Health Walk - Wednesday 26th December 2018 - Boxing Day

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

Today we had only seven walkers for our second Boxing Day Walk, some had chosen to walk in Astley Park with other friends

Overcast but dry

Michael S led the main group and John B led the Elite group without a back markers.  

We all started together walking up into the Car Park and entering the Pinetum turning left immediately and walking downhill past the Fairy Village

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and down Cardiac Hill, over

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the Wooden Bridge turning left to

Photo 18 - Damian                                               Photo 19 - Damian       
walk along the Cycle

Photo 20 - Damian   
Path, along the bottom of the Dam, up the Long Steps to

Photo 21 - Damian                                                 Photo 22 - Damian       
the Lake,

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walking round the Lake

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where Michael bumped into his cousin leaving Damian to talk with his first cousin once removed

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There is a Heron tucked away on the Nature Reserve side but

Photo 9                        
another Heron is about to land on the trees on the Island

We walked through the Kissing Gate and up the Steps onto Cam Lane.  

Here John B led the Elite walkers away from the rest of us down to the other Kissing Gate, down the Slope and across the Stone Bridge, up through Walkers Wood, out and along the Cycle Path, down the Cinder Path, up the Hall Drive, round the front of the Hall

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and back to the Visitors Centre where their car was parked.

We continued along Cam Lane to Hawks Clough.  We dropped down into Green Wood to follow the path clockwise round the back of ASDA back on to cross Cam Lane

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and the views of and across the Cow Field opened up before us

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and among the trees we could make out the Visitors Centre, Visitors Centre Car Park and the Hall peeping out above the trees.

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Crossing the Stile the views of Preston were hazy.

We walked down the Cow Field, over the Lower Stile into Gravel Hole Wood, through Dog Kennel Wood, emerging to go down the Slope

Photo 23 - Damian  
Michael finding out that he can't walk on water but, on the plus side,that his boots are waterproof - the 'paddle' inspired by a comment made by Beth on Christmas Day about someone walking across the Ford.

and cross the Stone Bridge to walk up Snake Hill.

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As we neared the level part of the path towards the top of Snake Hill we saw the Elite walkers across the field heading for 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 >>.  similarly for the blue arrows

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
Park
Pinetum
Ponderosa
Visitors Centre