W&WPL #11 The Red Squirrel, Ince Blundell

Our 6.3018 miles (10.1418 km) (5.9161 miles to The Red Squirrel, the rest back to the Bus Stop) route has been saved and is available at... 

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6559133

The Wednesday Pub Lunch element can be viewed at...

http://maghullfoodie.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/the-red-squirrel-ince-blundell-11.html

Our starting point today was back to the car park behind Costa in Maghull.

From here we walked through to Westway, turned left towards the A59 (Northway), where we turned left again and continued towards Ormskirk until we reached the Traffic Lights.

Here we turned left onto Kenyons Lane and continued, straight across the next junction onto Lambshear Lane.

Just before reaching the houses on the right-hand side of Lambshear Lane we turned right and followed a well walked path.

This took us through to Sandy Lane which we followed, ignoring 2 roads off to the left to reach the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

Nice to see spring flowers in the hedgerow...

Turning left along the edge of the canal, we eventually emerged onto Southport Road...

Turning right, this time we headed along Southport Road, past hedges with blossom starting to bloom...

...past the Scotch Piper and St Catherine's Chapel <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydiate>...

...taking the next sign-posted footpath to the left.

Skirting the wood...

Nice Snowdrops and daffodils

...following a clear path, we eventually reach Acres Lane where we turned left and, almost immediately right (over a low stile if the gate is closed).

We followed this track, crossing the Cheshire Lines Footpath, until we reach the River Alt.

First 2015 sightings of... 

• Celandines <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_celandine> and 
• Coltsfoot <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tussilago>...

We crossed the bridge...

...and followed the clear footpath along field edges and over small bridges.

At the T-Junction...

...we continued straight ahead (not left towards Carrside Lane) towards the woodland.

This brought us out onto Carr House Lane which we followed to the Junction with Lady Green Lane.

Option time!

• If, like us, you plan to visit The Red Squirrel you turn right and follow Lady Green Lane to the A565 (Scaffold Lane). Here turn right and the pub is on the opposite side of the road at the traffic lights.
• If you are planning to catch the bus back to Maghull the bus stop is to the left...

Note: at the time of writing this, we...

• caught the Number 47 bus to the Bus stop opposite Aldi at Thornton then, 
• crossed the road to catch the Number 133, back to Maghull.

Bus Timetables are available at... 

http://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/travelling-around/timetables/Pages/Bus-Timetables.aspx

An enjoyable Meander...

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...