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!

Short, sweet but still enjoyable!

Today was a mixture of slow meanders in two places with refreshments between and at the end.
The plan was to have a gentle stroll through Fairy Glen (Delf House Wood)
The 1.3505 miles route we took is saved at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6279079

In spite of the weather forecast, today was beautiful; wind dropped an sun shining.
We took some familiar paths and some neither of us remember taking on previous visits.
I spent some of the time experimenting with 2 iPad Apps Horizon and Spotliter.

The aromas constantly changing - oilseed rape, wild garlic, bluebells to mention the three main ones.
I also recorded some video clips using the apps.

After completing our meander we headed off to get refreshments from the Owd Barn

Coffee and Coconut Cake for me and Tea and Victoria Sponge Cake for Chris.
The 1.3505 miles in Fairy Glen hardly burning off the calories taken in here. However it was very tasty!
We then travelled off to phase two of our Bank Holiday Meanders - Martin Mere.

Our 1.2541 miles route, here at Martin Mere, has been saved at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6279118

The only youngsters we saw in our walk were two Black Swan Cygnets and a young Moorhen.
It's along time since we've been to Martin Mere without grandchildren and, although it's always been fun, it was quite relaxing to meander without constantly checking they were safe, not to close to the water etc.

Upon completion and a walk through the shop it was time to complete our day out with afternoon tea at Lady Green Garden Centre.

Sandwiches, Scones with jam & cream, Victoria Sponge and Fruit cake. No they were small portions!
All in all a wonderful day in sunny Lancashire and Merseyside.

What better way could you spend a Bank Holiday?

Swans, Geese, Alpacas and more

To be fair, the Alpacas were domesticated.
Today it was a walk starting at Martin Mere. Later than normal, I'd been gardening in the morning, we set off from Martin Mere, via the Coach Parking lot to basically walk the East- side perimeter of the Mere.

We'd walked this path, in the opposite direction, in the past. As you'd expect, at a wetland centre, there were sightings of many different breeds of duck, moorhens, geese, and swans.

Sightings of flocks of Green Plovers rose up from the banks of the mere and flights of swans and geese, constantly passed overhead accompanied by a noise that has to be heard not described. 

The only time we couldn't hear the wetland residents was when we had a helicopter fly pass...

The gentle giants of Longhorn cattle, grazed the grassland between the stretches of water.

Crossing the Southport - Wigan line, for the first time,

we continued walking along good paths, 

albeit a little muddy in places,

we past mounds, yes I mean mounds of mushrooms.

I don't think all the wasted food had anything to do with it but, when, a little further on, we came across The Farm shop, tea room and B&B, we decided to have lunch.

The food was EXCELLENT!
Yes it was here we saw the alpacas, pigs, sheep and chickens, as we continued on our way.

The next part of the walk took us along the Leeds Liverpool Canal towards Burscough.
Passing a range of narrow boats, short boats and plastic tubs.

Passing 3 pubs between lunch and leaving the canal, we managed not to be side-tracked.
Near the Lathom Slipway was a field full of swans.

Back across the railway line, 

we headed back to Martin Mere via more mounds of food. This time carrots, some washed others not!.

The route of our 5.8099 miles walk can be found at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6150005