HASLEM PARK

 DAMP GAMP    3.5 Miles

MERRY POPPINS'  :- Paddy, Dave, Danny, Jim, Mike, John.

Almost 20 years ago the Meanderthals started walking. 

"I thought they were around 40,000 years ago !"  

"Those were Neanderthals" 

 " Oh... right."

In the early days we walked to keep fit. Now in our late 70s and early 80s we have kept fit and our priority is more focussed on socialising rather than fitness. So we make no apology for sometimes going on rather shorter walks.

Our walk began from the car park in Haslem Park.  Almost immediately we passed this little sign.

Not really cricketing weather though.

Past the lake and over the little bridge taking us towards the canal

 

"Any umbrellas  🎜Any umbrellas to mend today ?  🎶" (Flanagan and Alan). One was in need of mending . Jim had to sort out the spokes on his before setting off.

The troubled waters of Savick Brook.

here we are on the "Bridge over troubled waters  🎶 "  (Simon and Garfunkel)

The next bridge we came to took us over the canal to a left turn along a narrow footpath.

Looking carefully at the canal below the bridge you will see lots of duckweed on the surface. Danny informs us that it is used for food for lots of animals including human ones. You might remember that your writer collected some duckweed to go on his garden pond. Waste of time, The goldfish ate it within minutes.

Recent walks led us to believe that summer had arrived.  Ho ! Ho ! Ho !

A garden full of interest.............................. or something !  Look carefully there IS a real car in there. 'onest !

As it was to be a short walk we took an early lunchbreak at a wonderful cafe.

The cafe (open to the public) was part of the "Communitygateways" special care apartments for the over 60's . Were we taking advantage of YOUNGER persons facilities ? 😄

Here's Paddy perusing the menu......

" I thing half a dozen oysters.

Fresh salmon and cucumber sandwich 

Glass of Bollinger Special Cuve to wash it down. "

"Otherwise a sausage butty and a mug o' tea. "

"Yes ,  But is it a SINGLE malt ?"

We now retraced our steps towards Haslem Park. (Short Walk remember)

Don't know what Dave has said but it certainly seems to have amused Mike.  

 We did not follow the same route through the park but turned left to follow the canal.

Where we met a rather large family of swans.

Mum and Dad and the nine kids .

"Keep yer distance you fellas. I'm watching you !"

We soon entered the park again down a steep slope through the wood where, written on a gatepost, we found this message.

I wonder if we will find "Jules" the Superwoman ?

John posing in front of the lake.......... get a move on !

A brief stop to gather together before walking up to the cars.

And look what's in the wall !

Back to the car park.......  Damp waterproofs in the boot ....... and off home

Thanks Danny. Only a short walk but, as always on your walks, packed with interest and novel experiences.   Your writer must confess that after we left Haslem Park he had no idea where we were. ..... and him a Prestonian for 77 years. ( He did recognise short stretches of Tag Lane )

THE END

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PRESTON MOOR PARK

 MOOR PARK RENDEVOUS  Miles #?#

Cafe Cohort :-  Martin, Danny, Anthony, Paddy, Harry

                         John R, Mike, John W, James, Dave. 

One of our most faithful and popular walkers has been unable to join us for quite sometime after a catastrophic fall in the snow.  As we have aged it has become apparent that the social side of our weekly meetings is just as important as the exercise inherent in a walk. A Walk (?), therefore, was planned in which we could include Martin.

Martin is at present confined to a wheelchair. John and Martin arrived in the park and were greeted by Dave.

They walked together to the cafe and were soon joined by seven more of the Meanderthal "Fraternity".

Hiding behind Anthony is a lady who had, as a supply teacher, worked with all of those of us who had also been teachers.

A few minutes later we were joined by an eighth Meanderthal.  John R from Penwortham.

The staff at the cafe were extremely kind and helpful and we were soon seated at several joined tables and enjoying a variety of beverages (non of them alcoholic) 

NO we are not a bunch of T-Totalists 🍵🍵

We sat in the warm sunshine and as is the wont of elderly gentlemen, put the world to rights. We even sang "Happy Birthday" to Anthony as he was going on holiday the next day and we would miss the actual day. We will, however, still expect the traditional provision of cake by the birthday boy on our next walk.

The day was even warm enough to enjoy an ice cream though Harry's face might suggest "enjoy" was not quite the right word.

As a walking group we could, of course, not miss out the "Walking" bit. So a short tour of the park was next. But who are those two hidden by the shadows?

Aha !  ............   Harry and James who complained that a cheeky snail was following them all the way🐌😃

As we neared the end of our "Lengthy" walk  a young lady kindly offered to take a group photo for us.

Remind me not to stand next to Paddy again. I'm sure I'm taller than that 😒

And she was brave and generous enough to join us on another photo.

and there she is 👍You will notice of course that only five of us are in this photo. As we had walked around the park various members left us as we passed the points at which they had parked their cars. Just after this photo was taken the rest of the group also split up as we arrived at the park entrance from the A6  and returned to their cars and homes.

JW

WOODPLUMPTON

 DING DONG the WITCH is DEAD  4.5 MILES

Wizards :-  Mike, Anthony, John W and Paddy.

We parked in Broughton quite close to the High School and were soon on our way to Woodplumpton.

Down a narrow alley and past the  houses on the outskirts of  Broughton.

At the end of the alley a kissing gate took us onto a bridge over the West Coast Mainline Railway.   Will the Witch be there ? .......No!

Once over the railway we crossed the fields until we arrived at a  mysterious site.   The witch ?........ NO !

In the corner of the next field were the remains of a BBQ ,  several broken chairs, the parts of what appeared to be a perfectly serviceable tent and other detritus scattered around.

We stopped and puzzled over this and could come to no satisfactory explanation so we took an early coffee break to ponder further. "Druggies, Travellers, rough sleepers, illicit drinkers". There was no evidence for any of these activities.

The chairs came in handy and Paddy was quite stricken by this tree which was entirely dead and overgrown with Ivy.  Caused by the Witch ? ...... No !

Coffee time over we left with no solution to the mystery emerging.

In the next field was another conundrum. What seemed like a semi permanent camp with tables and children's playthings, but who were the occupants ? Witches ? ...... NOOOoo !

Perhaps they were staff involved in the "Field Sports" which this notice advertises.

As we passed Topland farm we found a Peacock feather and the birds themselves were strutting around with a seemingly imperious attitude.

In the fields around the farm were deer. Possibly being farmed for Venison.

This was to be a short walk and we were soon making our way between the houses alongside the High Street.

Twelve + twelve + twelve   .... What does that add up to. Just across the way was the answer.

Well....... I found it quietly amusing 😉

Is a  Mugwump a  Witch ? ....   No !   A mugwump is someone who is politically neutral and feels able to support any party or no party according to their conscience.

And here's a clever and amusingly attractive way of giving children more space as they come out of school and thus keeping themselves safe.

We left Woodplumpton and followed the track alongside the school before leaving the track and walking across a couple of fields to arrive at St Anne's Church which we entered through the graveyard.

At the this end of the graveyard were a pair of excellent benches. Perfect for Lunch.  

As we sat a couple came to lay flowers at a nearby grave. John W went across to ask them if the church was open. They didn't know but insisted on taking him across to "Peter" who was working in the graveyard. He in turn insisted on taking John to the "Office" were a couple were working and THEY insisted on opening up the church for us. John got no say in the matter. His pleas of not wanting to be a nuisance were ignored.

There had been a church (chapel) on the site since the 12C  some of the church was 16C and the rest 18C so quite an ancient and interesting building.

Here's Peter who got us into the church.

The church had an ancient Belltower. but where's the bell ?

Ah.... here it is.      SO....... Here's the Ding Dong ... Where's the witch ?

On leaving the church the group gathered round a large stone.

Is it The Witch............. YES !

Legend has it that this poor lady (Probably with dementia causing her to speak and behave strangely) Was buried here but kept climbing out to cause further mischief. She was eventually buried head down in a narrow pit so that any clawing would go down not up and the large  stone placed on top to stop her coming out again.

Here's John pretending to be "Blackrod"

On the wall of the church, hardly noticeable at first, was a sun dial.

Can you see it ?............................................It's towards the top of the wall.

On leaving the church we turned right to follow the road towards Cottam and Preston

Passing, as we did, a group of united utilities workers. We did not mention the toxic subject of water pollution. They seemed quite amused to see a bunch of old fellas wandering around and helpfully pointed to where the footpath left the road.

At this point JW discovered, that in his usual forgetful way, he had left his sunglasses on the church bench where we had dined. "I'll go back in the car later  to find them" he decided.

Back into the fields and heading alongside Woodplumpton Brook towards Broughton and the car

As we crossed this bridge Paddy's glasses tumbled off and narrowly missed falling into the brook.  It took quite a search in the tall undergrowth to find them.

This time it was Mike who found a tree to be quite fascinating.

I think Paddy is auditioning for a part in the next "Indiana Jones" movie.

Keep following the arrows. But first a final stop to finish our flasks at which point Paddy, who had checked that we hadn't left anything, remembered that he had thoughtfully picked up John's sunglasses from the bench and popped them in his rucksack to return to John when he caught the others up. Thanks Paddy.

ONE LAST BRIDGE............................

............................AND ONE LAST KISSING GATE  and we're home.

What a BELLting and beWITCHing walk.

J.W.

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