BUSHY TAILS and BATS
Definitely "Bats" :- Jim, Mike, Danny & John
Not a single bat did we see but here's the evidence. They were there !
Bat boxes on the trees. Were they Pipistrelles ? Or short eared bats ? Who knows but with halloween a few days away they could have been.....
.......VAMPIRE BATS !😱
"Hardly likely John".......
"There are more things in Heaven and Earth (lads) than are dreamt of in your philosophy." (Shakespeare - Hamlet)
We parked in the usual spaces quite close to the gardens and the cafe, only to discover that there were new parking arrangements.
There were large new bright red signs proclaiming this and of course the actual payment machines were difficult to understand. Which ever Car park you visit they all have their own individual querkiness. We eventually worked it out and ambled off for our moaning brews
(Did ! say "Moaning" brews ? NEVER !)😉Then off into the surrounding Parkland.
"Right were do we head to first ?
"Off we go then".
Beyond the office and alongside the well maintained. large public bowling greens.
This took us onto the tarmacked route down into the woodlands. As we walked a man was coming uphill towards us with his dog. I was about to say "He looks most Morose" when he greeted us with a large smile and an even larger scottish accent.
He was a very pleasant chap and told us that he came from Glasgow but he was actually born in Ireland and returned "Home" quite frequently.
"Oh, whereabouts ?" asked Jim. It turned out that both of their ancestral homes where quite near to each other. I'm afraid Jim will have to tell us where as I got quite lost in the superfluity of place names .(Donegal John !)
Morose ! No such thing .
Morose ! No such thing .
"An Irish man and his dog walked up the path." There must be a joke somewhere in there.
leaving our our Irish Scotsman we continued downwards briefly calling on the "Lost" fountain". Just before we reached the lost fountain Jim spotted this Silver Birch with bracket fungus growing out of at at roughly even spaces. It was almost like a "Lift" up the trunk.
quite close to the Lost fountain we spotted these high up a tree.
Perhaps they were bird boxes with the actual box having fallen off.
But no. They were properly constructed "Bat Boxes" into which bats could creep through a narrow slot at the bottom. We came across many more as we continued our walk
Just across from the Lost Fountain a barrier had been craftily made from the trunk and branches of a fallen tree. Notice the stream.
There's a tale to tell about that !
We continued our walk until we came to a point where the path split. One part carried on. The other dropped down to THAT stream. Our first opportunity for a bridge photo ( Jim ?)
Here we stood on the bridge (Bridge Photo comin'up) for a while admiring the clear sparkling waters of the delightful stream chuckling and gurgling through the Valley.
That is until John imparted the following.........
"The stream is DEAD." he said ....... What 😧😕 !
"The stream is DEAD." he said ....... What 😧😕 !
"No water plants = No insects (caddis flies, freshwater shrimps etc.)
"No insects = No fish. ( sticklebacks, minnows, bullheads etc.)
"The stream is DEAD" He repeated. "Kingfishers and Dippers would have a hard time here. Have you seen any ? "..... "NO"
Later, on getting home, John looked up the stream. There are many ways a stream can be killed. In this case it was pollution caused by the M6 and Chorley Town's run off surface water containing all sorts of pollutants which the stream picks up as it passes by.
After a short discussion we decided not return to the main pathway but to follow the diversion which we fully expected would rejoin the main path further on..... IT DID !
DEATH seemed to be developing as a theme on its own.
"Nature , red in tooth and claw" was a saying of my mothers. No idea why I think it refers to Predators and prey but in this case it was Rot and Decay. I don't know of and predatory trees though there are predatory plants.
As we followed the "other" side of the valley, bridges seemed to abound
We came to a clearing where yet another tree had fallen. The bicycles in the picture give some idea of its size.
Many thousands of years ago Hunter Gatherers roamed the land (I've heard that phrase before.) They used the semi-circle of soil and roots as temporary accomodation by leaning tree branches against one side and covering them over. Evidence of cooking and other domestic activities have been found showing the hunter gatherers stayed in these makeshift shelters for periods of time as they hunted and gathered in the area before moving on.
Then through the trees we spotted "Astley Hall". Next to our final destination......... The CAFE.
There are two squirrels in this rather poor photo below. Can you spot them ?
A final bridge took us over the stream and back onto our original track . Only a short distance before we emerged into the open parkland. The woods were very much down to ancient beeches with the occasional Sycamore, Horse Chestnut and Silver Birch though few and far between. Occasionally an Oak tree. Strangely we did not see a single Ash Tree throughout or walk. 😕
Get out of the way. Somethings coming.
It looked like a whole troop of army cadets. Jogging through the park.
Some were faster than others.
It occurred to me that today's predilection with death continued. Each of those young people would graduate into "TRAINED KILLERS"
Then through the trees we spotted "Astley Hall". Next to our final destination......... The CAFE.
Rather perversely we came to a directions sign post at the end of our walk not at the beginning.
There are two squirrels in this rather poor photo below. Can you spot them ?
During our walk we saw lots of squirrels. Mostly skipping across the leaf littered woodland floor. Perhaps getting ready for their winter hiberation ( Not all squirrels do)
As we were watching the squirrels a flash of gaudy colour cought our eyes as a JAY landed just were we were watching. (How's that for alliteration ?)
Colours hidden beneath it's grey outer "Camouflage"
As we approached the Hall we also passed the "NOT LOST" fountain in the lake.
The hall itself, magnificently illuminated by the afternoon sunshine, was closed for maintenance. We've toured it before. Very worthwhile.
This is.....er.... well.... You tell me.
In the cafe....... Excellent soup !
DEATH would not leave us alone.... just outside the cafe..... Killing machines
....and here's a soldier back from the killing fields . At peace at last.
But there's hope all round. Here a dead tree is being reborn from it's very core.
And a final tribute to those who have gone before us.
We "Meanderthals " can be thankful that we were born into and lived through
a GOLDEN ERA
ALL THINGS COME TO AN END
See you next week
JOHN
