NO MAP = NO PROBLEM 6 miles
WALKERS :- Frank, Anthony, Dave, Harry, Vic,
John W, Martin, Danny, James. and.......?
Would you believe it (Yes we would !!) John W forgot to bring his carefully prepared map of today's route. We would have to rely on the trusty (??) GPS device.
We parked at the playing fields in Catterall and were soon on our way following the River Calder.
In truth John W had intended this short stretch to be an addition if the walk proved too short but as we had parked here we decided to do it first anyway. We were soon back on the road heading for our intended starting point, Stones Lane. As we approached it we passed a very neat trim lawn of the type favoured by Martin. PLASTIC !!
And so we arrived at our originally intended starting point.
This "Private" road soon changed to a rough lane and then a footpath but as it did so we were given a little advice.
We searched in vain for the Poo Fairy but she obviously Poo-Pooed our endeavours.
A little further on and our attention was held by some slightly larger animals.
Two handsome horses
Pushing on, Harry became quite nostalgic as he recalled coming along this track as a lad to go fishing with his dad. "Caught me first trout just here." he said. (He was fishing for eels.) No trout today but we just found a lovely spot to take our coffee break only a little further than this ford.
"There's a bridge Vic !"
James reflects on the reflections .
Coffee (and Firewater) break over. Time to move on.
Having initially followed a river our walk was to become a sort of litany of transport facilities. Here we are approaching the Lancaster Canal.
And then we encounter another form of transport as a lady on a horse comes trotting down the lane towards us.
We crossed the canal and for the first time took to the fields where we were soon to encounter an old friend. What !!!! OK. an old enemy. MUD !
Mud mud Glorious mud. Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood.
Harry, whom you will remember was familiar with this area, warned us that worse was to come as we approached a railway bridge. Fortunately his warnings came to nought as the drainage under the bridge had obviously been improved,
Once UNDER the bridge our route was clear enough as the bridge OVER the motorway appeared before us.
As we cross the bridge we see more transport options.
With the river Calder back alongside us we continued our walk now looking for the road which would take us on a parallel path to the motorway as we headed North.
As we followed the banks the ravages of the winter floods were quite evident with the banks having been washed away and still being in a parlous, crumbly state.
One tree we passed looked as if it hadn't much longer to stand as it appeared to be riddled with fungal growth from roots to tree top. Some other trees we passed had an almost eerie feel to them.
Out of the fields and onto the highway now looking for a lunch spot.
A 'phone call brought us to a halt at not the most salubrious spot. The 'phone call was from Mike who was cycling in the area and wished to join us for a while. So that he could find us easily we chose to lunch alongside the road.
It wasn't long before super-cyclist mike found us.
Mike was sort of in training as his cycling opportunities had been limited and he had a ride to lead in the near future so after staying long enough for a group photo he left to continue his ride.
We also left soon after to continue along the road until we arrived at ..................
This was our "Turning" point and we left the highway and made our way to the farmyard where a confusion of footpath signs stopped us in our tracks.
A delightfully helpful farmer soon had us on our way again. He had not always been a farmer but had been a fireman. When we mentioned our absent companion John R, he thought he might have met him (???)
We followed his instructions. Through the farmyard and along the track.
to where the railway and the motorway lay side by side
Whatever is Danny doing down below ?
Over them both and then along a short muddy track to the canal. We were going to continue straight across the fields to "Dimples Lane". The friendly farmer had, however, warned us that the fields were VERY wet. so, instead, we dropped down to follow the canal towpath to Dimples Lane.
The canal was to lead us past Greenhalgh castle which was, in the words of the old music hall song, "One of the ruins that Cromwell knocked about a bit." After a siege during the Civil War Cromwell ordered that it should be "Slighted" so that it could no longer oppose him.
The remains of the castle can just be seen through the arch of the bridge surrounded by trees.
Greenhalgh Castle can be seen amongst the trees top right
It wasn't long before we reached the bridge taking Dimples Lane over the canal.
From here we left the canal and followed the roads back to the car park in Catterall and drove home.
Before bringing our journey's tale to an end may I mention two things.
1. Was it perhaps purely coincidence that having left the map behind we completed our walk without ONCE getting lost ? An almost unique experience.
2. We had an almost complete array of travel modes.
Shank's pony naturally.
A real Pony.
A bicycle.
We came by car
We followed a river.
We crossed a railway line.
We crossed a motorway.
We crossed and followed a canal.
Nearly a full hand. Flight was the only thing we didn't experience. Unless I missed something of course.
and so........... THE END.
