BlACKBURN

WINTER "WONDER" LAND   6Miles

WALKERS :-  John R, John W, Martin, Mike

                        Anthony, Vic,  James, Danny.

"Wonder" indeed. We all wondered where the snow had come from when we looked out of our various bedroom windows this morning.

Our journey was NOT straightforward and both cars had to take diversions to get to Blackburn. Problems on the M6 motorway had caused the usual "Snarl-ups" in Preston. Our particular car went through Walton-le-Dale which for those not familiar with Preston's geography meant setting off in the opposite direction. 

Once in Blackburn parking was not easy in slippery sloping streets but we finally prevailed.

With the second car arriving a few minutes later we were soon togged up and on our way.

With many of Blackburn's schools closed we soon came across mums and dads, including this charming lady, taking children into Corporation Park to enjoy the snow.

Corporation Park is one of the oldest and loveliest parks in the North West and looks even more attractive wearing a coat of snow.

                  Entering the Park.

      " 'sno joke this ! "

The Pantechnicon recently renamed "The Canon"

After visiting the pantechnicon we proceeded cautiously through the park looking for a coffee spot.

              1,2,3,4......................................5,6,7.

With all the benches in the park covered in snow seating was at a premium. We eventually decided on the steps up to the sadly derelict orangery. (Hothouse ?)

As we sat taking coffee and "jagertea" courtesy of Anthony and Martin we were surrounded by squealing children on sledges.

After coffee break we set off steeply down through the park heading for the main gate and the town centre. some of us apparently on invisible skis.

   Ski tracks ?

A steep descent us took us quickly down to the Entrance/Exit

but not before we came across other folks enjoying the snow.

And so down into the town and a visit to the small but excellent museum.

Inside the museum a delightful elderly gentleman
( Who's calling who elderly ???) Explained the workings of the cotton machines which he had both built and worked at in earlier times.

Not to be outdone one of our own "Elderly Gentlemen" showed us the workings of a machine which he had worked on early in his career.

James shows us how a printing press works.

On the museum walls were photos of people from the past. One in particular caught the attention of the writer's friends (Now "Former" friends.) who suggested that a relation of his was one of them.

Honestly.   Does this remind you of one of our Meanderthal gang ?

Leaving the museum we walked on past Thwaites brewery with it's magnificent Terracotta mural and up to the canal at Eanam Wharf.

The sheltered towpath at Eanam Wharf provided an ideal spot for "Buttie" time.

As we sat munching the warm sun was melting the snow on the wharf's roof and streams of water were pouring into the canal.

Along the "Quayside" were reminders of the canal's working past.

We left the wharf behind and followed the canal as it weaved it's way through the outskirts of the town.  The snowy, wintery conditions meant that the wildlife was slightly less wary of  us and left signs of it's passage for us to see.

After close examination Mike suspects that a bird has passed this way. Further footprints and the presence of the bird itself revealed it to be a Waterhen. (Moorhen)

Just a little further on an unusual duck like bird caught our attention. One of a flotilla of four it was a Goosander. These birds are normally very shy and easily spooked by human presence.

We followed the canal for a little while further before we came to a pathway labelled as a  "Town Centre Link"  path.

There was much surmising as to what was the intended "message" of this circular construction. No answer emerged so we carried on towards the town centre.

These metal plates were set into the path every few metres.

With no wish to enhance Vic's self esteem we moved quickly past this pub sign.

As we approached the area containing both the Cathedral and "Radio Lancashire" there appeared to be a police "incident" taking place. 

We crossed the road and entered the Radio Lancashire Studios. 

This visit was something of a fly in the day's ointment as a possibly rather self-important man told us off for making too much noise. This in the reception area of a public service building !!!  We left promptly. JW returned later to apologise for our "supposed" noisiness and to suggest that the man had been rather "rude" . The lady receptionist said that she too felt that and had words with man, not one of the stations staff, before he left.

We recrossed the road and entered the Cathedral, a lovely, modern place of worship.

High up in the tower the light filtering through the stained glass created a superb display on the wall.

Perhaps we were rather philistine in quickly searching out the café but as most of us "do our bit" in churches each week  we can perhaps be excused. 

As we made our way to the café John R met up and chatted  with some colleagues from his previous work for the Mayor. The new café was most satisfactory and the beverages (courtesy this time of Danny - Thanks !) were equally satisfactory.

Time to go home.  John W was a little precipitate in leaving and had to wait outside whilst his companions availed themselves of the "Rest room". He did wait briefly to listen to the organists playing.

And so we headed for Corporation park and the cars, passing as we did some remarkable graffiti and the famous King George's Hall.

It was a rather strenuous trek up past the park to the cars and unfortunately, as we disrobed and took our boots off to load them into the car boots, we were attacked by some individual who was throwing things at us.

Yes.  That's  'I'm on the left and he was chuckin' snowballs at us. 

THE END.

p.s.

The bird we identified as a goosander is similar to a merganser.  James said he knew about Mergansers but we definitely did NOT see one of his mergansers on the canal.

An RAF merganser