SKIPOOL CREEK

 A SLOE WALK  4.6 Miles

SLOW STROLLERS :- Anthony, John W, Jim, Paddy, Mike.

Not another boring car park photo to start the blog 😕?  Don't be silly !  Car parks are very interesting. They're flat and have cars in them .......

We left the car park. (IS THAT BETTER THEN ? 😜) and set off walking north along Skipool Creek and then the Wyre itself.

It was quite surprising how many boats were moored or pulled ashore along this river's edge.

Although, in places, the mooring stations resembled something from the final scenes of the movie "Oliver".

In the distance we could just make out the outline of the Shard Bridge.

After only a few minutes walking we came to the "Blackpool and Fylde Yacht Club." 

Looks like John wanted to look nautical as he sports his Captain Pugwash outfit (cap)

Not exactly  a sleek modern craft but nonetheless attractive.

This craft looked more residential than seaworthy.

There was a crooked man

Who walked a crooked mile

He found a crooked sixpence

upon a crooked stile

OR

There was a sad old man

Who walked a weary mile

He found a painted pebble

Upon a wooden stile

Look at this........

There's a wooden stile

and look there's a painted pebble

It appears to be telling the Sad Old Man to contact the Samaritans😒. Even gives him the Telephone number. Somebody , it appears, did not enjoy this walk

BUT WE DID 😃

As we walked along the riverside path there were benches at regular intervals. Most of them commemorative ones.

I think Paddy has found something interesting up there. What do you think ?

Here's another bench and there's Paddy pretending he needs it.

As we walked the hedgerows on our left  were, for long stretches, full of Sloe berries the fruit of the Blackthorn tree.

A Sloe Gin  anyone ?  Very bitter to taste. (the berries, that is, not the gin)

The abundance and regularity of wayside benches along the path were warmly welcomed by ageing Meanderthal bodies.

but here's Jim warning us not to linger too long and points to the sign telling us that High Tide is due and the water can reach as high as the path.

Soon after the tidal warning we arrived at a country park which had lots of comfortable seating and a cafe. LUNCHTIME.

A bird sculpture seemed to be guarding the toilets (but we have a magic key) 

and a large anchor reminded us that this was a Maritime walk.
The park was quite busy with families enjoying the playground facilities and the picnic spots. One lady was very eye catching as she appeared to be wearing a tablecloth......... or am I being unkind ?????

In places the sloes lining the path were replaced by tall reeds going to seed

There are so many types of reeds. It is difficult to identify them. Nearest guess is "Reed  Sweet Grass"........... But ????????

After leaving the cafe we also left the river and walked back to the cars along narrow country lanes which were also delightful in a different way.

The hedge rows were just as full of interest as the seaside path had been. This bush/tree was quite outstanding (literally). It was a Silver Poplar. (Jim used "Plant App" to find out)

ANOTHER WELCOME BENCH 😃

After about a mile we left the road to climb  a couple of stiles. cross a field and join another even smaller lane which would take us back to the riverside path.

Speed limit "20". I think that means 20 metres per minute. Bit of a rush that 😟

The road we were now on ended near to this gate and a narrow path took us steeply down hill through a narrow wood and over a small bridge and back onto the riverside path.

John                          Jim            Paddy               Anthony

Look carefully. There's that painted Pebble again.

Back on the track and heading carward. Can't have a Meanderthal walk without MUD can we.

There's that colourful boat again. We must be nearly there.

....and so we were.           Bye Bye lone seagull.

THE END

ALSTON LONGRIDGE

 RIBBLE RAMBLE    2.5 Miles

FIVE FLUVIAL FOLLOWERS :- John, Anthony, Paddy,                                                                 Dave & Danny.

" We're all going on a Summer🎶🎶Holiday."                                                                                                     Reason no 1 for Texts and Phonecalls.

"Hordes of Grandchildren galloping over the horizon"                                                                                       Reason no 2 For Texts and Phonecalls.

It must be School Holiday Time !👦👧🏫

The call for "A short walk... I'm  really busy this week" was echoing in my ears for several days  .   Sooo.....

Here' s the short walk.

We parked the car at the bottom of Alston Lane a road half way between Grimsargh and Longridge and set of towards the River Ribble.

The day was already "hotting Up" as we walked down the lane past some extremely sumptuous houses in the process of being built.  In these austere times some people seem to be prospering.

RADAC ?   Ribchester And District Angling club (I think)

Danny holds open the gate as we arrive on the banks of the Ribble.

There had been flood warnings in the area and the water level in the river was still quite high.

The path along the river bank was very narrow and in places completely over grown by the invasive and pernicious Himalayan Balsam.

As we walked we nearly trod on a little Toad. Anthony carefully encouraged it back into the safety of the undergrowth.

Although the path opened out occasionally there was very little access to the river bank. Indeed for long stretches it was hidden behind the tall Balsam plants.

To our left there was a complete contrast with a large acreage of open, mown grass.

AND A SAD TREE !!!

As we walked we commented on the fact that the narrow footpath appeared to have been recently mown. Then after about half a mile we met a gentleman coming in the opposite direction.

We asked was he a member of the Angling club

 "Yes" he said. "But I also live and farm here so I volunteer to keep the path clear.

"Have you done it all ?" we asked with some incredulity.

"No. I've run out of Petrol.  "  He smiled.

Not much further along the path we arrived at the end of the mown part.

From here the path became overgrown and difficult to follow so we crossed the fence (naughtily) and walked along the edge of the field.

Over the fields and high on the hill we could see the recently renovated "Alston Hall"

The walk was to be short but it was undoubtedly WARM ! (27 degrees ?)we stopped in the shade of a tree disappointed that there was no access to the rivers edge where it might have been cooler.

Anthony is being very brave sitting on the grass. At our age getting up again is no mean feat. 😀😄 

The tree we sheltered under was , unlike the previous one, full of life but looked as if it had struggled to grow up.

After our drinks break, Dave, who battles with "Parkinsons" , set off before us so that he wouldn't hold us back all the time.

The increasing heat and the heavy grass underfoot , however , were taking their toll and helped by Danny he stopped to take some of his medication.

Still very hot and some rough ground to cover but not far to go  now,

Dave was finding the terrain very difficult... but here comes Danny.   Well done !

A final stile to negotiate.

"Give us a hand."

Back on a tarmacked road Dave was much more comfortable and was soon well ahead of us as we neared the car.

We have grown accustomed to finishing our walks with a sit down and a chat over a pot of tea (coffee) in a chintzy cafe.  But..........................

There are NO cafes at the bottom of Alston lane so we repaired to John's Garden (in Grimsargh) to sit in the shade with a pot of tea and Cheese on crackers 

THE END

 p.s.

Readers might feel that the writer is being a little insensitive and intrusive mentioning Dave's Parkinsons but his wife assured me it was fine as Dave thinks he should be open about it as people need to know about the disease.