Preston Guild Wheel Walk 28th Nov 2021

An East Lancs LDWA production

I collected After Eights Walker Kay from Handforth at 7.30am (the one in the morning) to drive north to Preston and to go for a bit of a walk.

It was very cold, –4degC, and with sleet & snow forecast for later in the morning I was glad to be wearing my Buffalo top.

15 walkers and two doggies gathered at Preston’s Marriott Hotel, Broughton, in time for a good talking-to by Hilary, the walk leader.

After a quick photo-shoot we shot off (this is the LDWA) to walk the Preston Guild Wheel, described as:  ‘A 21 mile circular route that can be ridden or walked in any direction for as far as you want. You can join the route at any point on the way.

The route is mainly off-road and traffic free, providing a scenic and safe cycling and walking route for all the family to use. Use the map to help plan your route around the entire Guild Wheel or to create shorter cycling and walking routes to suit your location and ability.’

I chose to walk in Salomon walking / trail shoes, Kay wore boots – she suffered sore feet after a while, but being a bit of a tough ‘un, she soldiered on to the end.

The route is generally on a good surface, tarmac etc, although there were a few muddy bits.

This was the day after Storm Arwen the cause of a huge amount of damage up and down the country, but mainly up. It wasn’t long before we came across one of the storm’s casualties.

As we started following the banks of the River Ribble it started to sleet & snow, not much at first, but the sky suggested we’d be under attack from the white stuff for a while yet.

Preston Dock is no longer a working dock, but it’s now home to all manner of pleasure craft, and has been renamed Preston Marina. This wasn’t the best day to see it, even so it’s quite impressive.

Remains of the long-since vanished ship building industry are still visible if you look hard:

 

Hilary was expecting the cafe at Avenham Park to be open, but the place was in darkness – daft really, the park was full of visitors, the weather poor, I’m sure it would have done good business.

We snuck under a shelter and sat on the ground to eat our butties and drink our coffee. In true LDWA fashion we were off again after 20 minutes, again following the course of the River Ribble...which had a lot of bridges crossing it:

 

 

It was really great to see Julie after 3 years - almost to the day!

 

We spent a lot of the walk catching up and comparing notes.....a lot has happened in three years!

 

I'm not sure where or what this magnificent building is, other than being located before Brockholes, but I just had to photograph it.

 

Kay with Peter

 

Mud!

 

Mud!We continued following the meandering river until we had passed through Brockholes Nature Reserve when we walked NNW to a cafe where tea and coffee were quickly gulped down…..not quickly enough though, the two minute warning of impending departure came very quickly.

It was now getting cold. Ice formed on the well surfaced paths and many were skidding, slipping and sliding all over the show, I don’t think anyone actually hit the deck, but it was a close run thing.

We were marched through Hindley Hill Woods and on (apparently) passing Broughton Hall and Cromwell’s Mound. I didn’t see them, I was concentrating on staying upright on the ice-rink of a path.

We were now on final approach to The End. It was quite dark and getting very misty by the time we got back to our iced-up cars.

We bade our farewells to Hilary and the rest of the group, some of whom decided the hotel bar would be a good place for a debrief….and a beer no doubt.

We, on the other hand, sat in the car with the heater on and had a nice hot coffee before hitting the road home.

Thanks to Hilary for leading, and to the other walkers who came along – it was great to see you all again, it’s been too long!

Where we went:

21.8 miles (according to my GPS), with 1000’ of up and downery. Hmmm, not sure about that.

Whatever, the GPS reckoned we’d been on the go for just under 8 hours, 40 minutes of which was spent on breaks. That bit was about right.

Conrad’s Jet Provost

Reading Conrad’s impressive efforts at putting together various model aircraft kits in his blog entry here, brought to mind a Burns Night Ceilidh I played at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in January 2019.

Accommodation was provided for the band on the base, described as a major flying training centre – well it was until 2020 when all training was transferred to RAF Valley.

Hanging on the walls of the officer’s mess were a number of rather nice pictures, illustrating some of the station’s history.

Photos from the evening:

The station is now closed, last I heard it was being put up for sale.

That is all.

Frodsham Frolics 26th Nov 2021

This was one of Martin’s Friday walks, around 10km of easy walking, taking in part of the sandstone edges between Frodsham & Helsby Hill.

I nudged Judith who didn’t need much of an excuse to book the day off work, and at the appointed hour the party of Martin, Graeme, Judith and me trundled off from the almost hidden car park by Beacon Hill, above Frodsham.

After a short stretch of tarmac we were soon on a proper footpath, part of the Delamere Way. 

We’d only been going for 20 minutes when we were treated to a rainbow to the north of us, over Liverpool.

We headed by Snidley Moor Wood, cared for by the Woodland Trust, but soon found our way blocked by what initially appeared to be fallen tree branches. I’m not so sure. Whatever, the road was certainly blocked to traffic.

A lovely scone / coffee / fudge brownie (words chosed carefully here) sit down at a very conveniently situated picnic table. Where it rained. And I needed to pull my wet-legs on. And the un-jammable zip jammed. Again. 

No photos of the feast, I was too busy eating.

Sometimes it’s just easier to put up with the wet.

Then came Helsby Hill:

On top of Helsby Hill

Looking west: Weather

I’ve not been up Helsby Hill for over a year, when I ran (Ho-ho!) all around the Sandstone Edges with Tally-Ho! at the beginning of the much shortened 2020 / 21 season.

We had views over the estuary to Liverpool, but not too much beyond, rain and murk saw to that.

Downhill then uphill to cross Tarvin Road, then uphill to join a bit of the North Cheshire Way.

Being good boys and girl - using the stile

A diversion followed when we were marched downhill to Netherton, just because we could – then, like the Grand Old Duke of York (or maybe not) we were marched back up again retracing our steps, to rejoin the path towards Beacon Hill and the car park.

It was a pleasant little wander in good company, thanks to Martin for organising, leading, and supplying the fudge brownies. I really should go on more of Martin’s walks.

What REALLY happened on the walk can be read here, you don’t want to believe anything I said.

It didn’t end there, Judith and I drove down to Frodsham and ventured into the very excellent Helter-Skelter where we didn’t have very much beer at all – on account of us both driving. We did, however, share a whole packet of crisps between us. Decadent eh?

Then we both went home and had cauliflower cheese for tea. Separately.

Next time Judith and I meet in Frodsham we’re going to travel by train, the Helter-Skelter is too much of a good pub to just have a  swift half each. And a packet of crisps between two.

Where we went:

Just under 7 miles with around 1000’ ascent….which I find hard to believe.

The walk was chosen by Martin, obv, and was taken from this book, a copy of which Martin has kindly given me:

Best Pub Walks in Cheshire, by Jen Darling. ISBN 978-1-902512-32-7

Having a bit more than a passing interest in pubs it's a book that I'll be putting to good use!