BARROWFORD

 WOW  ! - A SIX PACK .

BODY BUILDERS :- Anthony, John W. Danny,

                                   John R,  Frank,  VIC . 

No ! No ! Dear readers not a group of superfit athletes. But simply that SIX walkers turned out today.  Barrels  or  Kegs might better describe the build of one or two of our walkers rather than "Six Packs". (me included)

Here we see our "Six Pack" setting off across the empty car park. 

Why empty ?  Car Park charge £5 road just outside £0. So.......................

Almost immediately we leave the urban setting and take to "Sylvan " footpaths.

Of course in East Lancashire the town and Country are intricately intermingled.  Especially the buildings of previous centuries. 

This being a super graceful but practical bridge.

As well as evidence of historic industrial usage..........

........The footpaths were clearly fenced off from the fields indicating that we were not yet out of Urban clutches.

After what seemed a long haul up from the river valley this roadside seat was very welcome for our coffee break. Peculiar to this region is the use of the term WATERS to name rivers and streams, In this case it was "Pendle Water",

Look beyond the oldies and what do you see. It's the ubiquitous Pesky Pendle again.

Coffee time over and off again. Still in the Urban/Countryside mix.

Through a kissing gate and finally into open countryside.

Just briefly past this country pub ( with unusually tall chimney pots) and out into the fields again.

Before we went out into the fields again we saw this....

We considered booking in. Sounded just right for us. Haircut and tidy up (beards ?)   A gentle daily walk and looked after all day.  Wonderful !

And so back into the countryside. and up to a reservoir where we stopped to eat our butties. No photos. Elderly gentlemen's feeding time is not an altogether appealing sight.

See what I mean ? No sign of a "Six Pack" there

Just this once, as I said, I shall spare you the ghastly photos of "Feeding Time". Not an edifying prospect. So on we go.

Don't tell Mr. Putin but there appears to be support for Ukraine over there.

We followed the banks of the much depleted reservoir before squeezing through a pinch point stile and dropping downhill.

Think Vic has missed the actual stile !

Think we are in Horse country again.

This is an example of the delightful country lanes that abound in this area.

We now arrived at the much larger reservoir "Foulridge" where some of our "stranger" members decided to walk up the water course. (it was dry !!!) to view the reservoir. 

Others, having seen reservoirs before, waited patiently for their return.

Next week most of us will probably be visiting Whitby the fictional landing place of Dracula.     Danny's rather suspicious look would  make him an ideal  applicant for a major role in the remake of the film "NOSFERATU"     

Away from Foulridge Lower Reservoir and along another delightful country lane.

 On one side of the lane was a field full of Molehills but look carefully there's a Carrion Crow in there as well.

Much to your writers surprise the lane suddenly ended at the entrance to Foulridge Canal Tunnel.  Shouldn't really have been a surprise as we have visited this spot several times before.

 From here we followed the canal which would eventually take us back towards Barrowford.

With occasional rest stops. Beginning to get tired after a long walk.

There's well over 350 years of acquired wisdom here..........................

...........Well - acquired something !!!  

Not to mention another 76 years behind the camera.

Here's Frank. One of our irregular walkers ....What do you mean "Irregular ?". 

You decide.      Whatever you wish it to mean. 

Irregular or not he very generously bought us all coffees and teas in the Pendle Heritage Centre cafe.  An excellent way to end our walk today.

THE END

JW

Cockerham to Galgate

Our walk today began from the large community car park in Cockerham Village. Our friend Mick had come over from the Fylde to join us and was waiting for us when we arrived. The  spots of rain on the windscreen as we travelled here didn't bode well. The rain wasn't forecast to fall till around mid day and it wasn't yet 10.30.

Turning right just after the village pub brought us to Willey Lane. A name destined to cause amusement for young and old alike.

Rumor has it that after today John will be joining the rest of us and digging his winter pants out. After all it's the autumn equinox this coming weekend, and the end of summertime. But watch this space.

The rain although not gone away is keeping us guessing as we find our respective seats to have our morning brew. The makeshift seats were scattered about.

                               I know when i'm not wanted. I can take a hint. 😉

A recently harvested crop of sweetcorn in a large field we had to cross, made following the route of the footpath difficult to follow, and we finished up on the wrong side of a fence. Doh!. But we were not the first ones to have made the same mistake. The bottom length of barbed wire had been vandalised by others. Honest it weren't us!! We just took advantage of

it.

                            Back on the right track again we head for Ellel Grange.

Ellel Grange, was bought by Peter Horrobin and his group of followers. It is an International

None Denominational Christian Organisation, founded by Peter but now in 30 countries around the world.

On reaching the Lancaster Canal there was no way down to the tow path from the bridge, so we had to continue on to the next bridge along.

We are now at the junction where the canal coming from Glasson Dock meets the Lancaster Canal. The bridge we are crossing is over the Glasson Canal. The Lancaster Canal is just to the right.

There are three sets of locks on the Glasson Canal prior to its junction with the Lancaster Canal.

We will return to the junction of the canals after dinner, but first we will follow the Lancaster Canal to the next bridge along. Galgate Bridge.

Galgate Marina.

John assures us that we will be able to shelter while we partake of our vittles.

The promised shelter comes courtesy of Galgate bowling club. John and his wife Val being bowlers themselves, know of this one and others where we have been able to shelter from the rain in the past. Well done John.

Back at the canal junction. We now follow the Glasson spur for a few hundred yds.

This canal is very tranquil without any traffic to disturb the peace. Anthony had heard on the radio that the locks have been locked to conserve water.

               Sheltering again from the rain in a barn while we finish our flasks. It is not far from here back to the cars. When we got back, the car park was very busy with parents picking their kids up from the village school, but by the time we had got out of our wet gear most of the cars had gone.

                    A wet walk at times but still very enjoyable. Thanks John.

                                                                        DK