LEYLAND

 WORDEN PARK 2.3 +1 Miles

" TheThree Amigos"  Danny, Mike, John.

"Now is the winter of our discontent...." That quotation from Lawrence Olivier's soliloquay from Shakepeare's Richard lll (Or was it Henry V ?), with winter beginning to bare it's teeth and 2 of our companions unable to join us, rain in the air and heavier showers forecast seemed an appropriate way to begin.

We parked in the main car park at the large entrance to the grounds. It took us several minutes to fathom out the mysterious workings of the parking metre, (they're all annoyingly different) and then set off  to take the long path down the valley and up to the cafe . 

We walked in the teeth of a howling storm....... NO WE DIDN'T its just a cocked up photograph..... Ok  Ok !

As we walked we became aware of the large number of students from Runshaw College streaming down the Pathways. "Free Periods" they told us when we stopped them to ask. This only shows one group, There were literally scores of students on every path.

Keeping to the edge of the park we carefully followed the long flight of steps down to the side of the RIVER or STREAM both wrong... it's Shaw BROOK !

A photo of a folly... Which one ? The one on the left or the one on the right..

Ho. Ho. Ho !  Thank you....................... NO the stone one !

Our BRIDGE PHOTOS are somehow not what they were.

John had suggested that it might be fun to cross the brook using the natural "Fallen Tree"  bridge. . Enthusiasm was lacking to say the least. Actually nobody said "the least" but what they did say was unrepeatable.

After a pleasant lunch in the cafe we began our walk through the park back to the car.

A we walked we came across two things drawing our attention. One was a Carrion Crow, which I expect you identified immediately. Like all the other birds, John tries to photograph. it took off the minute he pointed his camera.

The other was a smart new building which had been constructed within the model Railway enclosure.

We had approached the cafe with a certain amount of trepidatious cerebral activity. (What ARE you talking about John....CONCERN would have been adequate)  The last time we came one of our number ended up out cold on the stone flagged floor.

Not this time though. The cafe was relatively quiet and they very efficiently served us with an excellent "Broccoli and Stilton" soup..... to Danny and I at least....... Mike had a rather exotic looking sandwhich.

 Once in the car we set off for home but as we made our way to the ring road Mike suggested that as we were quite early we should seek out another cafe and continue our aimless but enjoyable "Ramblings". 

So... we parked at Tesco in Penwortham and made our way to the recently visited "Bon Bons".  It was full of ladies both young and old. Not a Fella in sight. When I asked where the fellas were I was smilingly directed to the TOILETS.      NAW ! I didn't mean that.  No Matter.

back to the car and off home. Busy, slow moving traffic allowed us to continue our "Ramblings" till we got to Mikes.

The rather dispondant start to this blog is something that has been niggling me for some time. Our numbers have diminished over recent years, Illness , "caring" and other commitments and sadly, even deaths have depleted our group. Our weekly outings have changed ....... from planned "WALKS" to rather more loosely planned "GATHERINGS"  were a cafe is high on the list with a walk of some kind (not too long) a definite bonus.

I , personally, find this new approach most enjoyable but we will definitely have to plan each thursday with different things in mind and take into consideration the abilities of those attending. This,  I think, has already happened  but we must always look carefully to the future.

Twenty years ago when I first started walking each Thursday my overiding intention was not to become a "Couch potato", Well I think that worked but there is still an "Idle Spud" lurking beneath the surface, So.... as we hear every week from Anfield 

"Walk on, Walk on With hope in your heart"

One of the pens which I used to give out each year bore the words

"Meanderthals walk into the future"

SEE YOU IN THE FUTURE

JW