GRIMSARGH/FERNYHALGH

 "FLOODY L !"  6.5 Miles

Walkers  :-  Martin , John W. 

(Danny and Anthony also walking in the same area.)

We set off from the car park on Grimsargh Green

We left the green in a light drizzle but expecting and being prepared for worse. after a few hundred yards  we turned left down Cow Hill.

As we walked the evidence of the recent HEAVY rains soon became apparent.

Almost every field contained large areas of flood water and this was flowing through the hedges and onto the roads.

Water can be seen gushing out of the fields  onto the roads.

Martin walks cautiously down the centre of the road where the water is shallowest.

At the end of the arrow straight Cow Hill road we turned right to drop down to the strangely intriguingly named "Londonderry bridge". 

From the bridge we left the road and took to the footpath following the brook. This in the past has not been an easy route but much to our surprise we found it muddy but quite accessible.

Alongside the path water was surging out of land drains.

As the morning progressed the grey clouds broke apart and scattered blue patches appeared bringing welcome sunlight and colour to our walk.

After perhaps 20 minutes we arrived at the bridge over the brook which led directly into "Squire Anderton's Wood".

As we crossed the bridge we could see where the flooding had torn away part of the banking and broken the fence down. Here we stopped to have a coffee (and firewater). A phone call alerted us to the fact that Anthony and Danny were heading our way

Squire Anderton's Wood is  part of many local children's history. It was a destination to which parents took us for walks and when we were a little older we went by ourselves to look for "Cheggies" in the Autumn or Bird's Eggs in the spring. ( Collecting bird eggs was acceptable then it certainly is NOT now )

Only a short distance down the drive we saw two figures coming towards us. They looked familiar.

Anthony and Danny going in the opposite direction on their walk. (Watch out for their report.)

The land on either side of the driveway had not escaped the deluge in fact in some areas it rather resembled the swamps of the American deep south rather than a gentrified English country estate. At this time we had our only shower of any significance  all day. It was a remarkably dry day (weatherwise)

Some of the bare branched trees looked almost threatening in their "Wild" appearance.

But who was Squire Anderton?  Mr James Anderton - Squire. bought the house (built in 1820) about 1840 to house his large family. They occupied the house for about 70 years. Recently it has been owned by football manager David Moyes and is presently owned by local entrepreneur Mr. Bailoch (spelling ?).  As we walked down the drive a rather magnificent Jaguar stopped and the window slid down. It was Mr Bailoch himself stopping to ask were we enjoying our walk.  He chatted pleasantly telling us that he was a Preston Lad, born and bred,  and as a child lived with his family in Bank Parade Avenham .

We continued our walk leaving through the electronically locking gates.

Then turning right to follow the rough path up to "Ladyewell".

Through the gate at the top of the track and into the grounds of the "Well".

Here our self gratification overrode our spiritual tendencies. We looked for a sheltered spot to have our butties..... and found one... a quite appropriate one for the retired head of Sacred Heart School.

We took shelter with the Sacred Heart.....and therein lies a tale.

As headteacher of Sacred Heart school Martin had ordered report forms to be printed and sent out to families. Luckily, before they were used, someone spotted a spelling mistake.

The heading at the top of each form read.............

"THE SCARED HEART SCHOOL" ..... Oops !

Well his nibs was not scary today so we had a comfortable dry spot for our lunch.

Onward Christian soldiers.....  sort of ! After a quick chat with one of the resident priests

Back down the rough path and a left turn just before the motorway bridge and the first stile we had encountered on our walk.

A track led up from the road but then we had to cross two sodden, muddy fields with very rough slippery surfaces. This was the hardest part of the walk.

To leave these fields meant climbing over a tall, broken stile which was actually just about impossible. We were lucky that passing by as we struggled was a very fit young man who in the manner of a fireman. (Fireman's lift) help Martin ( legs exhausted after field "battle")  over the stile. He was copiously thanked .

At this point we joined the "Guild Wheel"

As we followed the guild wheel a lady passing by stopped to chat and mentioned that her husband was at present having Chemo and Radio therapy for cancer. She and Martin subsequently swapped treatment tales or several minutes.

The lady Martin was swapping tales with then agreed to take a joint photograph of the two of us.

We continued along the Guild Wheel with a short stop to finish our flasks. The observant reader will of course have noticed that the stop was just after a steep hill, Hmmm....wonder why ?😅

We followed the "Wheel" as it went past the past the large SPAR site which is also used as an Motorway service station.

 Turn around and the world is a different place.

Not far from home now.

After checking the map a somewhat rougher track led through the fields and back to Cow Hill. From here a slow, gentle plod took us back to our cars.

One last point of interested. An unusual and EASY stile .  It was not one we needed to take. By now the afternoon was closing on a long and not always easy walk but nevertheless an enjoyable one.

THE END

JW