Health Walk - Tuesday 26th January 2016

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

Eleven walkers braved the weather, Bernadette, Colin, Elizabeth M, Graham, Lawrence, Linda E, Maureen, Michael, Paul, Peter and Sue.  

Thanks to you all for turning up on a wind swept very wet morning and despite the conditions we all seemed to enjoy the experience

Michael asked where we should go and it seemed to be the wish that we found a walk out of the wind and rain.  He led off across the car park and down the western edge of the Pinetum hoping to see the bird feeders but they appeared to have blown away. We carried on down towards the Wooden Bridge.

Peter was leading the short walk with Sue.

Just short of the bridge we spotted the Heron in the field on our right.  It had flown and alighted but before we could all see it it had flown away.

Photo 1
From the bridge I took this hurried photo, out of focus and rain splattered.

We walked up into Gravel Hole Wood.  Michael wondered if everyone would like to walk up the field to Cam Lane but we decided against it mainly because it could be to wet underfoot.  We carried on into Dog Kennel Wood and up into the Field.  Going into the Field may have been a mistake because we felt the full force of the wind and rain.  Walking down the steps we struggled through the mud clinging on to the rail.

Alongside the Lake Michael had brought some seed from home and attempted to feed the ducks.  They were stood off a few yards so he attempted to throw some out to them but the gulls swooped down and frightened the ducks away.  He scattered some on the shore for the ducks but they hadn't worked out what he'd done however two Magpies were soon pecking away.  All this happened while the rest of the group were walking round the Lake oblivious to what was going on or rather not going on.

We carried on up Bikers Hill into Walkers Wood and back on to the Cycle Track and entered Dog Cabin Wood.

Photo 2
The pond was peppered with rain drops with only ghostly shapes of the trees.

The walk to the Cinder Path was exposed and again wet and windy but returned via the Cinder Path and Sue Ryder Drive to dry out in the Barn with warming cups of tea/coffee where Carmel joined us.

Peter and Sue had walked up to the viewing area in the Pinetum and watched the birds but there were none.  They walked back to the Car Park and walked past the new visitors centre to the Hall.  They walked round the north side of the Hall and down the Drive to Cuerden Close.  Emerging on to Shady Lane they walked up Berkeley Drive back to the Barn - green route.

Today's walks

Some statistics from Graham:

We walked 3.81 kilometres (2.37miles) over 57' 41" at the rate of 3.96km per hour or 15' 08"minutes per kilometre

Michael Swarbrick