Health Walk - Tuesday 13th October 2015

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

Sunny but a bit nippy earlier on.

We had 11 walkers today - Carmel, Frankie, Irene S, Irene T, Jacqueline, Judy, Linda E, Maureen, Michael, Sandy and Sue, it was Judy's first walk with us.  Elizabeth H would have been with us but she had a puncture on the way from Blackburn!

Michael was leading again.  He explained he wasn't sure where to go and someone said a 'nice walk'.

We set off down Snake Hill and over the Stone Bridge.  Here Jacqueline and Sue decided to walk south along the Cycle Track - green route an arrows.

The rest of us climbed up to the Lake, across the Dam and into Dog Kennel Wood then Gravel Hole Wood.  We descended out of Gravel Hole Wood where Carmel left us because she had to leave early.

We crossed the Cycle Track and walked along the river to the Stepping Stones.

Photo 1   
I got the walkers to pose for a photograph so that they were all smiling and not frowning as I catch some of them in the candid shots.

Photo 2        
Linda E and Sandy chose not to cross the Stepping Stones but walked along the river to meet us (blue route and arrows)

Photo 3                                                Photo 4   
after we'd crossed back over the next stepping stones.  

We retraced Linda and Sandy's steps and

Photo 5
came out at the Covert Pond.

(In response to the question I put on the Friends of Cuerden Valley Park's private group - 'Why Covert Pond':
Debbie, Friends of CVP Treasurer, pointed out that it was created as compensation for the loss of land which was taken from Cuerden Valley when then nearby M65 was built.
David B, our Wildlife Walk Leader, explained: 'The small piece of woodland nearby is called School Covert.  In this instance a covert is a woodland or thick undergrowth affording cover for game. Probably dating back to the Townley-Parkers who had a number of gamekeepers who were responsible for maintaining game birds on the estate. One of them was called Adam Nicholl.)

We walked on along the Cycle Track and back up Cardiac Hill to the Barn for our refreshments.  Peter and Barbara L had come to see us, Peter had had to go to the doctors so he had to miss the walk.

Today's walks

Michael Swarbrick