This little walk was an East Lancashire LDWA event and was aimed at attracting new members to the club. At 14 miles, the distance wasn’t scary for potential new members, nor was the pace which was reasonably brisk without being fast.
So at 9am the group of 14 walkers plus 2 doggies (who were also walkers) set off from the rendezvous, a layby on the B5209, just to the east of Parbold, to enter Fairy Glen.
West Lancashire District Council describe Fairy Glen as being ‘designated as a Biological Heritage Site for its ancient woodland of oak, birch, ash and alder, the woodland floor may be covered with bluebells, wild garlic, ferns, and red campion.
The waters of Sprodley Brook have, over time, cut down through the underlying sandstone to create the steep Fairy Glen valley, which has spectacular waterfalls and cliff faces.’
The route took us south from the B5209, through the wooded (and only a bit muddy) Fairy Glen to Appley Bridge and then onto the Leeds Liverpool Canal towpath.
From the canal we followed tracks and footpaths, enduring various degrees of muddiness and not-so muddiness until we gained the giddy heights of Ashurst’s Beacon.
Ashurst’s Beacon was once part of a series of beacons that ran from Liverpool to Lancaster and dates back to the Anglo-Spanish war of 1585. According to Wiki! It’s also very popular amongst the radio amateur fraternity being as wot it’s 170m ASL and so gives a great take-off for playing radio.
After Ashurst’s Beacon our Glorious Leaders led us back down to the Leeds Liverpool Canal and then through Parbold. Mud, a former windmill and then even more mud followed. A few hundred yards from the end of the walk we came across a very conveniently located stream – everyone managed to clean most of the clag from their boots before getting back to the cars at 2.45pm.
On final approach
It was good to meet up with friends I’d not walked with for a good while, over a year in some cases. Thanks go to David & Alma who led the walk, and to everyone else who turned up and helped make it an enjoyable day out.
Leading a walk like that isn’t just a matter of plotting a route. Dave and Alma researched the area and carried out a thorough recce and so didn’t get us lost….well, not much ;-)
Very importantly, they led the walk at a sensible pace and ALWAYS made sure that nobody was ever left behind.
Where we went (clockwise):
Doing good John, that is a fair milage.
ReplyDeletenice description and photos, Patrick
ReplyDeleteLooks like a Zetor. The colour is a bit odd but the Instrument panel looks like a Massey from which the Zetor was derived. The headlight positions are unusual for such an early model. Not sure what the model is. Did you get any info or other pics.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe a Kubota.
DeleteKubota L225 for deffo. Had me going there JJ.
DeleteWell done...although I wouldn't know any better!
DeleteWhat caught my eye was the fact is was so small.