ASHTON to COTTAM

TRAVEL KALEIDOSCOPE  5 Miles

PLODDERS :- Martin & John

With "Lockdown" still firmly in place it becomes increasingly difficult to find new and interesting routes that can still be awarded the title "Local".

Haslem Park is NOT new to us.  We have been there quite a few times before but our walk still delivered interesting and surprising "Novelties".

After leaving our cars we set off through the park  paying a brief curtesy visit to the duckpond,

As we made our way towards the canal we crossed other lesser waterways and passed something that seems to be becoming ubiquitous - a wood sculpture. I have to add ... not a very impressive one.

And so onto the canal.

What's this ? A wannabe Viking with a figurehead on his house ?

I'm not sure a placid swan quite cuts the mustard. Perhaps the blue tit resident in the box below is made of sterner stuff.

"A stunning work of Art " ?  No just a bit of a log covered in fungi and floating in the canal.

This somewhat idyllic spot is quite close to where the "Ribble Link" branches away from the Lancaster Canal. 

We shall see more of that later.

The next bridge over the canal was carrying "Tom Benson Way" down from the Fulwood/Broughton area. At this point we left the canal to follow a clear but muddy footpath towards the University Sports Complex.

Evidence of knife crime here ? Well if dropping litter is a crime - certainly.

Although the complex is closed for sporting activities there was still some activity taking place. Notably a Corona Virus testing station.

There was also a table at which we could sit and take our coffee break.

Leaving the cafe we crossed over the canal to follow what seems to be part of the "Guild Wheel" though I must confess that I could not remember it from the couple of times I have cycled the guild wheel.

As we followed the footpath we passed this mysterious object. It was clearly a "post" of some sort but why the unusual shape and what was it's purpose. It reminded your writer of an ice-cream lolly of the late 20th C. I think they were called "Twisters"

Shortly after, we crossed  quite a busy road before continuing along the Guild Wheel. 

At this point we discovered that there were three options. 

Follow the walkers path.  Follow the cyclists path or follow the horses path'

Here's a section of the horses path... rather magnificent isn't it ?  (it wasn't all like that).

................................................ we followed the cycle track.

though both cycle and horse tracks were nicer than the walking track.

The whole area seemed well thought out and every so often there was a children's play area.

The path we were following came to an end and much to my surprise we were in  COTTAM.  Just across a field there was St Andrew's church,

The church is next to the white building at the far side of the field.

A right turn took us along a suburban road leading back into the newly developed areas.  As we walked along this road we met two young ladies loading a "pack" of dogs into their vehicle (dog walkers).

They were happy to allow a photo but did not believe our assertion that they would be in "Hello Magazine" next week.😉 

We were still following the Guild wheel and were sharing with cyclists young and old.

Just round the next bend in the road was the "Ancient Oak" pub It was firmly closed but offered sheltered seating for our butty time.

As we sat (Two old f***s together) eating our sandwiches a lady (the landlord's mother-in-law) came out of the pub and chatted quite happily but did explain that they had been forced to close the car park because cars and surprisingly cyclist stopped and scattered litter everywhere. We assured her that WE would not do so.

It was only a short distance  before we arrived at a roundabout on Tom Benson Way.

A footpath led into a narrow strip of woodland park

The kissing gates along this path were the most magnificent we have come across in all our walks,/ Well constructed and easy to negotiate.

The park benches were rather good too.

We now had to cross a deep gully but this was not really allowed

The bridge was rather dodgy, This charming family encouraged us to cross, They had just done so but I suspect our "Tonnage" was more of a challenge for the bridge.

Once over the bridge we thanked the the little helpers and continued down the path heading back towards the University playing fields.

As we crossed back over the canal into the sports complex we spotted something we had missed on the way out.

Have you spotted it ?  Yes of course you have . There it is high on the wall. The cyclist must have come over the humpbacked bridge at quite a lick to end up there.

From here we retraced our steps along the canal till we came to the "Ribble Link". On the way, however, we came across swans, I defy anyone carrying a camera not to take a photo of a swan. They just demand attention.

There was also something else demanding a photograph but perhaps for a different reason.

Leaving the Lancaster Canal we dropped down to the holding basin on the Ribble Link Where two ladies were enjoying  a well prepared social meeting (Is it allowed ?)

We continued past the basin and past the locks with their wonderful sculpture.

The joke on the following signpost is one we have published before but it's worth seeing again

We followed the track at the bottom of the locks until it took us back to Haslem Park

In the distance across the park we could see the magnificent building that is Tulketh Mill (?)

A right turn took us up to the end of the wonderful Drive, How long is it ?

 (I checked on the map . It is almost exactly one third of a mile.)

Perhaps some legendary giant in days gone by had rolled this ball along it's length (I don't think so John !) We sat on a bench to finish our flasks .  Behind us we could hear the road traffic and at intervals the roar of trains on the West Coast (Blackpool ?)  line. A Lady stopped to talk to John, He had been her daughter's headteacher some 40 years before and then a footballing colleague of Martin's stopped to talk to him. 

Then back through the Victorian park to the cars and Home.

THE END

JW

p.s, TRAVEL KALEIDOSCOPE ??? Well our walk encompassed, Cars on roads, Cycle tracks, Footpaths, Bridle paths, Boats and trains . (No planes but I'm sure they were above us at sometime,)