Caption Pic 28th Sept

"I'm going in to put the kettle on. You lot can clear off!"
"Hi-Ho  Hi-Ho !  Is that one "Grumpy" ? "
 "Trying to get in or trying to get out?"

Five Preston Parks

Five Preston Parks

Moor Park (Deepdale), Haslam Park (Ashton), Ashton Park, 

Miller Park and Avenham Park (City centre)

Walkers: Martin, John R, Mick, Vic, Paddy & Anthony

Distance: 8.5 miles

Ready for the 'OFF' from the carpark opposite PNE,
and Paddy's noticed that it has just started to rain!

Park No. 1

The 'Jeremiah Horrocks Observatory'

A colourful corner near Garstang Road

'The Grotto'

Looking across the park to the PNE stadium

Walking along the appropriately named 'Aqueduct Street'!

Arriving at the southern end of the Lancaster Canal at Ashton

The Ashton Basin

An intriguing back garden bordering on the canal

A new milestone marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the canal.

Milestones on a canal differ from those on the road in that they are intended to tell you how far you have travelled rather than the distance to your destination. So, as you leave Lancaster and head north to Kendal, the milestone will show the distance from Lancaster rather than the distance to Kendal.

The purpose was to make sure the canal proprietors received, from canal carriers, the full toll they were owed.

Progressing along the canal

It must taste good

The herons on the canal are getting increasingly tame as they allow humans to approach much closer than they used to.

Arriving in Haslam Park....and coffee time...

'Tree of the week'

The western entrance (or exit) to the park
leading on to Cottam Avenue

Preston Marina and a good place for a lunch stop

Three Dragon Boats (in the foreground) used recently in a race in the marina

The 'Bullnose' where a channel from the River Ribble (left) branches off to the docks (right)

Leaving the dock estate behind and progressing along Broadgate

Paddy's admiring a splendid Victoria terrace on Broadgate

The 'Old' Penwortham Bridge on the River Ribble

Entering Miller Park

The riverside path through Miller Park.
The bridge in the distance used to be known as the 'combination bridge', as the footpath ran alongside the railway line.
Now it's just a footpath and cycle path.

More of Miller Park

The historic Park Hotel towering over Miller Park and the statue of Lord Derby

The Preston Parks have all recently been awarded 'Green Flag' 
status for their quality and maintenance. Read more about them athttp://www.greenflagaward.org.uk/media/1403/20693_green_flag_interactive_-_kbt_verison.pdf

A welcome tea and coffee stop in Avenham Park before returning to the city centre and the bus back to the carpark at Deepdale

FRANCE

LOST in  FRANCE 2000+km

PROMENEUR :- John W

The writer apologises for the unashamed (so why apologise ?) egocentricity of this blog but he was the only "Meanderthal" in France at the time. We were staying in "Damgan"  a small seaside town in South Brittany.

Being lost in France has several meanings.

Lost in France 

Not knowing where you are.  For JW a frequent occurrence. Taking a wrong turn down a side road in rural France is not advisable. The roads are narrow with deep drainage ditches on either side. On rounding a bend one is confronted with an agricultural vehicle whose TYRES are bigger than one's car. High up on top of this vehicle is a glass cabin from within which a friendly but determined French farmer is smilingly signalling that you must reverse.  After reversing for several hundred metres in a state of nervous tension (Remember the ditches) a turn into a field entrance reveals that that is the very field the agricultural monster is heading for. Being lost, though, means coming across all sorts of fascinating spots. Tiny villages with a welcoming café.  An old watermill with a crystal clear stream tumbling by. Being Lost in France is actually an enjoyable part of our holiday. Part of the "French" experience.

Lost In France

Completely absorbed and enchanted by the llfe style and culture of the country. Cycling to the village boulangerie early in the morning to buy croissants for breakfast and a baguette for the day and returning as the church bells ring out over the fields. Pulling into a field of smiling sunflowers to sit in the sun with a picnic. Visiting medieval towns with narrow cobbled streets to explore. Sitting on a quiet beach in the warm sunshine  with a good book, an equally good picnic and a cool beer from our coolbox. Chatting in mangled French to people we meet.  Perfect !

Lost in France  

The title of a hit song sung by welsh singer Bonnie Tyler the tune of which we find ourselves humming in the car as we drive along wondering where we are and when we shall find our way back to the accommodation. 

At this time of the year the beaches are very quiet and parking is no problem

The boss sitting in the sun reading

The medieval streets on the walled town of La Guerande

Being in "Asterix" land JW had to pretend to be "Obelix"

A wedding being celebrated in typical French eccentric style

JW enroute for the breakfast croissantes and Pain-au-Raisin

Rocheforte-en-Terre another medieval town, Claims to be the prettiest in France (along with dozens of others) Note JW's constant holiday companion - a walking stick.

'es allus there !

Not Really !

Port "Crusty"  (spelled Crouesty)

Here we go Danny. The boss picking ingredients for a Delicious "Apple and Blackberry" pie. It was down this lane that a couple of years ago we were startled (scared) by some huge rats as big as cats that emerged from the bushes.  They were not rats but "Coypu"  large South American rodents  that were living and breeding here.

Another "Cafe au Lait and The Anglais" in Croisic a seaside town

Afternoon drinks in the garden of our accommodation

 Picnic by the Brest - Nante canal

Yet another coffee and tea break

"TREE of the WEEK" ?  It has a knitted overcoat ?????


JW has long been jealous of Danny's Australian "Nettle Basher" stick. Sooo... in
 "Vide Grenier"  (Car boot sale) a man was sellng sticks so I bought one. This just the top.

And so the sunsets on another sojourn in France.

After a night in a hotel within the walls of St Malo it was all aboard the "MV  Bretagne" and the eight hour cruise past the Channel Isles and across the "Manche" to Portsmouth

"Aurevoir France - A Bientot"
 
"LE FIN"