Fleetwood 6miles

This, the first walk we have been able to have as a larger group since the easing of the lockdown rules, began from the Freeport carpark. Cheerful greetings were made from a distance, ( NO HUGGING OR KISSING I can assure you ) before we set off along Amounderness Way towards the Ferry Terminal, before turning first right to follow a path alongside the River Wyre. 

As you can see from these three photos, some of us have let our standards of personal grooming, slip.💂💂💂

        This is the ramshackle entry to Jubilee Quay, and the footpath along the riverside.

As can be seen, the tide is out, exposing a large area of unsightly mud. This view is looking back towards the Freeport, the entrance to the dock basin is just out of view, where Fleetwood's deep sea trawlers used to unload there catches, in more prosperous times.

Some of the smaller inshore fishing boats lay abandoned in the mud, giving this part of the town an air of depression. Thankfully most visitors to the town will not see this dereliction.

                Some of our group stop to engage a friendly local man in conversation.

At the end of the riverside path is a metal bridge that has to be negotiated on an otherwise flat walk. To the left is a large lorry park where the container lorries used to line up for the ferry crossing to Ireland.

The taller of Fleetwood's two lighthouses, that would serve as a beacon to direct the boats up the river channel.

Knott End can be seen on the other side of the river. Sadly, that little ferry is now the only one still in operation.

                               The Isle of Man Ferry heading out from Heysham.

                                 This is the other, more squat of the two lighthouses.

                                                         Squatting on the beach

            I don't think this will ever become a contender, to become an Olympic sport.

On this walk we always aim to have dinner at the Rossall Point lookout tower. Some other of our Meanderthal friends, who were on a separate walk had arranged to meet up with us here, but when we arrived, they had not yet got here. A bit of a wind had got up so we took shelter down the side of the tower, and before long they did turn up, and more cheerful greetings were exchanged, but still no hugs or kisses. 

We set off and left the others (who were still finishing off their butties) behind. A bit further on along the promenade we crossed a stile and continued on along a path on the perimeter of the golf course. At the end of the golf course we entered suburbia and made our way across town by way of some of the poorer districts, on our way back to our cars.

                                                                                   DK