Our 4.7369 miles (7.6233 km) route today, has been saved and is available at...
We started from the car park, in Meadow Lane, next to Rufford Station.
As you can see from the map, we headed back towards the canal and joined the towpath, heading South towards Lock Number 7.
Large Fungi, growing on grass cuttings were spotted very soon after joining the towpath...
...and then, on the opposite bank of the canal, what appeared to be a jackdaw on a goose's back...
It turned out to be a goose with a damaged wing!
After the lock, just before the swing-bridge, two swans came to see if we had brought any food...
They were very quiet...
...and came very close to us...
...sadly we hadn't brought any food for them.
Poor planning.
We were impressed with the new path, just after Brick Kiln Lane, along the edge of the stream...
...it made it possible to look around far more than we were able to in the past.
Lots of sightings of black birds, a thrush and robins...
Eventually we reached Mere Sands Nature Reserve and, as predicted by the weather forecast, the sun came out.
Entering, the Nature Reserve...
...we walked clockwise around the edge, until we reached the exit, near Woodlands Animal Sanctuary.
We saw a lot of birds, including...
- Ducks,
- Robins,
- Blackbirds,
- Gold Finch,
- Great Tits,
- Blue Tits,
- Tree Creepers,
- Moorhens and
- Coots,
We also saw two large Grey Squirrels as well as a large carved, wooden one...
There are some leaves hanging on but most have carpeted the woodland floor...
We crossed a number of bridges on our walk, including one next to a small, man-made waterfall...
The reflections of autumnal trees and blue sky, in the meres, was very pretty; I took a couple of pictures from one of the bird-hides...
There were quite a few waterfowl on the meres but the geese, in the main, could be heard on the fields around and about...
Bracket Fungus on Silver Birch was also spotted...
On leaving the Reserve we walked past fields of leeks...
...and other crops.
There were lots of options for walks as well, with footpaths heading off in various directions...
Eventually we looped back to the canal, crossing Town Meadow Swing-bridge to head back towards the car...
As planned we called into Fettler's Wharf for lunch; the, what was a Coffee Shop, was now Tastebuds Cafe...
...which provided us with a very nice lunch.
"Another enjoyable Sunday Meander on a cold but sunny day! Well worth following our steps, if you can!"
Today was very much a bird watchers dream. Setting off from the car park near Rufford Station, it wasn't far into the walk when both Chris and I saw the Barn Owl ahead of us.
I don't think we saw very much for sometime as we constantly looked at the hedge row and railway bank where (s)he headed. We were lucky as we caught two or three glimpses.
Our 5.9163 mile route can be viewed at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6145659.
At the Sluice,don't make the error that I made, follow the map and don't continue straight on but turn right over the second bridge.
Turning left at the end of the next field. The path is then very obvious as you turn right. Along here we disturbed a roosting Kestrel.
The three wind turbines dominate the skyline with Winter Hill and the TV masts on the horizon. Teasles were a big attraction for Yellow Hammers and GoldFinch. Looking at Parbold Hill, Harrock Hill and Winter Hill brought back fond memories of our journey along the Lancashire Trail.
Turning left where, if you are observant, the Mawdesley Jubilee Trail Signs are visible on broken fence posts.(http://www.mawdesley-village.org.uk/pdf/mjt.pdf)
We headed along a farm track to Carr Lane.
Across a field on the left of Carr Lane, we cut through to the junction of Drinkhouse Lane and Drinkhouse Road. Along here we passed some houses with the traditional Vaccary Fence.
3 miles from the start and we were briefly on Moss Lane before cutting right to cross the Ormiskirk to Preston Railway Line.
Currently there are no trains on Sundays.
It was along this part of the walk that we first heard their call and then saw the Buzzards.
Passing Fours Wood
and a large pond
we crossed a bridge
into field full of sheep who, once one of them set off at a gallop, all ran to group together.
Out onto Meadow Lane (the A581) we crossed the road bridge, over the River Douglas and sharp left onto the raised flood defence bank.
Even this far inland, the Douglas is tidal.
The car park of Rufford Old Hall, viewed across the fields and the Rufford Arm of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, was busy and smoke could be seen rising from the Hall's chimneys.
Back under the Railway we emerged,next to the Fishing Lake, onto Station Road the B5246.
We'd decided,out of the options available to us, to have lunch at Fettler's Wharf Marina
at Thowd Boatman's Cabin.
Very enjoyable and, even if you don't want to do the walk, well worth a visit.
Back to the Car park brought our walk to its conclusion.
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