Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Underground, overground...

A senior moment again. The one exciting thing I missed from the last blog was the 'stoat event'!
As we were walking around Martin Mere, I spotted a stoat running for cover with a young moorhen in its mouth. Nature is wonderful; or should that be cruel?

Today, it seems quite appropriate on Livererpools eight-hundredth birthday, that we visited Williamson's Tunnels. Volunteers have and are working hard to open up this maze of interlinking tunnels under Edge Hill.
We all had to wear hard hats; a bit like the 'Village people'! Dad looked particularly smart.

Our guide was excellent, providing some information that perhaps he should have kept to himself! For example the fact that flats were above our heads supported on the apparently inadequate pile shown in the image below. Quote "the poured concrete, only stuck to the rubbish that filled the tunnel!"

'Break throughs' and shutes, from buildings above...

had allowed people to get rid of their waste over the decades and the biggest task facing volunteers was the removal of this vast amont of rubbish; using what appears to be primative tools.

I wont spoil your possible visit to the tunnels but just say they are well worth a visit. Quite secure walkways...

 lead you through the tunnels, in many cases high above the floors below. (I'm not sure how the floors could be above, arn't they ceilings then, but you know what I mean)

The shear size of these tunnels, and the methods used to construst them, is awesome!
The double tunnel at the end of the guided walk, also a cafe, illustrates the vast sizes involved.

After a drink and biscuit, we headed off to meet Chris. She had been in work. We went to the farm shop in Lydiate for onions, a walk around the Manor House ruins and lunch in the cafe. Lynn collected 'eyes' of an appropriate size for her card making. The peacocks had been very accommodating!
In the afternoon we headed to Ormskirk. Pete was impressed by the church; having both a tower and steeple...

The day was completed in style when Liverpool won their second leg, of the European Cup 4 goals to nil. 5 nil over both games. We then looked at the DVD of tunnels we hadn't visited today. How sad is that!
Lawn mower museum tomorrow, WOW! Even sadder perhaps.

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