Dolphin Inn

Although we didn't! Go in that is. Why? Because unusually we had rain. Believe it or not, it is very seldom that it rains when we walk on a Sunday; no more than a half-a-dozen times at most in a year.
This also explains why there are no pictures taken on this walk although I did take some when we were last here. That was at the start of the Ribble Way, which we must finish during the summer. A number of pictures stitched using AutoStitch resulted in this image of the Dolphin Inn, the start of our walk.

The pub stroll should have started at what was once the old 'Brick-works'; now reclaimed as a popular bird-rich nature reserve. We decided that starting half-way round, at the Dolphin would be a better bet and we could finish the walk with a pint and a bite to eat.
There was limited parking at the pub as half of Lancashire was shooting 'clays' at the clay-pigeon event behind the pub. I think Chis took the last space in the carpark.
The first part of the walk retraced our initial steps on the Ribble Way, walking from the Dolphin Inn, known locally as the 'Flying Fish', we headed towards the embankment, beyond which is nothing but tidal marsh and the estuary of the River Ribble.
After some discussion about which of the many routes to follow, the instructions were not clear, we turned away from the river through the traditional patchwork of hedges, fields and rural lanes.
A relatively new estate caused some thought when the 'kissing-gate' we were to go through was someone's front door ! We managed to get back on track but missed some of the lakes from the old brick-works. Returning to the Dolphin, along the flood bank, we were somewhat wet and, as already stated, decided to go home and get dry rather than have the pint and a snack we had promised ourselves.
Perhaps, a revisit is called for, in the not to distant future.

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Sandstone Trail Revisited...

Today we had company on our walk, Mandy and Dave had come to visit over the Bank Holiday weekend. Chris and I walked the 34-mile (55km) Sandstone Trail some years ago so it was quite nice to revisit the first leg of that walk.
Parking in the small car park on Beacon hill we set off on our 5.7659 mile walk. The sandstone ridge bounds the western edge of the Cheshire Plain. At Frodsham and Helsby it breaks out into real crags. (It does at Beeston as well but our walk didn't go that far this time). Both hills form the classic escarpment; the sandstone strata slope gently down to the south east, while the craggy fronts face the River Mersey.
You can see where we walked at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1929813.
An interesting walk including crossing a golf course (officially, as the path is older than the course, walkers have priority but we didn't take it for granted), passing Woodhouse Hill (there was once a hill fort there; iron age) now owned and managed by the woodland trust, down (and later up) Jacob's Ladder with well worn footholds carved in the rock, and through the outskirts of Helsby before assending Helsby Hill.
Views of the River Mersey, both Liverpool Cathedrals, were glimpsed through the trees and almost at the end of the walk when we reached Frodsham's War Memorial on top of Frodsham Hill.

This picture was added using Mbedr, which if it works allows me to add flickr images while retaining any annotated regions present on the original. If you want to try it out then go to http://www.elsewhere.org/mbedr/.
Just before reclimbing Jacob's Ladder I spotted a Tawney Owl flying through the woods and out into a tree in an adjacent field. Sadly not time to take a photograph.
We took the advice of the guide and went to the Helter Skelter, on Church Street for refreshments. Apparently named after the centrepiece of the fairground which used to stand on the hilltop; the outside and public bar were far from inviting but we made our way up to the restaurant and found that the food and beer to be excellent; the choice of cask ales made me wish that I wasn't driving (I did enjoy a pint of Shropshire Gold. Don't be put off by appearances!

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Anglezarke and Round Loaf

A 7.5339mile walk starting from the carpark beside Anglezarke Reservoir; the walk took us up through Lead Mines Clough, stopping briefly at a World War 2 Memorial. The monument commemorates the crew of a Wellington Bomber which crashed at this point, returning from a mission.
It was then up onto the moors along with many ewes and their lambs...

...to find Round Loaf, an ancient burial mound...

Even from a distance this tumulus, with cotton grass sprinkled across the moor, was impressive. As we got closer it was obvious that paths radiated from it (converged to it) in all directions of the compass...

The view from the top of Round Loaf was, on this clear day, spectacular.
It was the off the moor along Dean Black Brook. One fallen tree's root system, by the look of the remains of man made structures, had obviously been used to provide a bivouac or a sheep shelter...

The path dropped down through some narrow gorges between ridges of moorland...

Local residents seemed determined to eat in the most dangerous of places...

Once down off the moor we arrived at White Coppice, with its cricket field and small reservoirs...

We walked along "The Goit" to arrive at a road near "Waterman's Cottage".
First mistake for some time. The guide said "...look at the waterfall and then continue by crossing the road and entering the woodland, to follow a path along the right shore of Anglezark Reservoir." Silly me I didn't look at the map; what the instructions should have said was keep the reservoir on your right! We went the wrong side! never mind, it only added an extra 1.3 miles to the walk.
We has been promised water fowl on the reservoir but only a few mallard, a grebe and the highlight, Geese and gosling...

All in all, thoroughly enjoyable walk.

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Parbold-Hilldale-Fairy Glen

It is just over a year since we last did this walk and you can read about that walk at http://maghullmeanders.blogspot.com/2007/04/parbold-hilldale-fairy-glen.html.
The map for the walk is at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=904614.
Chris worried about climbing Parbold Hill and when I told we didn't have to, she wasn't convinced. We didn't but every hill we climbed she counted, coming to the conclusion that Parbold Hill may have been less daunting.
Just before Hilldale we passed a small holding with what can truly be described as free-range fowl...

We stopped for a pint on the way (at the top of one of the many small hills) and enjoyed a Timothy Taylor's Landlord. The menu looked good so we decided to go there next Wednesday, after shopping, for a meal. I'll let Chris write about the meal in her blog.
The main reason for repeating the walk was to see the bluebells...

As you can see they we coming to the end of the season. Nice all the same.
The garlic was detected before it came into sight...

and in a shady part, a fine specimen of bracket fungus was spotted...

As before an enjoyable walk, a welcome pint, a nice picnic and excellent weather (a little hot if anything).

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National Wildflower Centre

Chris had spotted the National Wildflower Centre in the Friday Paper; so it was decided to look for a walk nearby. Nothing available we decided to use the large A-Z map of the area and to work out a walk of our own!
Was that the first mistake, I can hear you ask! No it wasn't! our walk took us from the National Wildflower Centre, resisting the call to call there first, through the Victorian Court Hey Park, along the Liverpool Loop Line, through Childwall and Black Wood, into Calderstones Park, along the edge of Allerton Park Golf Course, through Reynolds Park (including a visit to what Chris thought was the best walled garden she had seen), back onto the Liverpool Loop Line and finally returning to the National Wildflower Centre at Court Hey Park. If you were worn out by that then imagine how we felt having completed the 8.45 miles (You can see where we went by going to http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1816966.
Last year was the 10th birthday of the centre (Plans were drawn up in 1997) but it wasn't opened to the public until 2001. Set in the 35 acre Victorian Court Hey Park, they provide information and raise awareness about the importance of wild flowers to our environment and encourage people to learn about the creation and management of new wild flower habitats - creative conservation. I particularly liked the wild flower bed made up from recycled CDs. Chris had a go on the Traverse Wall (no comments) and I had a play on the large wooden xylophone. (Abide with me!)

There were a number of sculptures made from scrap metal...

...that were rusting among the flowers.
A more colourful fish was in the water near the entrance...

If I get time I may add him/her to the moblog!
An interesting walk with lots of contrasts and how nice to see parks returning to their former glory!

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New Brighton - North Wirral Coast

Founded in 1830, Liverpool builder, James Atherton realised that steam-ferries now made this part of the Wirral accessible. He planned a seaside resort like those on the south-coast, including of course, Brighton.
Blackpool 'eat your heart out', among many attractions, most of which are long gone, New Brighton had one of the world's biggest open-air swimming-pools, a pier, a vast pleasure garden with fairground, monkey house, a ballroom and a tower taller than Blackpool's.
Starting our walk at the Welsh end of King's Parade, our eyes were drawn to Liverpool Bay and the wind-farm comprising 25 turbines...

King's Parade was built in the 1930s from land reclaimed from the sea using material excavated from the Mersey Tunnel. The old sea walls and coastline are visible on the right of the road.
Views across the mouth of the River Mersey enabled us to identify the Freeport at Seaforth...

We were greeted by the Aluminium Clown Statue as we entered New Brighton.

As we walked closer to the River, Perch Rock Lighthouse and Fort, were passed on our left. The lighthouse, because of radar, became redundant in 1973. Built on Black Rock, the most feared hazard on the inward trip to Liverpool, in 1830; it replaced a wooden construction with a light on it.
The lighthouse has often been hit by ships it was there to protect and guide. 90 feet tall it could be seen 15 miles away...

The Fort, Perch Rock Fort, is very close to the lighthouse and marks the River Mersey. Planned as part of England's defences against an invasion by Napoleon it wasn't completed until 1826 by which time Napoleon was already dead. It was altered in 1890 and its claim to 'fame' (I'm not sure if that is an appropriate word) is that the guns were only fired twice and then only as warnings; once at the start of WW1 and again at the start of WW2. It was also camouflaged as a tea room in WW2 with the top painted green to look like a lawn from above; 'Tea' was painted on the roof...

Turning through 90 degrees we walked along the promenade with views of Liverpool's famous waterfront...


Leaving the River we walked through Vale Park with flowers in full bloom...

Walking through the streets of New Brighton, past the railway station, we returned to King's Parade and down onto the beach before returning to the car.
About 4.5 miles, the walk had many interesting features and research enhances the experience. If I get time I'll add a map so that you can, if you want to, trace our steps.

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Video Clips from Wigan Walk

Make a postcard - it's easy!

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The Paths to Wigan Pier

We started todays 6.1618 mile walk, map available at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1763798, in the car park behind Trencherfield Mill, Wigan Pier.

The floor of the piazza has brick paving that suggests a large rug and giant dominoes. You can make out the carpet element in the picture above.
On the wall, part of Wigan's Public Art Trail, are Andy Hazell's Three Heads. Installed in 1999, they were part of an exciting mechanical sculpture (automata). The Three heads sat on the wall above a giant mantle piece which featured symbols of the Twentieth Century and a clock. We could only see the heads - the middle one providing an ideal nesting place for a rock dove!

Wigan, in general, is closed on a Sunday so the initial walk through the urban environment wasn't as bad as it could have been. The lack of people allows you to see the part-pedestrianised streets at its best. We were confused by the instruction "Just before a dual carriageway go right down setts to St George's Church"; it was the word 'setts' that confused both Chris and I. If you are confused as well it is an old term for cobbles or Cobble Stones! Of course it is!
The River Douglas was joined near where the old Wigan Rugby League Stadium used to be (a Tesco now) Ben and Mandy may remember watching Orrell playing there some years ago.
Past an old quarry called Devil's Canyon, (That's 2 weeks we have seen property of the Devil!), now an adventure playground, we climbed up past former almshouses know as The Receptacle.
Many of the bridges on our route had cast-iron parapets. Apparently Lord Crawford of Haigh Hall made his fortune from iron and seems to have liked to use it ornamentally on the estate.
The last parts of our walk took us briefly onto the canal towpath near Haigh Hall Golf Course and then back through woodland, along an old railway track and the down the Wigan flight of locks from Rabbit Rocks back to Wigan Pier.
It is interesting that Trencherfield Mill Engine is reputedly the world's largest, original working, mill steam engine, the four-cylinder 2,500 hp giant was built and installed in its specially designed engine house at Trencherfield Mill in 1907.  It’s 70 tonne flywheel enabled power to be sent throughout the vast Mill on all five floors, powering thousands of cotton spinning machines.
A very enjoyable walk and perhaps one we will revisit soon, when the bluebells are out!

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Ogden Clough and Swineshaw

Our walk started from a peaceful lane, between arable land and moorland, taking us through the edge of Hollingworth to a nature reserve created around abandoned reservoirs.
The lambs, at Landslow Green, were an excellent start to the day...

and...

To say the walk was muddy was an understatement; in parts it was very heavy under foot. Apparently this walk was "an easy introduction to moorland" - Rubbish! What with boggy paths through Swallows Wood Nature Reserve and steep climbs, in particular after Devil's Bridge...

the walk was quite demanding; it was also, on the plus side, a very 'engaging' walk
As said already Swallows Wood Nature Reserve is based around former reservoirs created by damming Ogden Brook in the 1850s. Concessionary paths thread the woodlands and we were taunted by the 'mocking laugh' of a green woodpecker which, try as we might, we couldn't locate. Higher up, on moorland tracks and roads, we could see Arnfield, Higher and Lower Swineshaw Reservoirs. There were fine views of Manchester over Lower Swineshaw Reservoir. The reservoirs were very blue which made the cold wind feel even colder. We did expect to see some wildfowl on the reservoirs but were out of luck (Not even a cormorant).Passing back through Hollingworth Hall, we returned to Hobson Moor Road having completed 5.7619 miles. The map of this walk can be found at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1763741.
The picture below has more details of the Nature reserve...

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Maps for the last two walks

1. Maps for the Easter Sunday walk, Thurstaston and Caldy can be found at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1727900 (6.9549 miles, a bit further than I thought) and
2. Maps for the Holywell walk can be found at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1708302 (4.3036 miles)

If you follow our footsteps then, I hope you enjoy them both we did.

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Easter Sunday stroll on the Wirral

A change from the big skies of our pub-strolls of the last few weeks. A walk along the opposite side of the Dee with the Ravine and waterfalls of "The Dungeon", St Bartholomew's Church...

...and the battlemented tower in its churchyard...

woodland and common of Thurstaston Common, and generally outstanding scenery. This also included fine views across the Dee like this one towards Hillborough Island.

This was a revisited walk; our last visit was on the 2nd May 2004! Looking at the notes I made then we apparently got lost and "the last bit along the Wirral Way a bit tedious". We didn't get lost this time and sadly the tedium was still present on the last stretch.
Toasted sandwiches, Cheese and ham for me and cheese and tomato for Chris, finished off a very enjoyable 6.5 mile walk. Sadly the football result later that day wasn't so good; Liverpool lost to Man U.

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Holywell - Basingwerk Abbey - St Winefride's Well

Last weeks walk took us to Wales; just shows that we English don't hold a grudge (Wales had just won the Rugby 6 Nations Grand Slam)
Although the main attractions didn't open until Easter, the walk was an interesting one. Apparently the monks of Basingwerk Abbey...

...were the first to exploit the power of the stream and their lay successors, in the 18th century, built copper works and cotton mills.
Our walk took us past tiered mill ponds with the usual cormorants...


and interesting sculptures like the bull rushes above and the three little pigs at the start of the walk.

The power of the water can be seen in the picture below where the open grid walkway crosses a mill-race...

The walk took us to the main attraction of the walk. From 600 AD the well of St Winefride was an object of veneration. Passing the many remains of past industries and water 'features'...

...we eventually arrived.

Chris noted the 'Jousting tents' which we later realised were changing tents for those who wished to bathe in the 'waters'.
We were made aware of the story of how Winefride was beheaded by a chieftain whose attentions she refused and whose head was miraculously restored, in the exhibition room attached to the shop/entrance. It was one of the most important shrines in Britain and known as the 'Lourdes of Wales'
The well itself is impressive with water rising in the centre...

Sadly there was 'No Bathing Today'; On a cold spring day a dip was just what Chris and I was looking for.
We decided to make our way back along the old railway line to the Dee estuary.
Unfortunately the old track was overgrown and we had to retrace our steps to leave the 'Greenfield Valley' via the carved entrance...

A walk along the road to the Dee took us past Welsh Police confiscating motorbikes from 'children'; other bikes appeared as soon as the police had gone.
Tide out, local fishing boats were stranded on the beach...

There was a dark side to this valley which I'm sure the Welsh would prefer to dismiss; earlier industrial works concentrated on the treatment of copper for various uses, some of the pots and pans exported through Liverpool to exchange for West African slaves.
The real down side was our visit to the local pub! Rude staff told us in no uncertain way that food wasn't available; the beer wasn't good and the fabric 'worn' to say the least.
Well worth a return visit but we will take our own refreshments.

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Legh Arms, Mere Brow

I thought I'd better try to do last week's pub stroll before we set off on this week's walk. The one thing that sticks in my mind was the cold wind and exposed landscape. The Golden man was the first unavoidable landmark...

...as he was on a low-loader we were not sure he was visiting or had just arrived! He was, without argument, impressive.
We made our way past the golden man through Leisure Lakes, a 30-acre lake, 4ft 6in deep, sandy beaches, picnic park, walks, landscaped touring caravan park with 90 pitches available. Golf Driving range, 9-hole golf course, jet ski centre, mountain bike, fishing and paintball. Western themed pub on site, paintball games for groups. The latter was well subscribed for a Sunday morning in March.
The walk was uneventful, passing a few other walkers and riders (horse and cycles). Irrigation reservoirs, with what appears to be the compulsory cormorant, were passed at relatively frequent intervals.

Green Plovers, with their manic flight patterns, and skylarks added to the long and far from winding roads and, as we headed back towards Mere Brow, the March lambs in red-jackets were possibly the highlight of the walk.

The 7.4062 miles started and ended at the Legh Arms

and for those of you who wish to do the stroll you can view the map at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1701272.
Food and beer both excellent; maybe a Wednesday night visit is called for.

PS Sorry I didn't include a map for last week! you can view it at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1667526.

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The Ship Inn Burscough - New Lane - Martin Mere - Tarlscough - The Ship Inn

Big skies cold winds and an 8.765 mile walk...
Starting from the Ship Inn next to the Rufford Branch of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal...

We headed up to the main canal and, passing the 'dry-dock' we headed towards Liverpool. The old Ordnance Stores, with the many rabbits, are long gone; replaced by modern houses overlooking the canal. A relatively quiet stroll into a cold wind, took us past Sunday Footballers and past the Lathom Slipway pub; no we didn't stop. Glimpses of the new 'hide' at Martin Mere  were caught as we crossed the Southport-Wigan railway line for the first time...

I took us slightly off the proper path but looking back, when we got back on track, we avoided lots of wet field! Good move!
Back across the line at New Lane Station, I had to do a quick detour as the gates descended to stop the no-existent traffic.
We walked parallel to the railway before crossing a third time, with views of the Mere and Windmill farm in the distance...

The new hide at Martin Mere has resulted in a re-route of the footpath; no further and enabled us to observe hares in the sun along with cormorants flying up from the mere.
Apparently an owl had accidentally dropped this resting mouse...

... and couldn't find it in the dark (I wont say who's theory that is!)
Swans passed overhead as we continued on our way...

...and Hawaiian Geese,

...Guinea Fowl and a Peacock...

were also spotted on the way...
Ready for a pint we ended back at the Ship Inn and enjoyed two pints of Bombardier; Mmmmm!

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