The Meadows for our 25th Wednesday Pub Lunch

Our 1.1811 miles (1.9009 km) route to The Meadows (via the playground at Maghull Town Hall), for lunch...

... and then to the Bus Stop, has been saved and is available at... 

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6673298

We caught the Bus back home.

Again, I don't think I need to provide step by step directions as the path is fairly clear and the map will provide greater detail.

Why so short?

We had our Grandson with us today so the priority was to have some fun time in the park, rather than a long walk he wouldn't enjoy.
At the swing bridge, where we joined the Leeds Liverpool Canal, apart from the ducks and moorhens, Chris and Jack spotted very tiny fluffy moorhen chicks...

 We walked along the tow-path towards Liverpool...

 ...and at the second bridge went up the steps to walk along side the A59.
Down the first set of steps, before the Town Hall, we headed along the clear path beside the tennis courts...

 We emerged on Liverpool Road South and turned left to the entrance to the park.
Jack enjoyed his visit...

• climbing...

• swinging...

...and zip-wiring...

...among other things.
Take a look at some of the things we did/saw at...

https://sharalike.com/s/d9BD 

and/or watch this embedded clip...

For lunch, it was a wander across the road....

To see how we rated our lunch...

...visit...

http://maghullfoodie.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-meadows-our-25th-w.html

After lunch we walked to the bus stop and caught the bus back to our starting point.

A very enjoyable walk, play in the park and lunch.

Town Green for our 24th Wednesday Pub Lunch

Our 5.4519 miles (8.7741 km) route to Town Green (Brasserie), for lunch...

...and then onto the station, has been saved. 
The URL for this route is...

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6667307

We caught a train back to Maghull and then a bus back home.
Again, I don't think I need to provide step by step directions as the path is fairly clear and the map will provide greater detail.
As always, on our Meanders around the North West, we see many things and some move me to take a picture with my phone. today we saw...

• An unlucky frog who didn't manage to cross the A59 (now a flat frog);

•  The first signs that harvest has started with part of a field of barley cut; brings back so many memories of my childhood at Broad Green and College Farms in Chevington;

•  rescued horses and donkeys...

•  various crops close to being ready to cut;

•  Poppies (Papaver rhoeas) and Creeping Thistles (Cirsium arvense) in among the crops;

•  Common Vetch (Vicia sativa)

•  large clumps of wool on barbed wire, where sheep passed through a fence;

•  a bridge over Sudell Brook

•  Lesser Burdock (Arctium minus)

•  Well trimmed narrow paths;

•  Meadows with lots of Creeping Thistles (Cirsium arvense)

...and...

•  Swaiths of Rosebay Willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium)

 If you would like to see a video clip of those things plus the pub lunch visit...

https://sharalike.com/s/dWPd

...and/or watch the embedded clip below...

We eventually arrived at the Town Green for our Pub Lunch...

You can see what we thought, and how we rated the Town Green at...

http://maghullfoodie.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-town-green-brasserie-our-24th-w.html

All in all an enjoyable Meander...

Croxteth Hall & Country Park (Revisited)

Today we went to Croxteth Hall and Country Park. 
Croxteth Hall in Croxteth, Liverpool, is the former country estate and ancestral home of the Molyneux family, the Earls of Sefton.

After the death of the 7th and last Earl in 1972 the estate passed to Liverpool City Council, which now manages the remainder of the estate, following the sale of approximately half of the grounds. 

The remaining grounds, Croxteth Park, are now open to the public.
The hall is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building.
I don't feel a map is needed but if you want to follow our 4 mile route it's available at...

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6664582

Sadly we were a little late this year to see the wild flowers at their best.
In spite of that we were lucky to see... 

• Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.),

• a Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)

• Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) coming into flower,

• Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) butterflies everywhere,

• Rosebay Willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium),

• Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis),

• a Hungarian oak or Italian oak (Quercus frainetto),

• Black slugs (Arion ater),

• Bird's-foot Trefoil (lotud corniculatus) 

...and

• Field Thistle or Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense);

...and more.You can see them, in order, at...

https://sharalike.com/s/dNQK

or watch the embedded video clip below...

There is also a rare breed farm, donkey rides, a walled garden, cafe, a children's playground and more.

Well worth a visit.

The walk to the Court Leet, our 23rd Walk & Wednesday Pub Lunch

Our 5.76 miles (9.2699 km) route to the Court Leet has been saved and can be seen at... 

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6661492 

(Note: it includes going to the bus stop to catch the bus back to Maghull; only 5.5637 miles to the pub)

The Walk starts in the car park behind Costa in Maghull and I don't think I need to expand on the route we took, as the paths are clear if you use the map provided above.
To get a taste of what you can expect, on the walk visit...

https://sharalike.com/s/dFfs

...or watch the clip below,,,

There were not as many wild flowers today but the teasels were starting to flower...

...and the fields of potato plants were very pretty.
The walk never takes you far from the railway (Liverpool - Ormskirk)...

...and trains were seen and/or heard throughout the walk.
We saw a lot of butterflies but I was only able to capture a photograph of the Gatekeeper
(Pyronia tithonus)...

The walk was rewarded by and excellent Pub Lunch and a HUGE choice of Real Ales at the Court Leet.

 Cheers!

You can find out more about the lunch and beers at...

http://maghullfoodie.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-court-leet-our-23rd-w.html

Clock Face Country Park to Colliers Moss Common and Bold Moss

Today we went to a familiar starting point, Clock Face Country Park carpark, but did a different walk; to Colliers Moss Common and Bold Moss.
Our 5.6655 miles (9.1177 km) route for today's Meander has been saved and can be seen at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6658704

The couple of detours were to visit areas of interest. Below are 5 collages to provide you with a taste...

We were, as we have on most of our walks this year, lucky to see so many wild flowers, other plants and birds.
Loved the Great crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus) and their two young and neither of us have ever seen so many teasel plants (Dipsacus fullonum).
We also saw many, and I mean many, tiny Common froglets (5mm at most; Rana temporaria)

To get a taste of the other things we saw, visit https://sharalike.com/s/dwqc, or take a look at the embedded video below...

Chris and I both agreed that it was a place we would revisit and in the not too distant future.