Walk & Wednesday Pub Lunch #21 Packet Steamer, Netherton

Our Walk, for the 21st Walk & Wednesday Pub Lunch, started in the car park behind Costa in Maghull. 
Our target today was The Packet Steamer...

...in Netherton.

Our 5.6373 miles (9.0724 km) planned route has been saved and can be seen at... http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6638365

By the time we got to 3 miles we were so wet, mainly the result of wet long grass and other plants along the path rather than heavy rain, that we...

• returned home,
• got changed and
• drove to the Packet Steamer.

Note: 1: We were lucky to catch a bus home outside the Meadows Pub (One we have yet to visit); we stood all the way, so as not to wet the seats.
2: The rest of the planned walk is well worth doing - but not in the rain.
The paths are obvious and, with the map (link above), I don't think a step by step guide is needed.
As I said, Chris drove us to the Packet Steamer where we had a pub lunch.
You can read about this in my Maghull Foodie Blog at...

http://maghullfoodie.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/the-packet-steamer-our-21st-w.html

Finally you may want to watch the embedded video clip below to get a feel of our 21st W&WPL (Walk & Wednesday Pub Lunch) or visit https://sharalike.com/s/czNq 

A wet Meander and not our best Pub Lunch but in spite of that, nice to get out and about...

Over The Water...

As with so many things, it can be an enjoyable experience when we are directly involved! 
However, it was brought home to me, during our walk on Sunday 14th June 2015, that sometimes, just stepping away and reflecting can provide different and enjoyable experiences as well.

What am I wittering about?

Well our walk was, as the title suggests, on the Wirral; providing us with views of Liverpool that got us both pointing out familiar places, buildings and more...
It also got us reflecting on how much Liverpool has changed since we moved "UP North" in 1989.

The waterfront is so different!

To be fair we also took in the immediate sights, sounds and smells and enjoyed both the distant and close up experiences.
If you visit https://sharalike.com/s/cv5f you can see a video clip of some of the sights that I made using Sharalike; or you can watch the embedded clip below...

I hope you enjoy the photographs and if you get the chance come to Liverpool to get your own first hand experiences!
Here are the images again as collages, enjoy!

Our 4.8067 miles (7.7357 km) route has been saved and can be viewed at... 

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6637297

Martin Mere Wetland Centre

We had a wonderful Meander at Martin Mere today and it's the sort of place where visitors will just enjoy exploring; so no set route for you to follow today.

Martin Mere Wetland Centre, without question, provides fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities. 

At Martin Mere Wetland Centre visitors step into a wilder world where wilderness and family-friendliness combine. 
You’ll be amazed at how close you can get to fantastic wetland wildlife and, to wet your appetite I've put these pictures, that I took today with my iPhone, into a Sharalike video clip (it may take a little time to load)... enjoy!

The collage below I made with an app called Diptic...

P.S. The slightly faint, not quite in focus pictures were taken from a long way off using a Telephoto Lens on my phone; take my word for it, I wouldn't have any image at all without it!

Walk & Wednesday Pub Lunch #20 The Netherton, Netherton

Our Walk, for the 20th Walk & Wednesday Pub Lunch, started in the car park behind Costa in Maghull. Our target today was The Netherton...

...in Netherton.
Our 4.582 miles (7.3741 km) route has been saved and can be seen, in detail at...

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6631953

It included...

• The Maghull part of Mersey Forest,
• Crossing the new By-pass from Switch Island to Thornton,
• Walking along the Leeds Liverpool Canal twice, towards Liverpool and
• Crossing Bootle Golf Course.

The paths are obvious and, with the map, I don't think my usual step by step is needed.

As you can see... 

...it was a hot sunny day walking along the canal to the A59 bridge...

 ...where we left the canal...

 Here we saw the one down side of the walk...

 ...a squirrel had been hit by traffic and was on the footpath.
Turning past the Town Hall and Meadows Leisure Centre...

 We made our way to the footpath that took us along the edge of Maghull High School...

 ...and across Dover's Brook...

 ...and through the replanted Mersey Forest, with lots of wild flowers...

 Crossing the new by-pass, not completed yet...

 We made our way the the Leeds Liverpool Canal again, for our second wander on the tow-path. 
We saw lots of water fowl including...

• Coots;
• Moorhens and
• Ducks...

 ...all with their young.
Plants included...

• Flag Irises...

 and...

• Dog-roses...

 The Coots were feeding their not so young chicks, on floating waste...

 At the end of this second stretch on the canal...

 ...we made our way to the path across Bootle Golf Course...

The shaded path was a welcome break from the sunshine.

We then made our way to The Netherton for the Pub Lunch.

You can read about this in my Maghull Foodie Blog at...

http://maghullfoodie.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-netherton-our-20th-w.html

We returned home after our enjoyable meal and beers via bus...

...to Aintree Station...

...then Train to Maghull.

Another enjoyable Wednesday, made even better by the nice weather.