CROOK O' LUNE

 LUNE RIVERSIDE WALK    4 Miles

Moonwalkers :- Anthony, Vic, Danny, John W, 

                   John R, Jim C.  Martin.

As five of us piled into John W's car Danny contemplated the effects of having a "Catastrophic"  crash. 😝💀( ???) We drove carefully North up the M6 avoiding all possibilities of catastrophic crashes and eventually parked up close to Halton Bridge. Almost immediately after   Jim C pulled into the car park and within a couple of minutes we set off.

The second part of the car park was next to the old station buildings now owned by Lancaster University.

 

Leaving the car park and onto the "Lune Riverside Walk."

It was to be a fairly short walk and we soon looked out for a coffee spot

Just a few yards away from the main track was a spot close to a picturesque weir.

A fallen tree, close by offered good seating.

And we took advantage....

Bet nobody spotted the "Little Egret" in this photo. strolling along the weir side.

There it is ! 

Coffees finished we soon found ourselves passing under the narrow tunnel which to walkers and cyclists is a harbinger of the Crook O' Lune site.

 Once through the tunnel we could see, down the next slope, the first of the TWO bridges needed to cross the "CROOK".

Martin was not due to join us for another half hour so we crossed onto the Bridge and sat enjoying the peaceful tranquillity of the River Lune below us.

(and avoiding the "Whizzing" cyclists)

As we waited for Martin to arrive we looked at a stumpy pillar many of which mark the sad trail of the Lancashire witches going to their trial all those years ago. 

A message from Martin to say he was close by sent us up to the picnic site known as "Turners view".

Here we are viewing "Turner's View".

If I had a penny for every "Turner's View" I have visited I would have at least 2p. BUT I know of others. In fact the artist J M W Turner was very prolific and I doubt if there is a county or famed beauty spot that he didn't visit.

Not the clearest day to "View but there is Ingleborough on the horizon. (Another "Blue remembered hill).

With Lunch over we said goodbye to Martin and headed back to the car park at Halton. Rather than walk straight back we dropped down the steep steps at the end of the bridge  to follow the banks of the Lune till the path re-joined the cycle route. 

From the bottom of the steep steps John seemed to think that's the way we need to go.

A quick look back at the bridge we had just crossed before following the riverbank.

Eyes down the path is a bit dodgy here.

I feel sure that this tree has upped it's roots and crept closer to the waters edge since the last time we came here.

"And here is a "Sacred Tree" !"

"Why is it a "Sacred Tree" ?"

"Because it's Holey." Argh !

No. No. not guilty this time.  It was Jim C saying that.

We were pleased to have taken this detour as the fresh greenery and the early summer sunshine combined to make this a most attractive stretch of the Lune.

We eventually arrived at the weir we had stopped at on our outward way. The white Little Egret was still here and had been joined by a Heron.

Not far to go now . A picture we had missed on our way out caught our attention.

A picture of Halton station in it's heyday,

and finally.................."Keep away from the edge of the platform please ! The next train is due... . . .  ..  ..  .. .  .    .at      .      .        .            ."

Now stop sitting in the sunshine dangling your legs  and go home !

THE END

JW