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.