After many years of preparation Brockholes opened its doors on Easter Sunday 2011; five years earlier,Chris and I had walked through here,on the Lancashire Trail. Take my word for it, it's changed a lot.
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| Floating Village & Visitor Centre |
Our walk can be viewed at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5879254 4.1829 miles
If you have not visited, the Nature Reserve is at Junction 31 on the M6, where it crosses the River Ribble and the A59. You should also be aware that there are car parking charges that vary depending on how long you stay.
Brockholes was a disused sand and gravel quarry. Our circular walk leaves the Reserve and returns, crossing the M6 twice.
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| Over M6 |
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| Under |
Woodland flowers brightened our walk including Celandine and Wood Anemones.
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| Celandine (top) & Wood Anemone (bottom) |
The route was, in general easy underfoot, although the climb from the River Ribble, up to the top of the Ridge was quite steep.
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| Top of climb from River Ribble |
The field at the top had lots of fenced off areas, with access via "kissing gates". A shallow 'scrape' lacked water and signs of frog/toad activity. However there were signs, in the mud, of the presence of deer.
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| Deer prints in mud |
Crossing the M6 we walked around the edge of a housing estate before re-entering woodland. As you would expect on a circular walk, what goes up must come down.
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| Decent through Brockholes Wood |
The decent was aided, in places, by steps and, as woodlands go, provided good views across the Ribble valley including Nature Reserve, working quarry and M6; the woodland itself was showing signs of our late Spring.
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| Pollen |
The only sad site on our walk was, I guess, a casualty from the M6 above us...
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| Poor Gull (M6 casualty perhaps) |
Returning along the River Ribble, we returned to the floating village for a well earned snack.
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| Samlesbury Church |
