Health Walk - Thursday 4th April 2019   

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

Sheila:  "Sixteen walkers were led by James with Irene back marking.   Colin led nine walkers on the shorter walk with John B back marking.   It was a lovely sunny morning. "

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James doing his 'thing' for the main group

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Colin outlining his plans to the Elite group

James led up off up into the Car Park

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I cheated here this photo was taken at the end of the walk!

He took us down Berkeley Drive turning left into Shady Lane and along the lane to

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the new Kissing Gate

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Setting out across and down the Meadow

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The old stile has been removed so we can keep to the path now

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There are many tractor ruts, do more damage than the walkers

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Through the Lower Kissing Gate on to Town Brow, walking down to the left

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and back into the Park

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Striding out along the path to the Stepping Stones

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There were stepping stones here near the Town Brow Car Park but they got washed away in the floods of two years ago however something exciting is planned to happen here.  Photo 18 is from 18th September 2012 when we used to meet occasionally at the Car Park to start the walk on Tuesdays and bringing our own refreshments when the weather was good.  Very sadly two of the walkers in the photo have since died and no doubt they will soon be joined by the rest of us.

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And now to try out the new wooden steps, the wood for which was partly paid for by the Health Walkers.  Everyone though they were wonderful and made the crossing a pleasure.

Jimmy took us along 'Michael's, walk along the river coming out to join the Cycle Path and carry on walking along the river where

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we met these three Elite walkers who were taking a short cut from the 'short' walk.

Jimmy took us over the Stone Bridge, up Bikers Hill into Walker Wood and back out on to the Cycle Path this time avoiding Cock Cabin Wood walking direct to the Cinder Path

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We left the Cinder Path by climbing up over the partial knocked down wall and

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walked along 'James' Walk' looking at the Bluebells, this is also called 'James' Bluebell Walk'.

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They are just coming into flower

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A natural arch formed from a fallen tree

 
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Looking across to the Cycle Path seeing the dead branches

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and the Scrape

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A cultivated form of Yellow Archangel, part of the dead nettle family.  Apparently the wild one has a plain green leaf 

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I'm lagging behind again

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One of the Hall's flowers

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Sheila's favourite tree

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Information boards cropping up all round the Pinetum or is it really the Arboretum?

The Elite group went down Snake Hill but immediately turned up the path to the Hall, round the front of the Hall, down the Hall Drive, along the Cinder Path, along the Cycle Path to Cock Cabin Wood, then down Bikers Hill, over the Stone Bridge, here three walkers decided to take a short cut along the cycle Path where they met the main group. The Elite group went up the Slope into Dog Kennel Wood, through into Gravel Hole Wood, down to the cycle Path, over the Wooden Bridge, up Cardiac Hill into the Pinetum and up the path by 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 >>.

Compiled by Michael Swarbrick

Barn
Cam Lane
Cam Lane Cottage
The Chorley Walks
Cinder Path
Cock Cabin Wood
Cuerden Hall
Cuerden Valley's Health Walk
Hawksclough Farmhouse
Jenny Greenteeth
Park
Pinetum
Ponderosa
Tree Sculpture
Visitors Centre