Health Walk - Thursday 28th April 2016

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

Today we only had thirteen walkers - Ann, Bernadette, Colin, David, Frankie, Graham, James, Irene S, Michael, Peter, Paul, Sandy and Suzie.

Police cars whizzing round, ambulances flashing past.  What was going on?  We were advised not to walk in the Park!  Then told to beware of Police cars if we went near the picnic area however we decided to walk into the northern area of the Park to keep clear of the mysterious 'incident'

David was leading and we set off towards the Cinder Path.  

As we turned down Sue Ryder Drive Peter and Sue turned right and walked round the Hall to the new building and then round the sunny side of the Hall, down Sue Ryder Drive, Cuerden Close, through the little wood to Berkeley Drive and back to the Barn - green route.

Photo 1  
As we came to the northern end of the Cinder Path, once through the gate we are met with a solid stone wall as we walk between the gate and the kissing gate.  Beyond the wall the Cinder Path continues, this photo is with my camera held above my head, arms leaning on the wall.  You can see that the Cinder Path carries on to the Bridge over the motorway.

Photo 2                                                Photo 3                                                 Photo 4
We are on the bridge now and walking towards the Wigan Road car park.

Photo 5                                                 Photo 6                                                  
As you cross the bridge you can see the next part of the Cinder Path almost hidden by the trees and scrub as you begin to leave the bridge

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I'm getting behind now!  You can just make out the western wall and I spotted a gap and took a photo, leaning over the gap in the wall, looking south back towards the motorway bridge.  I got even further behind as I struggled to make the camera take a photo looking north unsuccessfully.  The group waited until I started to catch them up on the A49 at the entrance to the northern area of the Park.

Photo 9                                                   Photo 10                                                Photo 11
Into the northern area now, spread out as the strong walkers surge ahead

Photo 12
St. Saviors church spire - I was christened there many years ago.  I believe the church was built by one of the later owners of the Hall

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As we approached Stag Lodge we spotted a family of Coots on the large pond.  One of them was making a large racket presumably to divert our attention from the chicks - dots in the first photo.  This brought us all together again

Photo 15
My first Mayflower on the A49 side of the fence at the Wigan Road car park.

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The M65 is on the left and this is the entrance to the last remaining evidence of the Cinder Path at the north end.  It's possible the north end of the Cinder Path is under the M65.

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Looking south from the entrance above

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The west wall of the old Cinder Path overgrown

Photo 22                                                Photo 23                                                 Photo 24
Climbing back up over the M6

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Disappearing down the steps to the Cinder Path.  We were running out of time, late start, so we walked back to the Barn via the Cinder Path and Sue Ryder Drive.

Photo 27                                               Photo 28
Photo 1 was taken behind the wall on the right of Photo 27 looking back towards us

It had been Mary's birthday yesterday; she had come for a coffee and brought us all cakes.

Today's walks

Michael Swarbrick