Return to Carr Mill

It's been some time since we last visited Carr Mill Dam but it was bound to happen.
Today's 3.8813 miles (6.2465 km) route has been saved and is available at...

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6733354

km marks

Starting at the Sankey Valley Visitor Centre (Car Park behind The Ship Inn) we headed out onto the A58, Blackbrook Road...

Nice Gate

...to cross to the opposite bank of the St Helens Canal.

We then headed North towards Carr Mill Dam.

We both liked the clumps of Bull Rushes along the walk...

...but the amount of Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam) is a concern...

 In the ever changing environment we walked past fishing lakes...

 ...past fallen trees covered in fungi...

 ...catching glimpses of the industrial past...

 ...under roads...

 ...through woodland...

 ... under railway lines...

 and eventually reached the Dam...

 I love the view, once you've climbed the face of the dam...

 and there's always the chance that the first bird you see will be...

 ...a  Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus).
We walked anti-clockwise around the reservoir, through woodland...

 ...past a dog protecting his masters fishing gear...

 ...while he fished...

 The Autumnal changes even more noticeable than last week...

 We felt that there was a fishing match in progress as every fishing stand was occupied...

 Apart from those fishing there were not many others enjoying this beautiful environment...

 Who lives here?

 The number of fungi spotted indicated the time of year...

 ...with a number of different types noted.

 Geese have returned to the North West and were observed on the reservoir and flying overhead...

 At the end of the walk the canal basin has further signs of the industrial past of this area.

If you visit this region, it's a walk I'm sure, like us, you'd enjoy.

You can take a look at all the photographs I took, as a slideshow, at https://sharalike.com/s/hTJT or via the embedded version below...

Billinge - Carr Mill Dam - Billinge

A cold bright sunny morning, ideal for a walk before returning to work after the Easter break.
We've walked around Carr Mill Dam on a number of occasions, the first being at the start of the Lancashire Trail (http://maghullmeanders.blogspot.co.uk/2006/08/lancashire-trail.html) way back on the 13th August 2006.
Today I decided we would start in Billinge rather than any of our past starting points of St Helens, Carr Mill Dam, or the Sankey Valley Park at Newton-Le-Willows.
It was hoped that we would see the usual Grebes on Carr Mill Dam.

On the way to the Dam we saw a heron in flight, ready, I'm sure, to feast upon Frogs and Toads as the head to water to mate.
There were lots of ducks, geese, moorhens, coots, and swans

Nesting Swan

at the start of our walk around the Dam. However we didn't see any grebes until we got to the "top end" near the A580.

Grebe & Gull

We also saw Cormorants...

Cormorant

and, on the far bank, another heron.

Heron number 2

Carr Mill Dam has a lot of fish eaters but...

An ex-resident

the number of people fishing, and the image above, suggests there is plenty for all. I hazard a guess it is also re-stocked periodically.
There were a number of signs that Spring has arrived, in spite of the temperature. e.g. 

Coltsfoot

New green leaves

Blossom

Spring flowers, new leaves and blossom.

Robins, chaffinch, long-tailed tits, blue tits, a thrush, blackbirds, sparrows and more flitted around us.

Both Chris and I remembered the weather vane on the round tower, from our Lancashire Trail walk, but couldn't remember what it was until we passed it for a second time in seven years...

Weather Vane

Otter Swift Farm was the clue!

Passing Eric - we returned to the car completing our 4.3293 mile walk.

We even have a whiskey named after you! What Eric!

You can see the walk at...

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5873858

Walking again soon...