The Meanderthals: WHITTINGHAM

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE 5+ Miles

WALKERS :- Anthony, Martin, Paddy, Mick, John W
Danny, Frank, James, Vic, Mike, Harry.

With a very local walk planned we gathered at JW's house and waited for latecomers who had phoned to report traffic holdups.

Local knowledge is of course a good thing but JW was NOT aware of "Roadworks" ( ???) effecting the footpath close to his home. The start of our footpath as we left the main road and headed out into the countryside was being dug up. Falling at the first hurdle we turned around. headed back past JW's house and took an alternative route past the "Grimsargh Wetlands" (One time reservoirs).

With the overgrown banks of the reservoir now behind us we strode out to make our way cross country to Whittingham.

Not for the first time we were following a footpath which was little used. This meant that the footpaths were not always clear or easy and the stiles often difficult. The first one was a case in point it was so slippery that we needed extreme caution to cross it. Mike had the excellent idea of covering the steps with dry leaves. It worked !.

Pooh ! Pooh ! Scared of a measly little stile I hear the young fit readers exclaim but ageing bones balanced several feet above hard frozen ground is not good.    Enough ! let us continue.

The next stile led to a squidgy tramp between a brook and a hedge.

After surmounting an even dodgier stile we arrived at the next farm where we were charmed by a "Hutch" full of young calves. (That's tautological I think.)

The early morning sun as we set off had now been replaced by a grey dampness which chilled the air.

The fields were flat and featureless and the all consuming greyness of the day did little to excite our interest. To our left the embankment which once carried the railway from Preston to Longridge could be clearly seen but much of it had been flattened to aid the use of the fields for agriculture. The only excitement came as we tried to negotiate the waterfilled farm tracks.

We searched in vain for a spot to have coffee and eventually ended up leaning on a fence at the corner of a field.

Coffee consumed we plodded on through the fields. Occasional startled hares did their best to add some "colour" to or walk. Then as we approached the next Farm. It's name seeming somehow appropriate - "Bottoms Farm" - we found a splash of colour,...…. A piece of farm machinery.

Bottoms farm proved to be a somewhat "Gentrified" establishment with manicured lawns a lake and lots of security measures. The footpath skirted round it and led us up a drive towards the Longridge to Whittingham road.

Out onto the road and a left turn had us following this busy road on sometimes perilously narrow footpaths.

After perhaps half a mile we recrossed the road by a footpath sign that had been broken away. The farmyard through which the footpath was taking us was simply a "Mess". The house, rather an elegant , large one, was totally neglected and all the rooms were filled to the ceilings with rubbish. Although cars were parked there was no sign of any human activity.

We quickly passed through this shambolic area aided by "SUPERMAN" AKA Mr Mounsey.

"Follow Me !" No humans did we see but there were birds.



A small flock of Guinea Fowl and some domestic geese.

Chinese Geese

We made our way through a maze of buildings equipment and enclosures ……...

…...and as we approached a small wooded valley we saw the dauntingly high security fences of the newly built mental health facility. All that remains of the once enormous Whittingham Mental Hospital.

These 20ft high fences and numerous floodlights were very definitely meant to keep people in.

LUNCHTIME...…. but where ? Again there was very little on offer and we settled for sheltered spot next to a stile (the only form of seating available)

There must have been something interesting. Paddy's paying attention.

….and so is Danny. Methinks it must have been Frank. A more than adequate raconteur.

Lunch over we followed the edge of this somewhat dismal wood before again crossing a stile and a bridge and clambering up a set of wooden "steps" into it's gloomy interior.

Far from being pretty and uplifting this wood had an oppressive and cloying atmosphere not helped by further signs of "Imprisonment" fencing all around and rubbish scattered amongst the undergrowth.

We made our way past the rusting fencing and came across an area of concrete walls and abandoned buildings. "Desolate" was a word that came into mind.

At the far end of these strange brickwalled enclosures a flight of steps led up onto an embankment which we presumed once held the rail tracks serving the vast hospital complex.

A short distance before the wood ended and we got a "view" ………. of a sewage farm. We skirted this magnificence crossed a bridge and again entered open fields.

It was not far now before we passed through a final farmyard and arrived at the road to Grimsargh.

And so our walk took us back along the road past "Cowhill and to the Grimsargh Green car park where a pleasant surprise awaited us.

In Jame's car boot was a delicious birthday cake and a glass of mulled wine. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" was sung by all and cake and wine consumed.

With a final tramp back to various parked cars and our walk was over.

THE WALK.... STAR RATINGS.

Interest    X - - - -

views X - - - -

Weather X X - - - (it didn't rain)

Fashion    X - - - - ( Blue ???)

Planning    X X X - - (we didn't get lost)

Company X X X X X (Well had to say that !!!)

Overall star rateing…… Pollux .. or a word that rhymes

THE END...….

…..Not quite there's always another "angle" !

It was a pleasure to see these young animals in such a clean environment, with coats on to help keep out the cold, and looking so contented. There were three of these pods.