PRESTON

A BRIDGE TOO FAR ?

CROSSERS :-  Danny, Jim, Mike, John

We seem to have been besotted by bridges in recent weeks. This one, however, was different. Most of us have used the old bridge many times over the last seventy years or more and were quite upset when it closed several years ago. We have waited eagerly for the replacent bridge to open and at last here it is . The new TRAM BRIDGE.

.....and it was worth waiting for. Magnificent and most elegant.

Jim and I met at the car park near the Continental pum on South meadow Lane. Mike and Danny wlked down through the town. We had arranged to meet at the cafe in the park,

Here they come now after watching the antics of a heron near the Japanese Garden.

Usual start off coffee. Who's this chap. I've seen him before in a glass case on Blackpool pier with a fly on his nose.

Coffees downed we set off along the treelined river side towards the new bridge.

Each of the trees along the avenue had a picture and information about the old bridge's history.

There in the distance we could see the new bridge straddling the river, Not easy against a dark background.

And here we are about to cross Preston's fabulous new Bridge.

Don't ask the cost..... "Why not ?"  .... 'cos I don't know it.

The rather exotic signpost has had a lick of paint.

At each end of the btidge were these signs.  Good ! the bridge is certainly something for Preston to be proud of.

Coming off the bridge at the Walton le Dale side Jim ( or was it Mike ? ) noticed the rather artistic way trees were growing over Tram Road.

"Are you paying attention Whittle ? "

Deliberate, mistake or design feature ?

"There are just three ( er....Seven ) steps to heaven. "

EDDIE COCHRANE

"Highway to Nowhere"

Written  by DRAKE BELL sung amongst others by JIM REEVES

What are these ?.... Height checkers ?

We now walked downstream past the "Lovers Locks " bridge and on towards  the old cobbled Bridge.

NOT FINISHED YET ??????????

COLNE

BRIDGING THE YEARS.

Bridge Players :-  Danny, Anthony, Jim, Mike, John

Quite a ride out today to where we assembled. Wycoller Country Park to be precise. Not precise enough . We actually met at the cafe Near Bent Clough Farm. A few miles beyond Colne. It looked like being a difficult day. The cafe would not take cards only Cash or bankers orders . ..........WHAT ? When Jim arrived from Penwortham he had to empty his wallet out to scrape the right amount in coppers. We naturally bridled at this but the girl had a sense of humour and when we asked for toilets she pointed out a large hole on the grassy bank and a grid next to the cafe door.

First coffee of the day at a nearby cafe.

Then a wrong turn, as we left the cafe,took us a very long way round on our way to the country park

After taking some considerable time working out how the parking meter worked ( No cash.  No Cards)  Bank only. A phone call and an extensive question and answer session ..... and all for a daily £1.10. RIDICULOUS !

We set off down the road (path to) Wycoller.

A brief stop as we walk from Car park to the village.

Our first glimpse of the tiny village of Wycoller. Cars not allowed.

Almost there.

Here comes John into the village. As you can see there are cars in the village but it seems "Residents" only and parked discretely OFF the road.

Once in the village, apart from the magnificent stone built houses,

Residents cars again NOT on the road

the first thing of historic interest we saw was the ancient Pack Horse Bridge. Extremely narrow and well worn with virtually no sides to it at all. (So that "Pack  Horses" can cross easily)

The well worn and uneven stones left John ( and A N Other) quite unnerved crossing it.

All safely across !

Only a small distance upstream and we came to the second of the trio of ancient bridges, The "Clapper" bridge.

Danny as usual can't resist trying it out.  The "Clappers" were the large flat stones balanced on the bank and stone columns in the stream. There are more examples of these to be seen particularly in the west country.

The bridge is thought to be  from the 16C

This photo of the clapper bridge  was taken from the other side of the beck across to Wycoller Hall which we were about to explore.

This house appears in Charlotte Brontes novel "Jane Eyre" in the form of "Ferndean House".  The Brontes used to walk here from their home in Haworth a few miles away.

I still cannot get rid of the idea that this was a fireplace, BUT WITH SEATS IN THE FIRE ?

There was very little of the building left to see and cannibalisation over the years had seen much of it disappear. Sadly it didn't hold our attention for very long.  Long enough to have lunch there though.

This couple chatted happily about their frequent visits to Wycoller. They recomended that we return on the other side of the stream where their memorial bench was already in place.😀

As we walked we could see, to our left, high upon the hill one of four "Pantechnicons. " Four Modern buildings sited on viewpoints around East Lancashire . 

This was -

The "Atom" which we have visited on everal occasions.

The other three........ 

The Singing Ringing Tree (wind blown notes through the pipes)......... 

The Halo ( It lights up at night)

A viewing point in Corporation Park

 ...........and the Atom

The third bridge was called "Clam Bridge" and is one of very few in the country which straddles a river with just one stone or "Clam". Thought to be over 900 years old and could possibly have once been  A "MENHIR"..... a standing stone erected higher up on the moor. The bridge is seen just to the left in this photograph.

"Daredevil Dan" waits to try out the bridge.

You will have noticed the join in the bridge. Over the centuries it has twice been broken and repaired, is nevertheless it is  still  a SINGLE STONE crossing the Beck.

Leaving the bridge we set off back to the village.

As recomended we crossed over the river, using this small bridge, to follow the path back down the other side.

Anthony was convinced there was another building a little further up the path. John averred that he couldn't remember any such building but then there are lots of things John can't remember.

Our intrepid photographer. Jim, crept quietly along a stone wall to take this quite excellent photo.

T

"Think some "Nutter's" watching me !"

John stops awhile to take a photgraph of our photographer.

Where is he ?

Ah..... There he is.

Missed bridge photo opportunity ?

We were soon back at the clapper bridge with a glimpse of the village poking through the trees.

On the way back to the cars we stopped for a brief rest, (It was HOT and TIRING ) Jim kept going to the car park and brought the car nearer. 

Thanks Jim 👍

This is appalling. Practically a whole blog devoted to Bridges and not one proper 

BRIDGE PHOTO

Ah well....... See you soon.

JW