Health Walk - Thursday 10th March 2016

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

Today we only had twenty-two walkers - a record turnout - Ann B, Ann S, Bernadette, Carmel, Carole, Colin, David H, Elizabeth M, Frankie, Graham, Helen G, Irene O, Jacqueline, James, Kelly, Linda D, Linda E, Mary, Michael, Paul, Peter and Sandy.

It was Ann B and Irene O's first walk.  It was Kelly's second, no not from the Isle of Man but from New Zealand, David's daughter.

It was dull but a nice morning for a walk.

David was back leading again as we set off down to the Stone Bridge.

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Working away creating a peripheral footpath and seven new parking places.

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Already we are splitting up into groups

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The river was quiet today.  We walked up alongside the Lake but didn't climb the steps to the Lake.

As we reached the entrance to Dog Kennel Wood Ann and Jacqueline decided the walk may be too long for them so they entered the wood.  Sandy went with them and Carmel decided she would look after them, geen route and arrows

These four photos by Sandy
The first two photos are on the Women'd Institute Bridge, between Dog Kennel Wood and Gravel Hole wood and the third is in gravel Hole Wood - Photos by Sandy and Ann

We were now down to eighteen.

David led us up into the Field and along the top to Hawks Clough.  From there we walked up past the Ponderosa and dropped down into Green Wood and then climbed back up to the eastern edge of the Park following the path back down to Hawks Clough.

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The new building is becoming visible from surprisingly vantage points, here we are walking back through the Field

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and down to the lakeside.  I spotted the Heron but by the time I got the camera ready he/she had decided to fly away, just a spot in Photo 11, not the bird visible against the sky.  You can just see it in Photo 12.  There were Cormorants flying round agitated, again perhaps they are competing with the Heron for food/fish

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We didn't continue round the Lake but carried on to the Stone Bridge where David B had a group of schoolchildren preparing to investigate the river bed for creatures.

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Linda E washing the mud off her boots

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Carole and Linda D decided that they would take a short cut, blue route and arrows, back to the Barn whilst the rest of us, now sixteen, walked along the Cycle Track to the Cinder Path and back up Sue Ryder's Drive to the Barn where again I wandered off to take some more photos of the progress on the building.

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The main roof is almost covered in boards and felt in preparation for the roof tiles

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The priority now is to get the floor in so that the straw bale walls can be erected.

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Around 7279 steps (Bernadette) - 2.75 miles in 75 minutes (Graham)

Extract from an e-mail circulated by the Secretary of the Friends of Cuerden Valley park:

" . . . As you know we are progressing albeit slowly with the building of our own visitor centre and as mentioned previously we are registered for accreditation with the Living Building Challenge which aims to achieve the highest standards of sustainability possible .

However to achieve this we have many ‘boxes to tick”  
 For information about this please see http://living-future.org/lbc.  This scheme is gaining popularity in the USA (and in other countries) and our building is the first in the UK to be entered.  

To help with this, a number of experts are needed to assist, primarily with advice, in relation to the  different aspects of the challenge.   If you can describe yourself by any of the titles below and you are interested in helping us,  please let us know.  Alternatively, if you know anyone else that fits the description, and who may be interested in this unique eco-build in Lancashire please pass the info on to them.  

The experts we need are:- 

Landscape Architect
Ecologist
Energy consultant
Water treatment/sanitation consultant
Air quality consultant
Carbon footprinting 
Waste control adviser
Web designer

If you wish to discuss further please let us know by either e-mailing  admin@cuerdenvalleypark.org.uk or contacting John or Les in the office on 01772 324436 - Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri  8am to 4pm

Thank you for your continuing support . . . "

As I walked back from the new building I noticed this young woman paddling up and down in the rain water washing the wheels of her carriage.

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And now for something different:

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I've watched her before and can't help feeling moved and full of admiration for the way she overcomes her disability.  She rides up into the car into the driving position and is in complete control of her car.  I felt I had to talk to her and she kept saying that she was very lucky and really it is us who are very lucky because we can just open the door and get in our cars.

As we approached the Cinder Path there were a group of what our cousins in Cornwall used to describe as 'not properlies' with their carers.  Our cousins were carers of similarly disadvantaged people in Cornwall.  Someone said we are lucky to be 'properly' although he didn't use those words which are used affectionately and not disrespectfully.

I think the people, in this case young people, are wonderful for giving their time (I know they get paid but not very well) to try and give them something of a normal life.

Today's walks - main group red route and arrows

Michael Swarbrick