WALKERS :- Danny, Anthony, Martin, Mike
Vic, James, John R, John W.
Remember our five Barred Gate high diver ? He's back - and we were all delighted to see him. Yes after a period away from the front line we welcomed James back into the fold.
All parked up we crossed the road and set off down towards the Bridgewater canal and it's Mock Tudor magnificence.
No ! Not down there. Back across the road and down a steep flight of steps to the amazing technicolor canal.
The canal it seems is linked to some old mine workings and the iron there is staining the water. The area was once heavily industrialised and some of the old machinery can still be seen.
But more recently it has been entirely gentrified and is now home to some very handsome and doubtless very expensive mock Tudor properties.
The ducks swimming on this strangely orange water somehow didn't look quite right but the bronze replicas thereof looked quite good.
We only followed the canal for a short time before arriving at a small but very attractive bridge.
The path over the bridge was entirely cobbled and the hint of Victorian industry and it's associated toil and poverty hardly sat well with the present luxurious homes.
The bridge led us onto a well manicured semi-circle of grass and trees known as "The Green" and from there out onto a busy highway which we followed before turning off through woodland. As we walked, a high wooded bank hid the canal, the far bank of which we were now following. It wasn't long before the woodland to our left opened out into Parkland. Coffee time !
I Look up to him because....I look down on him...I look down...I look...WHAT DO I DO !
And there's always one. Isn't there ?
We continued through this dog infested parkland and eventually arrived at a busy road junction.
...and once again we returned to the side of the canal where we could see a most unusual and possibly unique sight. A lighthouse on a canal . Wowee !
From here we retraced our steps across the road and climbed the short slope on to the embankment of a disused railway which, like many others, now served as a cycleway and footpath.
After an initial bit of weaving the track became straight and led us off into the distance. The straight and level surface of this track lent itself to steady progress. Not to be !! It also lent itself to gentle, conversation filled, slow rambling. It also led in a more physical sense to a Station...platform...halt (or whatever) an ideal spot for lunch.
We sat and munched and watched as walkers, joggers, cyclists ………...and DOGS !! passed by. And if Mike doesn't move before the 19:50 goes past he could lose his legs...…...Mind you the 19:49 was 69 years ago.
Lunch over time to plod on.
To where Mike ponders over a mysterious box of electronics
The old railway track did what railway tracks do i.e. carried on in a straight line, though I think any self respecting steam engine would have struggled to pass through this altered bridge.
Here we are approaching the tunnel/bridge
It's dark in there
but better from the other side.
Not very much further along the track and we took a left turn to climb a flight of steps leading us away from the old rail line and eventually to a mock tudor house undergoing renovation and extension.
Back into woodland again and at intervals along the path we came across some rather charming wood sculptures.
Here is Danny taking a photo of one. No doubt it will appear in his contribution to the blog.
In a clearing in the wood we came to a pool spanned by a wooden bridge. Needless to say we...………….
……...took a bridge photo.
Soon after we encountered another DARK tunnel. This time under the motorway.
It seemed a big structure just to accommodate a small stream. The path continued briefly before splitting in several directions. Our direction took us up a path and alongside the motorway.
Through the trees you can just see the traffic thundering past. It was very noisy. Fortunately the path gradually drifted away back into the quietness of the woods.
The path soon after was replaced by a metalled road which took us back under the motorway (another bridge/tunnel).
and ended just short of a set of very determined gates beyond which we could just glimpse an extremely well attended garden with manicured lawns and beautifully clipped bushes.
Whoever lived here was almost certainly very wealthy. Maybe famous or important (Ho! Ho !) but certainly valued his or her privacy as the gates were covered in spikes and security cameras abounded. The grounds themselves were surrounded by high fences and rolls of vicious looking razor wire.
Just outside the "defences" we came across a mysterious memorial stone. To whom we could not decipher.
A last dip down through the woods...….
…….before we quite suddenly emerged onto the pretty back roads of Worsley. From here we retraced our steps through "The Green". Over the canal bridge and back to the cars. A great walk full of interest . Well Done.
… and finally
A HANDY SHANDY makes a HAPPY SNAPPY !!
THE END
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