Walkers :- John W, John R, Anthony, Martin,
Danny, James. Mike and Harry.
After last weeks "Potter in Paradise" ( The virtues of which Danny was keen to extol at regular intervals ) a walk on the wild side was envisaged by this week's leader.
After a very short journey the cars were left close to Broughton High School and the group set off along a stretch of the Guild Wheel.
The failings of John's somewhat random choice of routes was soon evidenced as the path he was seeking turned up sooner than expected and certainly not where the map said it was. No matter, the group were soon off in the right direction. (The reader will notice that the writer did not say the right path)
Although close to and surrounded by "civilisation" our path quickly proved to be something of a little used wilderness which had us literally going round in circles. (I blame the vast growths of Himalayan Balsam with we we have tangled before.)
The thickness of the undergrowth and the confusion of the paths led us astray (or was it John ?) but did allow us to see a large herd of deer including a magnificent stag.
With the stile well hidden we made our way through a tied up barrier and continued our walk. Back on track once more we stopped briefly to observe a Buzzard perched on the fence about 50 yards ahead of us.
After a brief stop to chat with a shooting man and his two dogs we strove on through tryingly, heavy grass fields and it wasn't too much longer before we reached Woodplumpton and our "Witch Hunt" could be fulfilled. Before we went into the churchyard we could not of course pass by the village stocks where two volunteer "Villains" happily posed for a photo.
Several of our walkers had visited our witch before so we had no difficulty in finding Meg Skelton's grave. Meg was a character around whom many legends have grown. There is no room here to relate them all but it is said that anyone who walks three times around her grave will have good luck. As J.W. needed luck he did this tri-circle.
Time now for coffee and a short look round the many fascinating gravestones in the ancient churchyard
After downing our individual beverages, in John's case Mulligatawny Soup and in Anthony's case Adam's Ale (boiled of course) we set off towards our next stop "Swillbrook". Just after passing Whinnyfield Farm a large, fearsome looking gentleman came chasing after us to point out (politely as it happened ) that a field we were approaching was full of young pheasants and strictly out of bounds. We must take to the scrubby, difficult woods to the right of it. First however we had a bridge to cross.
And so on to Swillbrook where we briefly followed the road before dropping down to the canal. LUNCHTIME !
From here we followed the canal for perhaps a mile before emerging onto the road quite close to "Whittle Hill" In spite of it's title this was the writer's least favourite stretch - a rather tedious plod before once more taking to the fields.
As with many of our walks there was to be a sting in the tail. We have previously mentioned that the paths were little used. Little used paths tend to be overgrown this was no exception and our final challenge was to be a stile covered by rather vicious thorn and rose growths - More of a "Scratch and stab " than a "Sting"
Helping a large gentleman "through" the overgrown stile.
Once past this obstacle we had only to cross a couple more fields to arrive back at the cars and welcome refreshment in the form of "Martin's Bar".
An "interesting" walk ....we await Danny's verdict !!!!!!!!
