Health Walk - Tuesday 25th September 2018

Photos by Michael S - Please click on photos to see a larger one

Today we had forty-two walkers and Paddy.

It was a lovely morning though there was a chill in the wind

James led the main walk with Carmel back marker.   Maggie led the short option (Elite) walk with Suzi S back marker.

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Here the Elite walkers are just setting off, a record sixteen this morning - James has that effect on some of the walkers

James' group were well ahead and we had the spectacle of Ann T running down Berkeley Drive to catch up, I was behind but managed to catch up walking briskly.

James took us

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along Shady Lane to the

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'passage' into the field where he paused to let everyone get through the Kissing Gate

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The field had been mowed recently, the grass was still green and wet

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Looking back at the stile which I keep getting told has been removed, James led the walkers round the side, where the fence has been removed, to cut out the stile.

We came out on the Town Brow and walked along the side to go back into the Park by way of the Avenue of Oak Trees but James soon turned into the field and walked along the river coming back out on to the Cycle Path near the Covert Pond.

He took us all the way along the Cycle Path to walk up the Slope by-passing the Lake

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Here we crossed the path of the Elite walkers on their way down to the Stone Bridge to walk up Snake Hill back to the Visitors Centre.  As we left them behind on Berkeley Drive they crossed on to the Hall Drive and turned up the Cinder Path, Cycle Path then Cock Cabin Wood, Walkers Wood, Bikers Hill, Stone Bridge and round the Picnic Area and up the Long Steps to the Lake

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We went through Kissing Gate on Cam Lane

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I took these photos of the Ponderosa, Cam Lane Cottage, from the Kissing Gate just for interest.  The current story is that it has been sold!

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Carrying on along Cam Lane

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with the cows on our right

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They appeared to be resting, or lying down to forecast rain

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The field on our left as we walked along Cam Lane is now open for grazing

We carried on along Cam Lane to Hawks Clough and then uphill to pass the Ponderosa, here James' adventure really began!

He led us off Cam Lane

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towards the Cow Field and the infamous stiles.

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Before we reached the stile we could just see the Visitors Centre peeping out of the trees

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Queuing for the upper stile.  The good news is that the stiles are going to be replaced by kissing gates.

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I don't usually photograph this view, you can see East Preston in the distance

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All safely over.  James, having seen everyone safely over, is rushing down to get back to the front, Carmel is bringing up the rear, less me of course.

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Progressing down the Cow Field, James had recced the walk on Monday to check the paths were dry and where the cattle where

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Approaching the lower stile

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and climbing over

We walked down out of Gravel Hole Wood and over the Wooden Bridge, up Cardiac Hill into the Pinetum and up the side back to the Visitors Centre

Today's walks (Red Main Group, Green Short Walk Option Group).  
Where there are green arrows on the red route it means the Elite walkers had followed the main >> or the main group had followed the Elite walkers >>.

Today's walkers

Main Walk - Ann T, Annette, Barbara G, Barry, Bernadette, Carmel, Clare, Colin D, Eric, Frankie, Geoff & Paddy, Graham, Ilene, James, Jim, John W, Julie S, Kath, Kathryn, Margaret A, Michael S, Roberta, Susan G, Tony, New Walker Trevor & Victoria

Elite group - Beth, Brian C, Dianne, Elizabeth H, Jennifer, Joe Mc, John B, Karin, Maggie, Malcolm, Margaret W, Maureen, Roseanne, Suzi, Vic & Yvonne

Compiled by Michael Swarbrick

Cam Lane
Cam Lane Cottage
The Chorley Walks.  
Cinder Path
Cock Cabin Wood
Cuerden Hall
Cuerden Valley's Health Walk
Lower Kem Mill
Hawksclough Farmhouse
Pinetum
Ponderosa
Visitors Centre