Explorers :- John W, Anthony, Paddy,
Martin, James, John R & Vic
With a certain amount of trepidation we swung off the M6 motorway at Junction 34 looking for the "Park & Ride" situated INSIDE the complication of roads at that point. We needn't have worried the entrance was obvious and simple and we were soon parked up in this most convenient spot.
Once kitted up (The sun was shining but it was a cold. day) we picked our way carefully through the maze of roads which constituted this busy junction and soon found ourselves following the old railway track. Now a cycleway.
The winter sun casting long shadows but very welcome.
Out of the sun the ground was frozen hard.
We passed underneath the carriageways of the M6 and it wasn't long before we arrived at the Halton Bridge Car Park. We had used this on a walk some weeks before but on that occasion the weather was very different (it had rained heavily all day.
Here we encountered a group from "bendrigg trust" preparing cycles for a group of "Special Needs" clients they were going to lead for the day.
After chatting for a while we resumed our walk. The single track bridge took us over the river to Halton.
Immediately over the bridge we took a right turn to follow the river upstream. It brought us to what seemed to be a redevelopment of an old mill site. As we walked through we spotted some picnic benches by the river. Could we use them for our coffee break ? A lady emerged from a small and most unprepossessing door in the corner of the old mill. "Let's ask."
"Oh, I don't know." she said. "You'd better ask inside."
Inside was a sort of community "Canteen" and the young lady inside told us to make ourselves a coffee and put some money (£1) in the tin and offered us cake at a similar price. Lovely !
We left the "Café"? and set off along the edge of the river.
The buildings to our left were "ECO-buildings" built to be energy efficient and inhabited, we later learnt, by ECO people. The path continued along this delightful stretch of the river.
"Oh, I don't know." she said. "You'd better ask inside."
Inside was a sort of community "Canteen" and the young lady inside told us to make ourselves a coffee and put some money (£1) in the tin and offered us cake at a similar price. Lovely !
We left the "Café"? and set off along the edge of the river.
The buildings to our left were "ECO-buildings" built to be energy efficient and inhabited, we later learnt, by ECO people. The path continued along this delightful stretch of the river.
Suddenly we were confronted by buildings which had not been there last time we came (several years previously). A "Community Hydro" Presumably a small hydro electric plant. The ECO. people at it again ?
We now had to climb away from the river side and follow a narrow path till it met up with the road leading down to the "Crook o' Lune"
Throughout the walk there was always something to attract our attention. Here's Paddy admiring the nascent blooms of the gorse bushes.
And there are always "tricky" bits of the path to negotiate.....
………… and bridges to cross
BUT BE CAREFUL !...……..
Throughout the walk there was always something to attract our attention. Here's Paddy admiring the nascent blooms of the gorse bushes.
And there are always "tricky" bits of the path to negotiate.....
………… and bridges to cross
"OH SODOM !" Never make silly remarks to an old woman with a pointy hat and a broomstick .
" John ! John ! Can you hear us ?"
In his emails prior to this walk John W promised a mainly flat walk but after a hundred yards or so we rose steeply up to meet the road which would take us down to the café at "Crook o' Lune".
Before we followed the path down to the Picnic site and J M W Turner's viewpoint. (Is there any viewpoint Turner has NOT painted ???) John W decided, for reasons unknown, to do his "Farmer Giles" act.
Next stop .... "THE viewpoint" and lunch.
Here we could enjoy the distant view of Ingleborough Fell and were joined by a little friend.
Lunch over we dropped down to the cycle track and continued our walk towards Caton.
Even J.W. who has reservations about the number of dogs we meet on some of our walks could not help admiring this magnificent beast.
Following, as it did, an old railway track the path covered its straight way quite quickly. After passing a magnificent gauntlet of trees the path soon reached the side road into Caton.
As we turned away from the cycleway we passed the Catholic Church which was a converted engine shed.
A rather dull building into which there was no access.
Far prettier was the "Mock Tudor" cottage sitting opposite.
From the centre of the small village of Caton we walked perhaps half a mile before turning Off the main road (from Lancaster to Hornby and beyond to The Dales) and returning to the riverside.
The date over this doorway we passed told us that Caton had a considerable history.
And so back to the river.
This last stretch of the walk at first seemed very straightforward
With a clearly defined path, odd points of interest and a bridge.
Here the path is cut through a fallen tree and is blocked at the footbridge ahead. (just in view top of picture)
"Crackers" says James.
"You talking about me !"
However, the steeply banked woodland forced us to climb a series of wooden steps. In parts quite strenuous.
Going up !
Coming down !
So much for the promise of a mainly FLAT walk. We were relieved to arrive at the bridge carrying the cycleway across the river and back towards Lancaster,
Up onto the bridge for a short stop to finish our flasks and then a steady plod took us back to the Park & Ride.
The low winter sun filters through the trees. A fitting closure to a surprisingly varied walk in the best sort of winter weather.
THE END
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