The Meanderthals: BILSBORROW

MARVELLOUS MYERSCOUGH 4.3/5+ Miles

Marvomarchers :- Jim, John, Anthony, Mike.

Our walk today ( in Yellow ) started from Bilsborrow Village Hall and having recalculated the distance on the Ordnance Survey Maps I cannot get it to be more that 4.3 miles. However our walkers report distances in excess of 5 miles on their devices. I think we must have "rambled " somewhere en route. Whatever the distance it remained an enjoyable walk.

It started with a bit of a puzzle. This handsome slab was just outside the Car Park. But on close inspection it tells us that Queen Elizabeth was on the throne since 1952. As the coronation was in 1953 she couldn't have been, could she.

Or have we missed something.

We crossed the A6 and turned left towards Myerscough.

Only briefly, though, as we soon left to walk west along the Lancaster Canal.

A well built, solid but steep flight of steps took us down to the towpath.

From which an equally well made surface led us away from Bilsborrow.

This post tells us where and for how long you can tie up alongside the canal.

A few minutes walk took us alongside "Guys Thatched Village". Where we overlooked a bowling match .

At the next bridge we left the canal to take to the country lanes for a while. As we emerged from the canal our way was initially blocked by a large tractor and mowing Machine combination.

It soon turned off the road leaving our way ahead clear.

The tractor turned into field (Clever trick that 😃) and we continued our walk.

This quiet country lane was busy with traffic as you can see here. it was a warm day for walking and Mike, who cycles this way, assured us there was a cafe not far ahead.

We passed a field where a crop of corn was sprouting in neat rows. You can see how the hairstyle "Corn Rows" came to be so called.

And here's Mike's promised cafe on the roadside at Halliday's Farm Caravan site.

Soon after we left the cafe we began to cross two very large open fields. As there was no visible evidence of the footpath clearly marked on the Ordnance Survey Map we briefly strayed from the true path (That's almost Biblical 😜) but a quick check on the downloaded map allowed us to correct this. One walker had the temerity to suggest we were wandering aimlessly . NO ! NO ! NO !

This rather neatly built "Tunnel" was possibly an earlier means of taking the footpath over this deeply cut gulley. An ancient, broken stile now discarded and lying in pieces just to one side , seemed to support this theory.

The ancient, deeply *** person sitting on the fence was merely passing by. (Careful Mike that top spare doesn't look very safe.)

In the absence of Danny Mike took on the role of gatekeeper

Just a final short field and a minor road to cross and we arrived at "Marvellous Myerscough".
Myerscough has built a tremendous reputation for producing excellent groundsmen (and women) who are employed in many prestigious sports arenas both in the UK and abroad.

Rather than walk along the pathless edge of the road ( Which, like all the other roads we encountered, was busy) . This gentlemen showed us how to get to a footpath that would take us safely, road free to the main campus and the cafe.

Once through the parked agricultural vehicles we found and used the attractive grassy footpath which ran alongside the road just over the hedge to the right.

.....or left in this shot.😜

The cafe, when we got there, was excellent. Reasonably priced and staffed by some delightful people.

The way out from the cafe took through the gloriously colourful plant section.

From here a track would take us through the agricultural fields and past the football pitches and the golf course. All training grounds for the students.