The Meanderthals

Friday 11 October 2024

SIZERGH

A Hollow Victree 3.5 Miles (or less)

Recallers :- John W, John R, Mike, Anthony, Jim, Danny.

John W John R

Mid October and we can't decide if we are looking back to the summer or forward to the winter. The sun says "Summer" but the breeze says "Winter". Well it's Autumn so we shall just have to settle for that !

We left the car park of Sizergh Castle with a bright sun to our backs, A little too bright for our camera man.

A straight path led us through the fields and away from the castle which can be seen peeping over the trees.

After crossing two fields we initially struggled to open the first gate. A rather complicated "Latch" system had us baffled. Once it had been puzzled out it proved to be a very simple and efficient way to open the gates.

We now left the fields to follow a narrow but rather attractive woodland path,

Just before we emerged from the woodland path we came across a work party mending a stone wall.

They had left their coats and bags in a small grotto like shelter which had a rather gruesome guardian.

From here a brief but unnecessary diversion took us along a different path before rejoining the track we had left. (C'mon leader get a grip)

A few more yards and we came to Holeslack Farm.

We took the path, to the right of this cottage, which rose steeply before levelling out and veering right onto a track leading to the ancient church of St John, Built in 1726 to serve the population of the Lyth Valley.

Here's Danny showing us he has complete mastery of the complicated gate fastenings

St John's church peeping over the drystone wall.

Before exploring the church we spent some time taking in the fantastic views over the LYTH Valley (which we wrongly termed the Lowther Valley ..... "MEA CULPA") Away to our left the view took us down to the distant sea and to our right the magnificent, horizon filling, Lakeland Fells.

Mike really enjoyed the stainless steel panoramas showing all that was spread out before us.

We had taken flasks , albeit small ones, in the knowledge that seats offering marvellous views, cried out for coffee break.

Just look ! Those b****y teenagers and their phones.

The Lyth Valley was once a bog and was drained and kept dry using pumps, There is a move afoot to stop the pumps and return part of the Valley to it's natural, ancient self as a bog again.

And look. Anthony, for whatever reason, had been unable to supply cakes when it had been his birthday week So here they are now.

Coffee and cake, Wonderful view, comfortable seats, bright sunshine. What more could we ask ?

GOING IN !

You may have noticed that a sign on the churchyard gate told us of a commonwealth grave .We found it and it is pictured below.

The interior of the church was simple though quite impressive particularly the mural beyond the altar .

This portrays angels in female form. The religious tradition rather favours male angels. In fact only four angels are named in the bible Gabriel, Michael, Lucifer and Abaddon. Hosts of beautiful ladies with wings would appear to be a product of the artist's imagination. I rather hope my guardian angel is a beautiful. caring nurse like being and not a bearded, sword bearing ruffian no matter how handsome his wings are. But with my luck I'd get Archangel Cruella.

Not visible in the photo but each bench had it's own heater going all the way along, Rather expensive one might think but as the church has limited use perhaps affordable

GOING OUT

Very nice. Now where do we go ? Back the way we came till we reach a signpost.

A SIGNPOST !

Time to leave the track and take to the fields.

"RUN ENGLAND" ???? Madness takes many forms. I am willing to confess to several but that's taking things a bit too far.😏😒

Look carefully. One of the aforementioned angels appears to have joined the group.

Has John W been through the washer > He seems to have shrunk. Maybe he has "Hobbit" tendencies.

Leaving the track behind we now walked across rather pleasant grassy acres.

Which took us to.............. A TREE

We have seen this tree on a previous walk.

This is the VIC TREE and it's hollow.

Allow me to explain. On a previous walk Danny, our bold adventurer, wriggled through a "SMALL" hole at the base of the tree and peeped out through a knot hole.

Here he is again.

And he is now peeping from a hole higher up the tree before coming out through the now (several years later) much larger hole.

Not to be outdone our erstwhile colleague VIC thought he might also try He wriggled in but being less lithe and somewhat older than Danny became stuck. It took us a while to solve this problem but eventually we had to drag him out feet first. A Great Victree !

The small hole at the base of the tree, has over the intervening years become somewhat larger and here is Jim inspecting the trees hollow interior.

It now only remained for us to continue our walk, only a short distance, back to the Castle, visit the cafe and drive back down the M6 to home.

Bye till next week

Friday 4 October 2024

INGOL

FROM LEARNING TO YEARNING... 3 Miles

UCLAN CLAN :- John R, John W, Anthony, Danny, Mike.

We parked the car in the area where the landscape workers were busy getting the machines and vehicles out and ready to begin work. Then we set off to begin our walk.

We had hardly gone more than fifty metres when a voice from behind halted us in our tracks. Turning around we found to our delighted surprise John Russell had come along to join us on our walk.

Past the Final Whistle Cafe. (What kind of half photo is that JW ?)

And over the pea-soup canal (Ginny Greenteeth again)

Once over the bridge a left turn saw us closely following the opposite bank of the canal.

Where recent heavy rain had caused a flow along the canal which had washed the "Duckweed" (Ginny again) off the surface.

Town and Country. These four reprobates are looking at the bucolic scene along the canal whilst behind them are acres of new build properties.

I think this once said "PRESTON 2.5 Miles and TEWITFIELD 40 Miles" but bits are missing .

We climbed down from the information post at this point and left the canal.

We were now following one of the multitude of paved footpaths that led through the vast area of recent urban developments. Danny's hands seem to be firmly kept in place. Wonder why ?

It is hard not to admire the quality and attractiveness of the mixture of open spaces and dwellings.

Mythical beasts are often hard to identify. Is this a Lion, a Dog or one of those "Whatsits" ?

Whatever it is there are two of them guarding the maze.

Were those whatsits guarding a maze or a labyrinth cut into the grass ? Must be a maze as there are "Dead Ends" and false exits.

J W claims to have cracked it ! Oh no he hasn't. It's a lie, He cheated !

Oh dear! Danny appears to be handcuffed. What's he done ?

Over a delightful little bridge with another sculpture before us.

"War Horse to Water" it was called. Mmmmm ?

Roads, footpaths, housing and woodland all seem to fit comfortably into this attractively developed city fringe area.

In amongst the newbuild some of the old dwellings have been left in situ.

Items such as tunnels and bridges had been built into the design to add interest throughout the area.

Oh dear. Danny still cuffed !

After visiting the Holy Family shop to greet a friend who worked there it was only short distance before we came back to the canal.

Poor Danny still cuffed, WHAT CAN HE HAVE DONE ?

Oh good. Danny is free at last. Just in time for the group photos.

Back in cuffs to carry on the walk..........and him today's leader !

We briefly left the Lancaster Canal to look at the basin which marked the beginning of the "Ribble" arm which links the canal to the LEEDS/LIVERPOOL canal by a rather difficult foray across the River Ribble and eventually across the Pennines.