Today's 5.0739 miles (8.1657 km) route has been saved and can be viewed at...
Starting at the Carpark, near Rufford Station, we walked up onto Meadow Lane and turned right towards White Bridge.
Before the bridge we crossed the road and went onto the signposted footpath with the River Douglas on our right.
Be warned!
The path under the railway line is very slippery and muddy every time we've been here!
Once under the bridge and over the stile, the footpath is good and clear...
Ahead of us, on our left, was what had been a huge and very old tree; now still alive and, if you ignore the stump, looks like a new tree - determined to survive.
On the walk we saw lots of sheep with lambs ranging from quite large to very small...
There were also a number of wind-turbines, one of which was close to the path...
It was quite obvious how the sheep kept the grass, on the first part of the walk, once we went into the agricultural area. Bees, butterflies and a wide range of wild flowers were on this part of the embankment...
After some time we reached Meadow Lane, where it crossed the river, Here we saw ducklings on the River Douglas.
We crossed the road and continued along the embankment. On the opposite bank were more lambs...
We were lucky, for the second week running to hear lots of bird song and, among the expected birds seen, we also saw...
- a heron (Ardeidae),
- a shelduck (Tadorna),
- a number of Oyster Catchers (Haematopodidae),
- a few Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) and
- Plovers (Charadriinae)
At Eyes Lane, with the green metal bridge over the river, we turned left, passing horses on our right...
...lots of nice spring flowers, blossom etc.,
... geese and Goslings...
...eventually reaching the Rufford Branch of the Leeds Liverpool Canal.
Before reaching the bridge over the canal, we turned left...
and walked along the tow-path...
Mayflowers lined the tow-path...
We walked past the first swing-bridge...
where we saw swans and 9 cygnets...
Under the A581 and then right, across the next swing-bridge, we emerged onto Liverpool Road (A59). Here we turned left past the walled woodland...
of Rufford Old Hall...
We visited the Hall for lunch and took a closer look at the Woolen Woods in Bloom (only on for a few weeks...
The gardens were also worth the wander...
Returning to the A59 we turned left and at the next junction, left again. This took us back to the car-park.
Another very enjoyable walk in Lancashire which, if
you get the chance, is well worth doing.
