MUDS, WOODS, and NETTLES ! 6+ Miles
Walkers :- Danny, Vic, Martin, John W
Vic, Mike, Anthony, Paddy.
Soon after ten o'clock we set off to explore parts of our urban environment that few of us even knew existed. "You'll need boots long trousers and waterproofs" Danny (todays leader) warned us. Most (though not all) took heed of his advice.
Within minutes we were walking through thick woodland with an almost rainforest feel.
For long periods we were by ourselves which added to the strangely isolated feel of this, an area well within the confines of Preston City.
There were other folks about and at one point we came across workers repairing a ford across the crystal clear waters of a tumbling stream.
The ever nosey Vic stopped the workers to ask what they were doing. "Repairing a ford" they told him.
The path continued through this quite amazing patch of woodland with tall trees stretching upwards, straight and sure, seeking the sunshine.
The path continued to wend it's way through thick growth. From time to time we came across relics of the woodlands former use which appeared to be old gate posts though their actual purpose was far from clear. The thick growth on the woodland floor quite often left the footpath narrow and occasionally difficult to follow.
The photo above shows a narrow slippery path but it does not show the ten foot drop into the stream below or the crumbling nature of the path's edge. It took some careful negotiating to get past it.
The path side growths just seemed to get thicker with a preponderance of the forewarned nettles and the unfortunately ubiquitous Himalayan balsam.
There was also a bramble like plant with a white stem which we could not identify.
Then suddenly we arrived at a road -- "Civilisation !". Sharoe Green Lane. What a surprise
Here we bumped into Veronica who knew and was known to almost all of our group.
Across the lane and back into the "Jungle". We left the main path to negotiate a steep slippery slope at the top of which was an almost Romanesque (or Greek) theatrical amphitheatre. Sadly we could only stand at the gates (above) and peer down to the sadly neglected facility owned it seems by Preston College. Our leader, Danny, then informed us that we needed to return down the slippery slope. This announcement was greeted with "Great Joy"...Hmph !Beyond the slope the path became even more difficult with fallen trees and muddy patches.
Anthony battles his way through the tangle of fallen branches.
..... and that's Danny in there ..that is !
beyond the fallen trees the path at last opened out but was beginning to get wetter. It seems we were heading towards the "Flood Basin" A passing dog walker informed us that the day before the path was impassible as it was completely under water. Coffee time was long past and the promised "watering hole" had not materialised . DANNY !!
Aha Here it is.....
Coffee and lunchtimes were to be combined....eh Mike ?
Close to where we lunched this wonderful gentleman was happy to rest from his work to have his photo taken. We don't often come across anybody wielding a scythe.
He told us he was was part of a team trying to keep the wilderness in check. Good luck to them ! As we lunched a passing dog walker was recognised by Martin as a previous colleague. Like some of our group he too had serious health problems. An age thing ?Then Mike took a fancy to an unusual tree and suggested that it could be the "Tree of the Week".
"Was it a hollow one ?" "No just a Holleran". with four trunks . (don't know how many Mike the Bike has but his are lycra.)
The area we were now in was very "Watery" and we assumed that this was the catchment are and flood basin. The decking path would indicate the the water levels rose in heavy rain and raised footways would be essential.
A flight of steps led us up and away from the wetness.
Then suddenly we found ourselves on the A6 close to Watling Street Road.
We walked North for two or three hundred yards before leaving the major road to enter a narrow rather gloomy alley way. But what secrets lurked their ....... some sort of Fulwoodian VooDoo cult ? A pig strung from a tree ! An other pig planted in the roots of a tree ! What is going on here. Could suburbia hold some dark secrets ?
This narrow pathway got even narrower as we walked along it.
It was quite a squeeze to get though this pinch point. Especially for those of us with more "generous" proportions. (and bigger rucksacks).
If this alleyway gets any narrower we shall have to turn back. It didn't and eventually popped us out into Black Bull Lane near to ...........
A lady passing by said that although she lived quite close she had never noticed this entrance to the path from Black Bull Lane..
We crossed over the lane and walked past Fulwood and Cadley Primary School...
Turning right into Cadley Causeway we passed St Anthony's church and school and appeared to be heading for Our Lady's High school. But No ! Yet another "secret" pathway led us into the wilderness.
A path beside yet another twinkling stream took us to an unusually elaborate entrance where we stopped to finish our flasks.
Entrance ways are also exits and after coffee we suddenly found ourselves on Boys Lane. Quite near to Harry's House. We called to give him a greeting but unfortunately he was not at home (lucky man !)
We now finished our walk through well heeled suburbia. Taste in garden ornaments is, however, a personal thing.
There seems to be a real mix up here. The penguin from "Toy Story". Paddington sitting on a quotation from "Morecambe and Wise" and could that be "Billy Bunter" termed in less PC times as "The Fat Owl" of the remove at Greyfriars school. Wonderful !
We ended our walk through the generally immaculately maintained gardens and houses lining the roads of suburbia.
Well done Danny. A fascinating walk through an area we all know well but didn't know at all.
THE END
JW
p.s. apologies to our readers who do not know Preston as we do and to those of our readers who are too young (are there any ?) to remember Billy Bunter.
The path down through the woods criss-crossed the stream running along side it several times, by way of well maintained bridges.
At the end of the wood, the stream becomes a tributary of the larger Savick Brook, which we followed by way of a path which was overgrown and in places hazardous.
A brief Pause
At the end of the path, coming out onto Sharoe Green Lane, we crossed over and continued following the brook as it entered the flood catchment area. 
A short diversion took us uphill to take a look at the now neglected Amphitheatre behind Preston College. Retracing our steps we carried on along the path towards Highgate Wood, where on some days woodpeckers can be heard and sometimes seen drilling holes in the surrounding trees.
As we entered the wood, a picnic table beckoned us over. We had missed our usual morning brew so enjoyed our dinner all the more.
We continued on passed the lake which in times of flood when the gates close and hold back the water becomes much larger,
A flight of steps took us up out of the wood, onto the A6, where after a short walk north, we entered a little used footpath between the houses. Humph! How am i going to get through there
Having removed his rucksack, which he had been blaming for his predicament, John still had to breath in deeply to get through.
The footpath came out on Regent Drive close to it's junction with Black Bull Lane, from where we made our way to Our Lady's Catholic High School. 
A path down the side of the school leads to another flight of steps. The path at the bottom of the steps runs alongside a pretty stream and comes out onto Boyes Lane.
