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?

Turner: Travel, Light and Landscape

Our 1.748 miles route, saved at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6276750, 

would hardly be worth mentioning if it wasn't for the place or the opportunity to view a selection of some 30 works by Turner, drawn from the Walker Art Gallery, Lady Lever Art Gallery and Sudley House.
The exhibition takes a chronological approach to explore the artist’s life and work.

Paintings such as 'Margate Harbour' (1837) and 'Linlithgow Palace' (about 1807), are shown alongside prints and watercolours that are rarely displayed due to their light-sensitivity. Including the watercolours 'Dudley' (about 1830-33), 'Off Dover' (between 1820-1827), 'Wells Cathedral' (1795-96) and 'View of the Mole' (about 1818).
As we are chronologically enhanced we used our Merseyrail passes to travel under the Mersey to Bebington Station.
Here we took, what seemed a ridiculously long detour through the station car park and, once the other side of the fence, back, albeit downhill,  past the exit from the platform and down to the main road.
It didn't take long to reach the Lady Lever Art Gallery, where we enjoyed the exhibition and then refreshed our memories of one of the best collections in the UK. 

As you can see, it should be a place everyone should visit if they can.
I'm hope you agree, that such collections should be viewed via many visits rather than trying to cram it all into one.
Having absorbed as much as was appropriate, we headed of, through the model village which was built by Lever Brothers to accommodate workers in its soap factory (now part of Unilever); work commenced in 1888. The name is derived from Lever Brothers' most popular brand of cleaning agent, Sunlight.
Port Sunlight contains 900 Grade II listed buildings, and was declared a Conservation Area in 1978.
Port Sunlight has been informally suggested for World Heritage Site status to protect it from development and to preserve the unique character for future generations; however, it is not yet on the current UK "tentative list" for future consideration.
In the past, we've spent some time admiring the buildings.
Today the plan was to visit Mayer Park, that had somehow missed our attention on previous visits.
Merseyside and the Wirral are blessed with a wide range of open public parks and this added to our short but enjoyable walk in the sun.

The squirrels obviously have no fear of people and looked as if they were expecting us to provide food.
It was then back to grab some lunch at the cafe opposite Port Sunlight Station. 
Note: they don't take payments by card but the is a cash point a little further along the road.
After an enjoyable, good value lunch we wandered down to the Theatre, to see what was on, before catching the train home from Port Sunlight Station.
PS It was all completed in bright sunshine!

Better late than never!

What!
Well I've failed to find time to post our Meander on the 6th April 2014. 
So here goes...
The 4.3161 miles route was saved and the URL for this route is http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6270019

Little did we know what was ahead of us when we parked the car at Yarrow Country Park but, it was perhaps on of the best woodland/riverside walk we've done in the North West of England (UK)
Setting off along the South West side of Big Lodge Water, the first impressive area was the "playground" with various sculptures.

One potential place to take the Grandchildren when they visit!
The chainsaw carved wooden sculptures were very impressive and there were more to come.
I'm sorry that the photographs taken don't truly reflect the impressive spring flowers. I don't think we've ever seen so many. 
The steps beside the waterfall, for trout to go upstream, was also impressive so I took this clip using an app called Horizon...

The winding path and bridges back and forth across the River Yarrow added to the enjoyment, the wettest and coldest part of the walk was a short trek across an open meadow.

Nearing the furthest point from the car park we were fortunate to see the latest carving where, using my sisters Tweet ...I took a slefie of the "three Twits!" Thanks Lynn.

The skill of the sculptor, EW, speaks for itself.
We returned along the opposite bank, still surrounded by Spring flowers, before retracing our steps, once we had reached the meadow.
At Big Lodge Water we completed the circumnavigation of the reservoir passing memorial benches, stones and more carvings. Oh yes, it wouldn't have been a Sunday walk if we hadn't see a heron as well!

Reading this post through, I don't feel I've done this environment justice; it was beautiful and I'm sure we will be visiting again soon.
PS To be honest, the last picture is from our garden not the walk.

Saw the Cheshire Cat but no Alice!

Yes we were in Daresbury for our walk on Sunday 13th April 2014.
The  7.2162 miles route has been saved and the URL is http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6269820

For those who have followed our Meanders, you will see that this walk includes bits of a number of other walks.
We started our loop at the Lewis Carrol Centre, All Saints Church, Daresbury.

You can find out more about the Centre at http://lewiscarrollcentre.org.uk/about-us/
From the car park we headed off towards the pub, turning left and followed the "Timberland Trail" down to the Bridgewater Canal.
Although a nice start to the walk, the number of wild flowers, compared to last week, in the Yarrow Valley, was disappointing.

The oilseed rape in flower, compensated in some way.
Passing across the bottom end of Daresbury Science Park, with the well kept lawns and moorings, it was ironic that no one was allowed to use the moorings. Private Land.
The Bridgewater Canal was a hive of activity, not just the narrow boats, and plastic tubs, but walkers, cyclists (without bicycle bells), horses, and a wide range of wildlife including Herons and ducks that showed no sign of fear at all.

Swapping sides of the Bridgewater we briefly rejoined the "Timberland Trail" before heading off over a golf course and then around one side of Appleton Reservoir. Grebes, Shellducks, Moorhens, Coots, the list goes on, plus those fishing and more. When we emerged from the woodland, even without her distance glasses, my better half spotted possibly the highlight of our walk. Why highlight? Well sadly they are not very common any more. What aren't? Hares. We we lucky to see two hares.

It's not knowing what's around the corner that makes walking in the countryside so enjoyable. (and the company of course).
In contrast, as we returned to the car park, on the B5356, we saw something that was very sad. What did we see? The remains of a Badger. Mixed feelings, sad it had been killed, pleased that there were badgers in the Daresbury Wonderland.

Still no Alice! 

Conservation It's a PIG

Not what we were expecting but, isn't that what's so enjoyable about walking in the English countryside!

What am I on about?
Well it was the surprise near the end of our walk.
Our 5.1885 mile route has been saved and can be found at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6230970 
It includes walking through 3 woodlands Kirklees Wood, America Wood and Borsdane Wood. The latter two skirting the banks of Borsdane Brook.
Lichens, evident on many of the bushes and trees,

as we followed clear paths.

Moss warming the bottom of tree trunks, attempting to access light, provided bright green splashes of colour on the woodland floor. (mainly on the North facing side of the trunk)

The section between Kirklees Wood and America Wood took us past Hindley Hall and the associated Golf Course.

Upon entering America Wood we followed a path above Borsdane Brook, 

that we could see below us.
Descending, via steps, 

we continue along the bank of the brook through the two woodlands.
Among the usual spring flowers,Chris spotted a patch of Butterbur.

Apart from dog owners, that just cannot control their dogs, the walk along the banks of  
Borsdane Brook was very enjoyable.

Then, just before we reached the end of Borsdane Wood we saw a poster.

In fact lots of posters along with the Pigs being used for woodland conservation. One poster asks dog owners to put dogs on leads.
Not one of them, in this area, did as asked!
It's not the dogs that need the training!

How nice however, to see Pigs in natural environments, being used for conservation.

Hunting the White Hart

When I say hunting, I mean "looking for", nothing more than that. 
I've been lucky enough to see the White Hart, when supporting OLASS (Offender Learning and Skills Service) so, I'd hoped to spot him again on this walk.
Our 4.7466 miles route has been saved and the URL for this route is http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6228252

Parking at Bretherton Church we headed off along the B5247 and quickly turned left down an enclosed path towards the B5248.
The rabbits obviously were not expecting us Meandering along the footpath as we made them jump,and to be fair they made us jump as well.
Turning right, when we reached the road we we watched by a flock of, what I think were, Soay Sheep

It was then time to head off towards Long Fold,  Doles Lane, Boundary Farm and Tattersals Farm before emerging back onto the B5248.

At Norris's Farm to say at land owner was inconsiderate, is an understatement. Walking down the side of the farm, we reached the footpath sign and were faced with, if we followed the correct route, a freshly ploughed field to the footbridge on the far side. 
It brought back memories of how careful we were to keep footpaths accessible over our land. Apparently this doesn't matter any more.
We retraced our steps and walked around the edge of the field to eventually reach the footbridge. 

Crossing both the bridge and the nearby railway line ...

Towards Ormskirk

Towards Preston

...we were on the road through the woodland where I've seen the White Hart in the past. I should add that we had both spotted deer prints in the soft edges of arable fields.
Chris scanned the right-hand side of the road and yes, I scanned the left.
I'm sorry if you are looking for a stunning picture but, My White Hart wasn't to be seen.
Turning off the Willow lined road,with their catkins/lamb's tails, 

we crossed Wymott Brook and, via Copeland Farm, returned to the B5247 completing the loop.
Yes I was disappointed Chris didn't seethe White Hart but, an enjoyable walk albeit boggy underfoot in places.
Perhaps next time!

Fox, Badger and a Rabbit!

Sadly that was the road-kill seen on the way to Blakemere Moss in Delamere Forest. Not a good start and, in spite of the warnings of rain, we did enjoy our Sunday Meander in Cheshire.
You can access the 5.7904 miles route, that we took at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6215774.

Starting at the carpark, outside the Bike-Hire and Cafe, 

we headed off towards Blakemere Moss, past the Go-Ape Centre. The paths, except for the odd patch made muddy by mountain-bikes, were good. 

I think it was 1997 that the project started to reinstate this Moss and others in the forest.
As you can see from the images, the moss shows considerable signs of the vegetation that did grow in what now is a large expanse of water.

Apart from the odd goose, mallard duck and the odd cormorant, the most abundant birds were gulls.
Obviously a busy time of year for timber cutting and there are restrictions in place during the week.

But, we are lucky, not at the weekend.
Although we saw lots of walkers, with their wide range of dogs, and cyclists, there were long stretches where all we could hear was the wind in the trees and bird song. On one section we could hear squirrels and see signs of their feeding but,no actual squirrels.
The moss and fungi brighten up the forest floor.

Passing a number of pools

we found most were very dark and like mirrors.

Little did I know, when I went to Winsford, for work, that the moss would attract me back for today's walk which was very enjoyable and it didn't rain.