Sunday 30 March 2014

Leeds & Liverpool Canal walk, 30 March 2014, Burscough to Maghull

Leeds & Liverpool Canal walk, 30 March 2014, Burscough to Maghull

Sunday turned out to be a pleasant day with hazy sunshine; absolutely ideal for
canal walking.




We were missing one of our regular ‘gang of four’ : Linda had twisted her knee ski-ing and so was incapacitated; we wish Linda a speedy recovery and hope to see her on our next walk. However, happily our numbers were made up by Anne, SWOG’s very own web-master, who made a welcome addition to our numbers as we left from Burscough heading towards Liverpool.

We proceeded through pleasant countryside 

and made our lunch time stop at a pub called ‘The Saracens Head’;

 the pub was busy with Mother’s Day celebrations, but we found a pleasant spot outside by the canal to munch our sarnies and eat the rather meagre portion of chips provided by the hostelry.
We continued on and were fortunate that some helpful locals alerted us to a towpath blockage ahead. We were able to take a diversion around some local roads and found our way back onto the towpath by a swing bridge and another pub ‘The Running Horses’. This pub was also busy, and you could tell we were in the Liverpool hinterland as there were many fans eagerly anticipating the Liverpool vs Spurs match that was about to start. 



We retired outside and could tell that the game was going well for those of a red persuasion by the cheers coming from the bar.

From here it was only a short walk to the railway station; uncharacteristically we were in just good time for our train to Liverpool and after a walk across the city centre, a further train back to Manchester.



An enjoyable day out on our penultimate walk on the Leeds & Liverpool canal and we look forward to the last leg into Liverpool itself.

John H



Moel Famau walk, March 30th

Hello SWOG,

I took these on Sunday on the Moel Famau walk but haven't been able to send them until now.




Please use them in any way you see fit, or not as the case may be.



Glad I found this group - thanks for putting up with me, and see you again in a couple of weeks.
 


Regards,

Steve Ridgway.

Sunday 16 March 2014

Disley walk 16/3/14

 Displaying IMG_0745.jpg 

The ridge behind The old Moorside hotel in Disley.

Sunday 9 March 2014

Christies Collection - Christmas 2013 - In memeory of Lesley Martin


You may recall that at our Christmas party it was decided to make a collection for Christies rather than sending one another cards.




 Many thanks to Tricia for organizing it and to all of you that contributed. As you can see from the certificate we raised a total of £100.






On a similar subject £750 was collected for St Anns Hospice after Lesley's funeral, so I would like to give you a big thanks for your part in that.
Jack

Sunday 9th March Marple & Mellor – 10 – 11 miles

The numbers never stopped going up on the walk. The first head account before we set of was 27 and 1 dog. By the end we had 33 walkers out on a fine sunny day.


 We set of from Marple Bridge to Compstall and though Etherow park with a loo stop on route. Coffee break was asked for but my aim was to head up high to Werneth Low where we could enjoy the views.

 It was worth the last slog up there. Then it was back down hill though the woods to Chew for lunch. With views toward the Dark Peaks.

 

After lunch we had one small hill to climb be fore heading down back to Marple Bridge. Passing some very white ducks that seem to be having a bad feather day.

  I did find some mud for Linda but she did the norm at not getting any mud on her boots.



The walk was just under the distance that I said but after doing a12 mile training run late Saturday afternoon and then a 10 mile walk on a injury. The legs needed a rest. Plus I had to go a friends shop who was having a grand opening Anngelic Bliss.




Many thanks for the first timers who came on the walk. I will have more chance to talk to you all when I can walk in the middle of the walk.



See you all on another walk soon.


Colin

Thursday 6 March 2014

Baslow Walk 23.02.2014

6 of the group ignored the high wind and rain forecast and set off on this walk – Sandra, Sheilagh, Pam, Tricia, Campbell and Howard.

The walk started in the lovely Derbyshire village of Baslow and was led by Sandra (who had previously done a ‘reckie’ with Sheilagh) and helped on the day by Pam with her excellent back up map-reading.

The low paths were a little bit muddy, and there were signs of damaged trees from the recent high winds and storms but the scenery was excellent.

Pam informed everyone that it was now officially Spring as she had found a buttercup in her garden in the morning. There was definitely evidence of this on the walk with snowdrops and even a few brave daisies in the woodland areas.

The path followed the River Derwent, passing through the Calver Marshes Nature Reserve and up to Froggatt Edge. About 50 feet from the top the Group stood back to allow a coach trip of walkers from Doncaster to decend – all 58 of them!

Along Froggatt’s Edge it was decided not to walk too near the cliff edge due to the blustery weather. Pam recounted real-life stories from a book she had just read about tragedies on mountain sides so even Campbell with his love of walking along cliff edges agreed that this was a good idea.

It was very windy and at times it was hard to walk in a straight line, but the wind seemed to keep the rain away, and nobody complained of being cold. Along this part of the walk the group came across several other walkers, along with some large working horses being exercised, a couple of Emmerdale TV celebrities out running and a very friendly and cute Cocker Spaniel called Harvey!

There was not much shelter along the Edge, but ducking down behind a big rock meant lunch could be eaten in relative comfort – except for Pam, who felt that if she sat down behind the rock she might struggle to get back up again - so she sat on a little exposed rock nearby – with her coat and hood zipped up against the wind!





After a quick lunch the walk continued across Curbar Edge, along to Eagle Stone and then down a rocky path where Howard pointed out badger holes, to a road that led back to Baslow village, arriving there at about 2.30pm.

Everyone agreed that it had been a lovely walk. The predicted rain had never arrived, and the wind had certainly blown away any winter cobwebs.

This was Sandra’s first walk and hopefully there will be many more to come.