SOUTHPORT

BOTANIC & MARINE  3+ Miles

BOTANIC SPECIMENS  :- John. Mike, Danny, Anthony.

We arrived in Southport  (Churchtown) expecting to find parking difficult but were able to park within a few yards of the main gates  to The Botanic Gardens. Our planned destination.

The gates where all decked out with  bunting etc, for  VE day.

 

Our start time these days is a little later than in the past and so a visit to a cafe is often a good start to our days "Activities".

.

..........and maybe a visit to a toilet, Rather strange ones in this case. 20p  a pee .... in a slot in the wall 😏 (The coin not the P...)

We left the cafe and set off to walk anticlockwise around the gardens . First visiting the aviaries, They, however, were out of bounds to guard against "Bird Flu". so we continued round the end of the lake.

Here there was a rather splendid mural depicting the gardens in Victorian times when it was set up.

Later Mike was to comment on how green the water was. We suspected that the unusually dry spring meant that the water was not being replaced by rainwater from the parks drainage system  Hence the need for the oxygenating fountains .

The paths through the park were well laid out and well kept . Particularly so in this area.

Here we entered the first of several short tunnels covering the pathways.

What was this ? It was sort of a lady bird and sort of NOT a lady bird !

There were others dotted around the gardens ............ WHY ?

'fraid so Anthony. There's another tunnel to go through.

 

They're dark and scary these tunnels ! 

Not a tunnel this time simply an archway.

Soon after Danny and Mike had walked along the pathway we read the notice asking people to keep away as there were nesting birds in that area.

So back they came

But not before identifying an unusual tree as a RED horse chestnut.

By now we had almost completed the full circle of the park and "Butty" time was upon us. An area of benches provided excellent seating in the warm sun.

It is part of the "OLD FART'S"(elderly gentlemen's) CHARTER that we should spend time happily but pointlessly putting the world to rights. 

It was Mike, this time, who started us off when he discovered that this, possibly unique, facility -The  Botanic Gardens - was nurtured and managed entirely by volunteers, The council, it appeared, had NO  involvement in it.

Indeed volunteers are a vital part of society without them the whole social structure could collapse, So many national institutions rely on them.

Guides and scouts

Beach litter pickers

Stately homes

Youth clubs

Junior sporting clubs

Park runs

Caring services

Countless charities

Local events (field days etc)

The activities that volunteers run is an endless list

You may have noticed in the bottom right hand corner of the first bench photo - a door.

This was the entrance to the "Fernery"

On entering you are greeted by a "Fairy Grotto".  Not sure why.

This is a wondrous place full of different varieties of ferns and related plants.

Time to leave the Botanic Garden . Next plan. A short stroll with a sea breeze

Note quite a seaside walk (actually quite difficult in Southport.) but the Marine lake was an acceptable substitute. Danny admiring the abundant bird life\

Not quite sure these swans deserve our admiration though. 

Mute sawns ?  NO  Bewick's Swans ?  NO   Whooper Swans ? NO

LURID Swans  YES.

A rather more modest (and patient) pigeon.

Ice creams all round !

and John looking almost cheerful for a change.

Britains scariest SHRIMP !

This way?  No   That way !  Er ???

We went West to Tesco Car Park where we had left the car.

NO ! it is NOT a SEA gull.  There are Herring gulls, Blackheaded gulls. Great blackbacked gulls etc. but there is no bird actually called a sea gull 

( Just remember JW     Nobody likes a Smart A---d Flippin' pedant.)

That IS a horse and possible the most famous horse ever.

Good bye SOUTHPORT we have had a lovely day.

That's All Folks

JW