Then it was back to The Wiggin Tree Pub to start stage 3 of our Lancashire Trail walk. A little misty, typical September morning, as we set off down the hill towards Fairy Glen. Just past the carpark we headed off left up towards Harrock Hill
We passed a sleeping grouse who was in shock when he/she suddenly awoke to find Chris and I looking at them! A bit like Mandy when she wakes up! The rest of the walk up past the High Moor Restaurant, Harrock Hall and up to the Ruin of the windmill on Harrock Hill was familiar territory, having done a number of walks in this area. A very pleasant part of Lancashire; meadows, woodland and 'big sky'.
The next part of the walk took us along very quiet lanes and accross fields, towards Toogood Farm. Too good to be true; yes again the instructions were difficult to follow and we ended up taking a longer route than we should have done! Damn. We did walk through an equestrian centre who were preparing for an apparently big cross-country event. In the process of looking for "the lowest part of the field", "a stile and a plank bridge", we noticed how laden the Oak Trees were with acorns.
This, together with the vast numbers of game birds, frantically trying to escape from our paths, indicated a very successful growing and breeding season in the northwest. (or is it a sign of a hard winter?) When we eventually arrived at Toogood Farm, the path we should have taken was obvious; note to myself to return and trace back to the "stile and plank bridge" we couldn't find.
Toogood Farm shop were advertising the availability of Beef from their herd when on our left there was the "food on the hoof"; a fine collection of steer! Whoever wrote the original guide to this walk, didn't know how to read a compass very well; good job we had an OS map and a compass to sort out the directions we should be walking in. Passing Fishing Lakes at Broadhurst, very busy with dour fishermen staring into the murky depths we had no difficulties in finding Mossy Lea or Broadhurst Lane.The directions heading towards Chisnall Wood, left alot to be desired but, with a fair bit of looking at the OS map and reading the instructions over and over and over... we found the route along the edge of the wood; into the wood; across a brook and out of the wood again; all of this carefully watched, to Chris's delight, by a large herd of cows.
Over the M6 and, at this stage of the walk, don't ask me why, I had the urge to ask Chris if she had her car keys with her! Blood having drained from her cheeks, she stated that they were back at the start in the boot of my car! A quick, not quite panic riddled, search brought relief when I discovered I had a key for her car on my key ring! Only one more lengthy discussion was needed to work out the route, we decended to Stars Brook, crossed the footbridge at the bottom and ascended up the other side, turning sharply towards Langtree Old Hall Farm.
Three, chained to Chris's relief, dogs greeted us as we walked through the farm yard and it was just a short walk down the service road to the A49 and the end of Stage 3 of our walk.
I've put together a map of what we have done so far on the Lancashire Trail and you can see details at theLancashire Trail map. You can zoom into street level (or out) and see additional information/photographs at each "flag"; you can also click-n-drag the map to follow the "Maghull Meander"