Barton 5.5 miles Walkers Mike the bike and Danny

Our final outing of 2020. With snow falling and the temperature around the zero mark, we set off undaunted from Thorntrees Avenue in Barton along a path between the houses, over a stile and down through a small wood to open farmland.

There are advantages and disadvantages to frosty conditions. On the plus side the ground beneath our feet was frozen rather than boggy. On the minus side, care has to be taken when crossing stiles and bridges, and it's bloody cold on the hands when taking pictures.

Pressing on with hands in pockets, the fingers beginning to thaw out as we crunch our way noisily towards the bungalow ahead.

With the broad farm track in our wake, the narrow path ahead, following the recent heavy rainfall earlier in the week, would have been a quagmire had it not been for the frost. But now the sun was beginning to break through and thefingers were beginning to feel the benefit.

After passing through Blacow Houuse Farm the stiles give way to modern kissing gates. Well two of them.

                                  St Lawrence's Church. Our morning brew venue.

Here is the other one. The paths leading to the church passed through some fairly recent housing developments, which played havoc with Mikes sense of direction.

St Lawrence's Church, first erected in 1577, it underwent major restoration in 1895. As you will see by the clock on the tower, we tarried a bit too long over our morning brew.

Crossing the A6 and walking down St Helier's place, a narrow footpath at the end of the road, leads to the bridge over the main north /south railway line.

These modern plastic / fibreglass huts for young calves are clean and afford some insulation against the cold. But at the same time the calves are isolated from their mothers in the large barn behind.

                                   Good Bad or 50/50? Answers on a postcard please.

From the farm we turned north up to White Horse Bridge crossing the Lancaster Canal. The canal was frozen over. After crossing the bridge we turned first left down a quiet country lane. which eventually gave way to a footpath. After about another 100yds, a stile on the left led back to the canal tow path.

The swans and ducks that are usually to be seen on the canal and waiting around for titbits, were conspicuous by their absence, but as Mike was eating his butty, two doberman type dogs came under the bridge and had their eyes focused on Mikes butty. They were quickly followed by their owner, a young lady, who severely reprimanded them.

Carrying on along the canal we passed under Station Lane bridge and after a few hundred yds turned off to the right down steps, to pass under the aqueduct carrying the canal over Barton Brook.

 

From the aqueduct it was a short walk across fields to reach Station Lane. Walking along Station Lane to the A6 we passed the R C Church of St Mary's Newhouse, built in 1863, which replaced Newsham Chapel which was built in 1741. At the end of Station Lane we crossed back over theA6 to our cars on the other side.

                                                                           DK