Health Walk & New Year's Lunch - Friday 1st January

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Today was our fourth New Year's Day walk and it was dry, overcast with a biting east wind.  We keep hoping for a sunny day to start the year but the eight of us set off in good cheer.

The walkers, three less than last year, met in the Ley Inn (Barton's) car park David B, Elizabeth, Ian, Lawrence, Linda P, John, Michael and Pat

Michael led them off down Back Lane and quickly entered the Park on the right-hand side.

We came out onto Sheephill and walked down to enter the south side of the Park at the bottom.

Photo 1                                                 Photo 2
Turkey Tail Funghi up the slope as we entered the south side of the Park

Photo 3                                                 Photo 4
Lawrence, it may have been David, spotted a Heron flying around and they are looking at/for it with the binoculars

Photo 5                                                 Photo 6
As we arrived at Lower Kem Mill we sa these unusual catkins? There were no leaves on the bush to help identification.  Seen near Lower Kem Mill.

Photo 7 - taken on 28/12/2015
Leaving Lower Kem Mill we crossed the river - looking back up the Lostock from Lower Kem Mill Bridge.  

Photo 8                                                 Photo 9
This Gorse bush and many others stood out as a splash of colour in the winter landscape.

Photo 10
More funghi

Photo 11
This is our daughter's favourite meditation spot

David has listed of some of the things he noted on the Park (He was out walking before joining our walk):
Song thrush, redwing, blackbird, great crested grebe, great spotted woodpecker, siskin, mallard, coot, grey heron, crow, jackdaw, linnet, magpie, blue tit, great tit, coal tit, long tailed tit, chaffinch, bullfinch, lesser black-backed gull, black-headed gull, nuthatch and little owl.
Daisy, gorse, nipplewort, red campion, creeping buttercup, smooth sow thistle, forget-me-not, ivy-leaved toadflax, goat willow and the one in season, snowdrop

We arrive back at the inn a few minutes later than planned but it didn't seem to matter.

Photo 12                                                Photo 13 by Peter
Snug and warm in the pub our number was swelled to twenty-one.

Photo 13                                                 Photo 14                                                Photo 15 by Peter

Photo 16                                                Photo 17

Most enjoyed the meal in the pleasant surroundings

Today's walk