The Meanderthals: KNOTT END

4 X 4 4 Miles.

Quartet :- Paddy, John W, Anthony, Danny.

There was excellent parking on the promenade of the Wyre estuary.

Being gentlemen of a certain age we first visited the public toilets before starting our walk. (Whisper it softly we used Matin's Magic key. Naughty !)

We do like public works of art such as this one.

One of us is remarkably thin.

We followed the riverside walk for a few hundred yards before turning inland at Seadyke Cottage. A little too soon so we rejoined the path as it skirted the golf course.

Here we chatted briefly with three lady golfers who were aware of the Mark Twain saying " Golf is a good walked spoiled. " Others are believed to have said it before him though.

They crossed our paths (literally) a few minutes later.

As we walked through the golf course we stopped a while to look at the view across the Wyre to Fleetwood.

As we left the golf course the hands of the clock passed 11 so we looked around for a coffee spot. This was nice, in a "Corn Field".

"If you're happy and you know it......."

Only a little distance further on and we came to Hackensall Hall. The present building dating from 1656 and there is a much earlier history. The site was once occupied by a Viking called Haakon. Possibly the origin of the name.

From here we set off to follow a route through to Preesall.

Wending our way through fields of ripening wheat.

Danny is a very accomplished chap with many skills. Here we see him with part of his circus act ... balancing a pole on the top of his head.

No he doesn't have a circus act that is just bad photography. The camera man should have spotted that Faux pas immediately.

For a short while we left the track to walk through a small but quite dense stretch of woodland.

😕

Paddy looks rather nervous here. Has he got arborophobia.

We soon left the woods and began to cross a wide grassy field. There were several hares running backwards and forwards across the field showing little regard for our presence.

As we approached the main road back to Knott End a rather striking war memorial caught our attention and some concrete structures ( Water, gas, sewage ?) offered simple seating for lunchtime.

Paddy checks the time. Anthony takes a phone call and Danny....?

We're supposed to getting away from it all on a relaxing day in the fresh air.

From one of the concrete structures Paddy took photos of the small group.

Oops... missed Danny.

Before leaving we investigated the war memorial more thoroughly. It had some unusual features as well as the normal tributes to the dead.

This rather splendid plaque pays tribute to the town councillors who served during the war. Perhaps todays wokeist protaganists would be saddened that no mention was made of ladies during that period.

This one doesn't seem to directly pay tribute to the actual people of Preesall who served in the forces .

Here's Danny who followed the advice of the notice to rest awhile in contemplation. On reflection perhaps we should congratulate Preesall Council for taking a wider view of the damage war does to society.

On further reflection....................

We now made our way through the suburbs of Preesall and Knott End passing the attractive church of St Oswald's.

We eventually made our way through a relatively modern housing development where two dog walking ladies pointed us down a narrow alley and up onto the the sea-defensive embankment where a pair of seats invited us to sit a while and enjoy the extensive views across Morecambe Bay to Barrow and the Lake district.

Our ageing limbs, of course, are always ready for a sit down. Anthony is pointing out the barely visible outline which is Black Comb the most southerly of the Lakeland fells quite close to Barrow.