More Meanderthal Songs

The Road to the Isles  (Does it start from Anthony's?)

Do you know the way to San Jose? (Are we going THAT far!)

Happy Wanderer  (We're all in a 'happy place')

Is this the way to Amarillo (Yes, but there's the Atlantic Ocean in between)

Bring me Sunshine (It will help to dry up the mud)

I know where I’m going (I'm glad YOU do!)

What a Wonderful World (It is...especially when we're lost!)

Climb every mountain (We we're only supposed to be going up Nicky Nook!)

Raindrops keep falling on my head ( You should have hair like the rest of us, John!)

Sentimental Journey (Nostalgia's not what it used to be)

Show me the way to go home (We've wandered round in circles for long enough)

On Top of the World  (Yea, but we're supposed to be down in that valley!

What a wonderful world (It is,,,if you're a Meanderthal!)

The Green, Green Grass of Home (I could be at home, gardening!)

VETERANS ON VELOS ! WHAT NEXT ?

Well done the "Tyred"Trio.

But......
  
In the absence of a "Match report" to write I shall have to assuage the itchy-twitchy fingers  by penning something. (or should that be "keyboarding" something ?)  so may I offer......

"A Song Sheet For Meanderthals"

• "You'll Never Walk Alone"      There's more than one weirdo out there.
• "These Boots are Made for Walking."      but you have to be there with them.
• "Walk Right In."       never mind the large animals and the knee deep mud.
• "Walking Back to Happiness "      We parked the car at a pub.
• "Walking After Midnight."        Think we're lost again.
• "I Walk the Line"          "Could you blow into this little tube sir ? "
• "I Would Walk 500 Miles."        I'm lying.
• "Walking in a Winter Wonderland"       Air ambulance on standby please.
• "Ramblin' Rose"       How did SHE get in here.
• "A long and Winding Road"       Aren't they all ?
• "I'm Walking Backwards for Christmas"      The Goon Show ( you know what I mean)
• "My Way"      We should have gone the OTHER way !
• "Road to Nowhere"     We know it well.
• "Keep Right on 'till the End of the Road"     Harry Lauder - not LOUDER Harry !
• "Walking in Memphis"     Can you just check that map again ?

• and one last one for John R  "The Hippopotamus Song"

Meanderthals on Bikes?

Three Meanderthals took to two wheels this week to ride the Preston Guild Wheel.
This is a 21-mile circular route around the outskirts of the city.

The first stop at Brockholes Visitor Centre by the River Ribble

Some weight-loss needed here!

A well-deserved bacon butty at the Pavilion in Avenham Park but not conducive to weight-loss!

Oh dear! What a let-down! John acquires a puncture after riding over some glass whilst trying to avoid a ferocious looking bulldog! Mike, well prepared, was able to effect a running repair.

What John's camera didn't capture!

Paddy being very adventurous! and....

V
V
V
V
V
V
V

Ooooops!

Now here's a friendly Ass ??????

                                      Now here's a friendly Ass ??????

Martin selects reverse !

                 Martin selects reverse !

"Froggy and Clompo"

                         "Froggy and Clompo"

Mitton Bridge to Brungerley (and Back !)
20th November - 8.5 Miles
Walkers - Paddy, Anthony, John W, John R, Martin, Mike, Vic.

Return to the Ribble   -  "Paddy's Peril" 

By 9.40 we were on our way out of Preston and heading East through Whalley and down to the river at Mitton Bridge. Parking at a rather "swish" refurbished pub the name of which I cannot recall we were soon following the south bank of the river towards our first stop - Edisford Bridge. The weather was ideal, grey and overcast but decidedly dry. The area was entirely delightful with charming vistas, riverside scenes and small gently rounded fields lined with healthy indigenous trees. Birds sang in the trees and ducks quacked and whistled to our right. (get back in the real world John)  We soon met our first encountrant (If you think there's no such word - there is now ) A man with a REAL dog - A Lurcher ! Arriving at the river bank we spent a few minutes checking out the water measuring unit next to a small weir. Much surmising was done around the meaning of the warnings attached to it. Not long after we were sitting comfortably at picnic benches at the Edisford Riverside Park for an early lunch. Here there were enough seats and benches to accommodate (notice the spelling Vic ?) a regiment. Nearby an apple tree had shed it's bounty beneath its now bare branches and the local ducks were tucking in. Many of them waddled over to check us out  as possible  Bread Dispensers ? As usual the handy toilets were visited before we left the park to walk uphill towards Clitheroe.  Here a "Stampede" of young men (youths) and ladies (girls)  temporarily barred our way as they burst  from a sports centre to cross the road to the games fields. And so for'ard to the Zenith of our walk - Brungerley Bridge. But not before re-enacting an episode of "Last of the Summer Wine" with Paddy and Vic having an arboreal adventure.  (see Photo) The remainder of the group remembering that "Meanderthals were early homo-sapiens not advanced apes gave the tree a miss. Over Brungerleu bridge and up the hill into the grounds of Waddow Hall, the local headquarters of the Girl Guide Association.  There  is always a danger at some point during our walks that we see the finishing line and forget to enjoy our journey and switch to trudge gear which is tiring . This seem to happen at this point. A short stop to finish our flasks and then our journey turned into a minor challenge as the path closed in around us and became a little difficult to follow. At least one walker was reduced to reversing through the obstacles. Back onto the highway and over the bridge to the cars. Here Martin's SAD syndrome kicked in..  His Seasonally Adjusted Dispensary was out of Kilter and although he had already provided the winter's Spiced Wine he now produced the summers Shandy - THANKS MARTIN. I have forgotten to mention a rather picturesque set of weirs complete with the ubiquitous heron and the sighting of goosanders moving along the river.

An excellent and "Perilous" walk. Thanks Anthony.

John can only lead us in One Direction here!

What's the crop?

Something strange!

 A strange small thing found by the side of the road with a toy in it's hand 

and there's happy Harry again!

         

Down a Green Lane

Down a Green Lane near Great Eccleston

Gt Eccleston - Elswick

November 13th   4.7 Ecumenical Miles

Walkers :- John R, Anthony, Harry, John W, Paddy, Vic, Mike.

"Oh S--t !" said the John as the car crawled snail like through Fulwood's congested traffic.
"What time d'yu call this ?" said Anthony as  we finally arrived late at the meeting point (Harry's). Soon we were off up the A6 and back into the congestion. "Oh S--t !" said John.
Eventually we reached Great Eccleston - but where were the others ? They had taken a different, traffic avoiding, route.  Thank God for mobile 'phones. We were soon united next to the Catholic church which was to be the first of five churches we were to pass and off on our walk.  Into Great Eccleston and out again. Just as we got to the outskirts of this small but charming village we turned South and  found ourselves following what appeared to be an old "Green Lane".  It was only a few minutes before we were strolling across open fields in a strong blustery wind. After recent fascinating but knee-wrecking (for some of us)  walks, this was to be a simple, level and relatively short walk. But not without interest. As coffee time approached we followed a very clearly defined path through a large field of cabbages or sprouts or kale or....who knows ?  Definitely Brassicas.  On reaching the gate on the opposite side of the field we found a sheltered spot for a coffee break before turning back to once more brave  the brassicas and head towards Copp . Here the second of our churches (C of E) held us for a short while before we left the fields to follow the public highway down to Elswick.      Elswick and Bonds Ice-cream are synonymous.  SOME of us succumbed to a cornet but as it was Kendal Mint-Cake flavoured it was obviously perfectly acceptable for us intrepid ramblers. In Elswick we turned into the churchyard of the United Reform Church. In the grounds a multitude of benches invited us to stay for lunch. As we prepared to sit and eat a local man came out of a smaller "Church" and invited us to enter and look around. (Not sure that many of the locals have similar, strong "Ulster" accents) The smaller "church" was now used as a community hall,  services being held in the rather more impressive building next door.  A handy toilet was made use of and we spent a little time exploring the graveyard for the "Listed" gravestone of the churches founder. From here we turned north to follow paths and open fields back to Eccleston. As we approached Gt Eccleston we passed the last of our five churches. "Eccleston Free Methodist" a decidedly modern and well maintained structure. Almost within sight of the cars we left the path to sit and finish our flasks  in the tranquil grounds of the local Crown Green Bowling club. It started to rain ! Back to the cars and home by rather circuitous ways to avoid the traffic in Broughton/Fulwood.

A pleasant, non-challenging walk in relatively good weather with "Religious" interest.

More from the Ribble Way....

Late autumn on the Ribble Way

Don't give up the day job, John!

Typical Meanderthals!

Don't follow me - I'm lost!

WE always knew he could walk on water!

Clitheroe - Brungerley Bridge

6th November - 6/7 miles

Walkers - Anthony, Vic, Mike, Paddy, 
                 John W, Martin, Harry 

Leaving Anthony's at 9.30 we were assured by Harry that the forecast rain would leave us unmolested until 1400hrs. We parked near Brungerley Bridge just a few metres away from the start of the footpath which led upriver through a public park which doubled as a sculpture trail.  Our group contained few admirers of Avant-Garde or Post-Modern art so some of the sculptures were viewed with less than rapturous enthusiasm. Of greater interest were a pair of dogs (Oh dear !) Bedlington Terriers which might have doubled in an episode of "Larry the Lamb" (Showing mi age there). Passing a somewhat more conventional sculpture of an Otter we dropped down to follow the banks of the river. Here a statuesque heron posed for us on the opposite side. As we walked along the bank either this heron was a consumate poseur or there were a lot more of its brethren as we were rarely without a heron somewhere in view.  A picturesque bend in the river much, admired by Harry, and offering a park-style bench was ideal for our first "Coffee" break. This obviously popular walk was well supplied with benches (some memorial) and we passed one every couple of hundred metres. The path led pleasantly alongside the river and was a welcome difference to the more rugged path the previous week. We stopped briefly to admire a set of very large stepping stones which sadly disappeared in the middle of the river to re-emerge at the other side. Soon afterwards the path left the river bank to climb up to a tree lined avenue which seemed to serve no purpose. It did offer wonderful views and some magnificently stately beech trees. Beyond this a road, the turning point in our walk, appeared across the next field. As noon was approaching, rain was threatening and a small copse lined the road we decided that this sheltered spot would do for lunch. Off again and a short walk down the road saw us back on the riverbank but not before a heavily padlocked gate had us befuddled. A laughing van driver opened his door to point out a style built into the wall right next to us. DOH ! A few minutes later we crossed a bridge over the Ribble on the other side off which was an extraordinarily long bench. We posed for a photo. Then off on our return journey passing first through a small, partly modern,  hamlet. Skirting round a sewage works we returned to the river banks. Throughout the walk ducks, mostly Mallard had been commenting on our progress. ("quackers!" they said) but then we saw a Pochard not an uncommon bird but not one we often see.  1400hrs arrived and it began to rain (well done Harry) Not far to go now and after missing our way slightly we had a squishy plod along a muddy track which led us back to the road. A left turn over the bridge and a short uphill climb and we were back at the vehicles. 

I am sure ther will be interesting "Bits" I have not mentioned.  SOOoo get online and tell us about them on the blog. 

Well done Anthony an ideal walk after last weeks "Trudge"

                                 "No Lads. We're heading for a bridge upstream."

                                              "Sitting Pretty. "    WHAT ????
                                        That is a loooooong bench