WORDEN PARK

 PARKING MAD !   5.8 Miles

NOISY PARKERS :-  Danny, Anthony, Frank, John W, 

                                   Mike, Jim C, Vic, Andrew (guest)

Parking Mad ?  Well annoying certainly. We parked in the Main car park  and discovered we were only allowed to stay 2 hours, No good . We parked in quiet side street and were immediately accosted by a resident. "Access only. You can't park here." "Oh Thank You  ******* ! " We said. We finally found parking spaces not too far away in Fox Lane.

And so we set off.

 

After searching for parking it was almost coffee time by the time we arrived at the cafe. We took and early break.

Leaving the cafe we walked  briefly through the park till we came to the Cedar tree. 

Immediately in front of us now was the "Maze"

We actually struggled to find the entrance even before we tackled the Maze itself.

We are ashamed to say that we did not "crack" the maze even though most of us have done it before. "Easy..."  we had said.

Off we go following the paths through the maze.

Looking for this.

JOHN W GOT THERE !!   ( He Cheated )  In our defence we did not linger long at the maze as we were already behind schedule with our walk. (Our walks have schedules ???)

We continued our walk through the park, where Danny had been a few days before to watch his grandson in a football match.

A few minutes later the track left the park to continue towards Schleswig Way.

The tack led us to a roundabout on the busy road,

Here we found one of Leyland's historic industrial products.

On another roundabout a few miles north on this road is another industrial artefact. A TANK. We must plan a walk to visit it someday.

Just past the tractor, as we headed towards the River Lostock, we stood and puzzled at this sign.  What did Ww TW stand for.

Have you any ideas what it stands for ?  Danny eventually came up with a suggestion. It stood for......................... ?

The track ended after a couple of hundred metres and just across a field was a bridge which would take us across the River Lostock.

John W took this photo.

But he didn't take this one. So who did ?

Frank takes a moment to look back along the track we have just followed        I Think !

Just beyond the bridge a fallen tree forced us to duck.

Just ahead of us now were the Rugby pitches of Leyland's Ruby LEAGUE club "Leyland Warriors" who are strongly supported by "Wigan Warriors". John W's grandson plays here.

Good to discover that horses can read !

and here's an excellent message for them to read.

Lunchtime.

Next to the rugby pitches/

We retraced our steps to re-join the path that led through the woodland edging the river.

This took us out onto Slater lane in the Moss Side area of Leyland . A left turn followed by a right turn took us through the suburbs until we eventually found ourselves outside one of Anthony's watering holes.  Dunkirk Hall.

Across the road and fifteen minutes later we dropped down to a narrow path alongside Mill Brook.

This path took us down to a track junction where we asked a passing couple

if we were on the right path for Worden park,  They assured us we were but wanted to direct us to a part of the park we didn't want.  When we showed them on the map where the GPS placed us. They said "no" we weren't there and as locals they knew better than us. Quite right.   Foolishly JW , instead of quietly thanking them and walking on, tried to explain that GPS would be accurate. I think they were rather offended and we did not part on good terms.

We carried on through the woodland and then housing estates, passing as we did St Mary's High school, and soon after arrived at the Northern edge of the park.

Flask finishing time.  And what great seating we found.

Flasks emptied and now to tackle the final short stretch of our walk.  Along the northern edge of Worden Park.

With our walk nearly at it's end it was simply a matter of following the edge of the park back to the gatehouse.

There was no lack of interest as we walked.

The children's sandpit occupied by Teddy Bears.

What's this then ?

A rather imaginative row of Cycle stands !

A new toilet block.

Unisex too........ and why not as long as they are discreet units.

C'mon you two. You were at the back when we set off (see first photo).

Look !  Those two are well ahead.

Through the park gates down the drive and along the road back to the cars.

Not quite over though. We have in the past visited St Mary's church, The rather spectacular circular church about half a mile away.  Here though was the original church now just a facade but probably still in use as the graveyard is behind it.

That's it walk over. John in his usual forgetful manner had left the map of the walk and his phone (with route mapped out) in his car and had travelled in another car. We did , however, still manage the planned route step by step.

THE END

JW

Blackburn 5.5 miles. Walkers Jim Anthony vic and Danny

The town of Blackburn, sitting on higher ground than  Preston, it's near neighbour to the west. Although only 10 miles distant, usually gets more snow. Your author, when his kids were younger often used to bring them sledging here, However, today there is very little difference.

                                      Here we are, entering Corporation Park.

At this time of year. the leafless trees allow a better view of the town below and across the valley. Anthony informed us that the Panopticon has undergone a name change. It is now called the Cannons, but none of us could remember what it was called originally. Answers on a postcard please.

                                     Careful chaps, those steps are a bit slippy.

                        A sudden flurry of snow made the park look quite magical. 

Passing the lake, the roman god Flora whilst looking quite cute in her skimpy dress, is not really suitably dressed for British winter weather.

                      There is less snow on the ground as we head towards the town centre.

There was a young lady, busking in the town centre, She had quite a good voice, so we sat on a nearby bench in the sun and listened to her whilst eating our dinner.

         

Across from where we were sitting was Blackburn's iconic tower. When we were younger, there was a nightclub at the top of the tower, but none of us could remember the name of it.Can you?? Answer at the end of the blog,

After getting lost inside the shopping mal, and not being able to find our way out.😡 Vic asked one of the attendants. The whole trouble was, the lack of signage. Do they do it on purpose? Our next destination was Eanham Wharf, on the side of the Leeds -Liverpool canal. On the way we stopped to read this plaque. Was the author referring to the --------- night club on top of the tower?

                                 On reaching the canal we find it frozen over

On previous visits here, we have sometimes had our dinner under the shelter of the wharf, but today the gate was shut. Not just shut but welded shut. The pub / bar that used to be housed in the wharf building must have shut up shop. Luckily its a nice sunny day.

The  swans the geese and the ducks, as well as all the sea gulls flying overhead, have to wait patiently for the ice to melt before they get their dinner.

Dinner over we set off westward along the canal tow path, before dropping down to the road and making our way back to the town centre.

  This is Blackburn Cathedral. We stopped here for our afternoon brew in the cathedral cafe.

This is a statue of William Gladstone. Some black lives matter campaigners have been pushing for the statue to be removed.

Leaving the town centre to start the long climb up East Park Road, past all the large houses once belonging to rich mill owners and the like, we passed this information board, but where is the church? We couldn't see anything around that looked like a church.

                                                                 The End
                                          

                              The nightclub on top of the tower was the Cavendish Club.

                                                                          DK