BLACKPOOL

 HEALTHY WALK

Fit Fellas ? :- Anthony, Mike, John, Danny.

As one of our number had an appointment at Blackpool Victoria Hospital on this particular Thursday we decided that Blackpool would be our our walk's destination. Victoria Hospital is quite close to Stanley park so we parked within "Stanley" and set off initially to the cafe.  It was closed but the Information Centre promised "Brews" So here we are inside the centre.

A we sat drinking a fascinating video was playing showing historic film of Blackpool and the park. Mike is a "Blackpool Boy" and recognised much of the scenes from the video. John did not see much as he was occupying the chair with its back to the screen.

"Start the Day Brews" downed we set off to make our way through the park to the hospital.

Here we are walking through an area of six Bowling greens in poor condition and used by dog walkers. SAD !

The steps in front of us led to a path to the far side of the park where the Hospital was. Oh no they didn't. Just to a hedge barring the way onto the golf course.  a gap in the hedge allowed us to enter the Golf Course and follow it's edge to re-enter the park after a couple of hundred yards/

As we followed the path negotiating the top end of the lake we came across THIS !  What is it ?  Answers in a plain brown envelope please and NOTHING rude or Lewd please.

It was apparently an area where people fed the birds as bird feeders were hanging in the trees and many seemingly hopeful birds were gathered here.

There were ducks and gulls in abundance

and pigeons appeared out of nowhere to land almost at our feet,  

"Sorry birdies were heading for a cafe. We are not carrying food today".

A tribute to an individual unknown to us was attached to a tree. Perhaps a keen local "Birder".

We had been advised that the "Staff Canteen" was open to the public and after searching along the hospital's seemingly endless corridors we found it.

At this point Danny left us to attend his appointment. Whilst we joined the queue for a very acceptable "hot" lunch.  Here's Mike using the drinks machine.

Lunch over we made our way to the rather magnificent modern Foyer where  Orange or was it Tangerine clad guides were available to help visitors negotiate this very large hospital.

Mike decided that he would leave us here to go through the park to the car and bring it to the car parks immediately outside the Foyer building.

Soon after he left a phone call from Danny informed us that his appointment was over and he was on his way to join us.

Danny had missed out on lunch but got himself a coffee once he had joined us, We now went outside and waited for Mike to arrive with the car.

As is his wont Mike now gave us a fascinating guided tour of his schoolboy, footballing and courting days as we wended our way through the suburbs towards the main road and eventually the motorway back to Preston. A surprisingly enjoyable visit to a side of Blackpool we rarely see. EXCELLENT !

THE END

JW

BLACKBURN

 FIASCO !

SUFFERERS :-  John, Anthony, Mike, Jim, Danny.

Having met at TWO places 😖😖We set off for our planned destination

... Worden Park,  Leyland.  IT WAS RAINING !

Before we had gone more than a couple of miles someone in the car suggested we change to Blackburn as there was an exhibition worth seeing in the Cathedralt...... so BLACKBURN.............. Oh Dear. Oh Dear !!!  BAD MOVE ! A phone call from Jim reminded us that he had not been informed of the venue change.    IT WAS RAINING !

We parked up next to Corporation Park but as we could not fathom the road markings we left for fear of parking fines. IT WAS RAINING !

 The centre of Blackburn was a confused maze of criss crossing side streets, One way streets, Road works and Car Parks (which  we were not allowed to use.) This led to us reversing out of a car park into a one way street and then being obliged to drive down  a short "BUS LANE". (I await the fine) 

IT WAS RAINING

We eventually parked in a rather gloomy multi storey car park with A SEEMINGLY unfathomable payment system. We got there in the end.

and so off to find the Cathedral and the Second World War exhibition which had been the cause of our change of venue. IT WAS RAINING 

This is NOT a good photo. It is out of focus and slightly tilted. Perhaps a harbinger of things to comel

(Is the tone of this blog rather less than bright and sparkly so far ?)

On reaching the Cathedral we decided to have a brew before tackling the knitted ...... YES KNITTED  exhibits.  (Rather superb actually) 

However, waiting at  the cafe door there was a polite gentleman who informed us that the tables were all full and it could be quite a while before we would be served. The occupiers of the tables, all chatting away, looked suspiciously like elderly KNITTERS to me. We left by a side door in search of a cafe. 

IT WAS RAINING.

Not a million miles away was the Market hall and  in we went for a coffee. It was piping hot and very reasonably priced.

So back to the Cathedral ...........  "Can we come in ?"

..........to look around the knitted dioramas. They were superb but overwhelming in their numbers and difficult to photograph with so many people passing in front of them. They were undeniably superb examples of knitting skills and the historic tales each told were fascinating.

Anthony and Jim viewing some of the dioramas.

Next photos thanks to Jim. 

I think by this time I was beginning to lose it. Interest that is. After the first twenty Captain  Mainwarings they all begin to look alike.

Coventry Cathedral

VE Day

Not all the knitted models were miniature . Here's Jim in front of a lifesized Scottish soldier.

and not all were people. Here's a rat catcher.

Last time I saw a pink rat was through the bottom of a whisky tumbler 
( I Lie )

Jim Anthony and myself were quickly through the second half of the exhibition and went to sit in the main body of the Cathedral

By this time any "Sparkle" the day was offering was being extinguished

"Culture Vultures"  Danny and Mike took considerably longer to view all the dioramas. 

we waited and waited and waited and waited...........

Outside   IT WAS RAINING

At last.....  lets go find some lunch

But look!  There's Barbara Castle the MP's version of Marmite

Love her or loath her we could do with some intelligent forthright MPs right now. Whatever their allegiance.

We had a very pleasant but ordinary lunch e.g. Bacon or sausage Barm Cakes with additions. and brews.  The prices were all extremely reasonable

Looking at John. I don't think his opinion of the day's passage is improving. Never mind John there's worse to come.

Lunch over we set off to find the car. Fortunately Memory Man Danny remembered where it was.

Incongruously as we had munched through our barm cakes someone was tinkling away on a grand piano. A bright spot in this dreary day. It was this chap who claimed he couldn't read music but played by ear. He had a GOOD ear.

Back past the Cathedral and through the maze of confusing streets to the car park. 

Guess what !                                   IT WAS RAINING !

w

When we got to the Car park the digital entrance system did not work.  We had to wait until someone coming out let us in.

At last into the car and home.. But we were still in the grip of the day's HEX !

As we drove towards Preston a Lorry just in front of us shed part of it's load, We had to break hard to avoid it amid the hooting of horns and the flashing of lights behind us.

At last we arrived back at Anthony's. The passengers got out of the car and started walking away. The driver (Me) started to reverse the car whilst keeping an eye on his companions in the wing mirror. He did not look in the rear view mirror and so bashed into the parked car behind ......... OH SH......!

Details where exchanged and at last I set of for Grimsargh (home)

NOT QUITE ! as I drove down Durton Lane A sign said ....

"ROAD AHEAD CIOSED"

I think I muttered something like "Oh GOODY !!!!" and turned back

IT WAS STILL RAINING

THE END

Thank goodness... Where's that brolly ?

(I

GARSTANG

 "SINGING THE BLUES"

NOT......Singing the Blues were:-  Danny. Jim. Mike, Anthony and John

But so many were .......

Elvis "Blue Suede Shoes"

Roy Orbison " Blue Bayou"

Bobby Vinton  "Blue Velvet"

The Marcels "Blue Moon"

Tommy Steele "Singing the Blues"

There are literally hundreds of "Blue Songs" and today our walk was decidedly "BLUE".  (Not sad though)

Garstang has been referred to as the Blue Plaque capital of England. It has a lot of them. Here's a decidedly non-blue Danny looking at the first one we encountered in Chapel Weind as we left the Booth's car park.

Leaving this plaque we cut through an alleyway (Weind) leading to the High Street.

As you can see the Weind was rather dark and we nearly missed this plaque.

As well as plaques there were markers, fixed in the pavement, pointing down the weinds.

 Thursday is Market day and the streets were busy so photographing some pieces was difficult, This photo of a mounting block spoiled by unavoidable shadows

Had to squeeze between the stalls to take this one.

Almost immediately across the road was the next blue Plaque.

Sorry about the out of focus shot. I think the camera's autofocus couldn't decide what to focus on.  The plaque or the hedge in front of itl

We crossed over the road to walk past the "Old Grammar School" now the Arts Centre where we found THREE plaques. Only one blue though.

A little further down the road and heading North away from the high street we took a right turn to follow a track that led to the flood prevention mechanism on the river.

The path was on an embankment which we supposed was the route taken by the historically famous but relatively short lived side line bringing Salt and farm goods from Fleetwood, through Pilling and joining the West Coast Main Line at Catterall. The locomotives whistle was likened to a pig squealing and hence was nicknamed "The Pilling Pig" The engine has been preserved and we have visited it on a couple of occasions at a site near Pilling.

At the end of the embankment was the large concrete structure of the Flood barrier.

Looking down into the peat stained River Wyre we could see the "barrier" beneath the surface which will rise to hold back the water in times of flood, Nearby fields will accommodate the excess water.

As we walked away from the barrier we met a couple who introduced themselves as Mr and Mrs Bolton. Eric had briefly joined us on our walks some years ago. Being a keen mountaineer he found our "Rambling Days" rather tame.

Eric, in the light coloured top, was a leading epidemiologist (I think) and when, on one walk, he saw me pick up a recently dead bat. (to photograph) firmly told me to put it down as bats carried multiple harmful pests which could cause quite serious diseases. The bat hit the floor in .3 of a second 😉

Saying our farewells to the Boltons we followed the river as it flowed down through the park and back towards the High Street.

Following on last weeks discussion on the rights and wrongs of feeding bread to ducks, here's the spot on the river where I took my grandchildren with some bread for the ducks, There still seem to be plenty of ducks here as well.

Out of the park and across the CAR park to resume our search for Blue Plaques.

No trouble finding them. They were everywhere.

It said on one of the plaques that a narrow alleyway somewhere hereabouts served as the town's prison cell. Danny searched in vain. 

We are always amused by the knitted tops we frequently find sitting atop post boxes.

We continued down the High Street where our next Blue Plaque could be seen on the wall of the Royal Oak Hotel

The road now dropped down towards the old bridge over the river but before we got there we passed the old Town Hall. (?)  Somewhere along this stretch there used to be the Bus Station, Here , as youngsters, we sat exhausted after "Midnight Hikes " from distant Chipping.  

 

Last RIBBLE bus into Chipping. 

First RIBBLE bus out of Garstang.   

Eh... Those were the days.

Here we are at the Old Town Hall but what does the Blue Plaque read.

Just like the BBC this blog strives (not always successfully) to remain politically neutral so you must decide for yourselves what John is holding in his hand.

Moving on we headed towards the Bridge over the Wyre which did in fact take us out of Garstang and into Bonds ( a sort of suburb )

Here we found our next Blue Plaque before moving on towards the Catholic Church.

Remember the ancient joke "My dog has no nose.... How does he smell ?   Terrible !"

The air around here was, as always in Garstang,  pure and refreshing. (Sycophant)

We now turned back towards the bridge and Garstang proper.

Here a minor miracle occurred. The busy traffic coming in either direction stopped for us to cross.  

Zebra crossing...NO   

Pelican crossing...NO 

Panda crossing...NO 

Bunch of vulnerable, feeble ancients crossing ...YES. 

 How nice but a bit of a worry really 😟😕Do we really look as if we need Mollycoddling.

Further alarm when we discovered that the Blue Plaque we had spotted on an old building was now a CARE HOME. Was somebody trying to tell us something.

☝

We had just visited a church. So.  The hand of GOD ???? 

A quick look at the bridge from the other side.

A quick escape before we get signed in as residents. You can just see the Blue Plaque to the left of the red car. 

Our potter was now almost over but we came across a rather unusual sign 

Thank you. we will try. With the help of the previous encounter with motorists we should succeed.

The attractive but outdated cast iron road signs are disappearing all over Britain. Usually taken away to accommodate road widening. A movement is afoot to try and preserve them. Good Luck.

Just one more Plaque before our search is over (for Now) The "Mustard Seed"

Our parking time was running out as was our personal "Fuel". We left Garstang and called in at Barton Grange for our Lunchtime snack and then HOME

Bye Bye BLUES

JW