Appropriate Anagrams!

Mother in law Snooze alarms               A decimal point     The earthquake               Eleven plus two              Dormitory                         Presbyterian                     Desperation                      George Bush                    The morse code               Slot machines                   Animosity                          And lastly President Clinton of the USA	Woman Hitler Alas no more Zs Im a dot in place That queer shake Twelve plus one Dirty room Best in prayer A rope ends it He bugs Gore Here come dots Cash lost in me Is no amity   And lastly To copulate he finds interns

(Thanks, Danny.)

Kendal to Levens Bridge

An earlier than usual start was needed for today's walk as we had to catch a bus at Levens Bridge at 10:23am to take us to the centre of Kendal.
The bus was punctual and before long we were arriving at Kendal bus station.
The weather looked decidedly uncertain; changing by the minute from lovely autumn sunshine to drizzly showers.
We followed the west bank of the River Kent through Kendal and downstream to Natland, pausing for a coffee-stop on the southern edge of Kendal.
Lunch was taken on arrival at the edge of Natland and here we left the river and followed, instead, the former route of the Lancaster Canal, which had previously joined Kendal to the rest of the canal system at Tewitfield.
Passing the village of Sedgwick, we continued along the 'canal' to the A590 road where we re-joined the river in the very picturesque Levens Deer Park. 
Sadly, no deer were to be seen today (oh deer!) and we had to content ourselves with the sight of a flock of Jacob sheep!
Before long we were back at the cars at Levens Bridge and the usual 'shandy ritual' was performed! (Total distance: 7.65 miles)

Booting Up at Levens Bridge before catching the bus to Kendal

Leaving the bus station and heading south along the west bank of the River Kent through Kendal

Kendal Parish Church

Alms-houses(?) across the river

Coffee Stop

A true sign of autumn

Lunchtime at Natland

An unusual variety of fungi

"Who's pulled the plug out?"

The village of Sedgwick from the Sedgwick Aqueduct

Sedgwick House - a former school, now 20 appartments.

The entrance to the Levens Park

Jacob sheep

The River Kent in Levens Park

Heading back to the cars at Levens Bridge

Take a look at this! You'll rip your sides!

Click here

Chipping to Burnslack Farm

"It would be hard to find another short walk in central Lancashire, which is so scenic!" So said the guide book - and how true it was!

Our numbers were depleted this week for a variety of reasons so five of us crammed into Martin's VW and before long we were being 'disgorged' onto the car park in the centre of Chipping.

With boots afoot and packs aback, we set off in promising sunshine towards the Bowland fells.

Our route took us out of Chipping past the now defunct 'Chipping Chair Works' with its attractive mill lodge and on, past Peacock Hey Farm and eventually to Saddle End Farm.

Here, our route took us through the farmyard, which was packed with sheep and a very busy farmer. After confirming that we were actually on the footpath he appeared to be shearing some of the sheep. How wrong could we be! Was he using a pair of clippers to give them a manicure? No. Wrong again! He was in fact giving them 'the snip'! Poor sheep! To add to their misery he was also injecting them with a 'cocktail' of  antibiotics. The Sunday roast will never taste the same again.

Continuing our walk, we passed along lower slopes of Ward's End arriving eventually at Burnslack Farm, which wasn't actually a farm but a very desirable and isolated large house.

Lunch was taken, sheltered from the wind, just off the track leading to the house. As Burnslack was the zenith of our walk, the route from here was mostly downhill.

Our route took us past Birchen Lee. Here, an interesting barn conversion was underway. This was a rather unusual conversion.
A new house was actually being built within the 'shell' of the old barn. One of the workmen was more than happy to talk to us about the work but his foreman had other ideas!

From here, it was a straightforward, downhill route bringing us out at the mill pond, which we had passed at the start of the walk. A few minutes later we were back at the car park and supping the usual shandy!
Distance: 5.55 miles

The village green alongside the car park in Chipping

Chipping had recently been judged for the 'Britain in bloom' competition

These agricultural implements formed part of the display

The mill lodge above the chair works

Ward's End (left) and Burnslack Fell (right)

Parlick Pike and Blindhurst Fell (on the right)

A distant shot of Ward's End and Burnslack

Coffee time

Arriving at Burnslack

The church in the centre of Chipping

Lunch stop

Approaching Chipping - with Longridge Fell in the background

One of two Shetland ponies grazing alongside us

Back at the Mill lodge

The height profile

The Route

Another of John's Walks?

"I don't know why John chose this route!"

(picture from 'Pinterest')

Barnacre (2)

Sorry, no 'Danny's View....' this week!

Map of our route

Height profile of the walk

Barnacre & Lady Hamilton's Well

A later start was necessary for today's walk so a 'short', local walk was chosen; Garstang to Barmacre and return taking in Lady Hamilton's Well.

Starting from the Discovery Centre car park in the centre of Garstang, we set off in lovely sunshine (a rarity this summer). Our route took us round the sports field and across the River Wyre.

We continued along the route of the former Garstang to Knott End railway line, heading towards the bridges over the West Coast Main Rail Line and the M6 motorway.

As our leader studied the map and consulted his gps for re-assurance that we were on the right track, a farmer in his tractor, thinking we were lost (the cheek of it!), stopped his tractor and tried to help us. He clearly want to have a chat, with someone, even us!

He proceeded to tell us his life-story, the history of farming in the area and how he opens Barnacre church every morning at 7am and closes it at 6pm.

After what seemed and eternity, we managed to persuade him that we had 'walk' to do and continued on our journey.

Soon after crossing the railway and the M6 we stopped for morning coffee and were overtaken by a number of other walkers, out to enjoy the late-summer sun.

After passing through a field of maize (sweet corn) we arrived at the Church of All Saints, at Barnacre and a short stop was made to visit this church, built in 1905.

We continued our journey uphill and passed through Birk's Farm and headed off towards Burns Farm. Before arriving at Burns Farm, lunch was taken sat on a horizontal  telegraph pole, with a magnificent view of the Fylde, Blackpool Tower, the Wyre and Kent estuaries and a number of wind turbines. (Paddy gets wound-up by wind turbines!)

Following lunch, we continued through Burns Farm and further on, sought out  'Lady Hamilton's Well'. Not much is known about the history of this site but it thought that Lady Hamilton (a paramour of Lord Nelson) bathed in this spring.

From here, it was a short distance back over the motorway and the railway, back into Garstang and the usual light refreshments, supplied, as always, by Martin. (Distance: 6.7 miles)

Booting Up!

The River Wyre  alongside the car park

Our chatty farmer

The coffee stop

Jim & Jim

The juxtaposition of the very old (Greenhalgh Castle) and the very new!

The maize field

The West Coast Mainline

A sure sign that autumn is here!

The interior of All Angels church at Barnacre

Birks or Burns?

A 'bench of birks'!

Our Great and Noble Leader!

(We are the ones who should be laughing, Paddy, at the recent haircut!)

The lunch stop

Jim & Mike deep in thought

Martin & John...deep in thought...or talking football?

Just a pretty picture

Lady Hamilton's Well (or Spa)

Inspecting the Spa

Back over the M6

Almost back at the Discovery Centre