Health Walk - Tuesday 1st November 2016

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

Twenty-eight walkers today, a record - Ann, Barbara, Bernadette, Brian, Carmel, Carol, Clare, Colin C, Elizabeth H, Elizabeth M, Frankie, Graham, Irene S, James, Jennifer, John W, Judy, Karin, Lawrence, Linda E, Margaret W, Michael, Muriel, Pat, Paul, Sandy, Suzie and Zandra.

Cloudy at the start but it turned into a lovely sunny morning.

James was leading and Carmel was back marker to the main walk.  Suzie was leading the short/slow walk.  

James outlined his plans for the walk and set off towards the Hall and walking between the buildings crossed the car park into Wilbrahams Wood and along James Path.

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The leaves have now taken over from the carpet of bluebells that we saw earlier this year.

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We came to the 'Elephant's Foot' - Carol said he needs his toes painting but it is covered by funghi

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On to the Cinder Path where again there is a carpet of leaves and the walls are covered in moss and Hart's Tongue Ferns.

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Leaving the Cinder Path we emerged on the the Cycle Track where James turned left and headed over the M6 for the 'dark' side of the Park.

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Walking along the bottom, north, of the north side

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The 'sameness' of the trees changing to exciting colours

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Walking back under the M65

We re-entered the Park crossing the M6, following the Cycle Track all the way to Walkers Wood.  We walked down into Walkers Wood and came back out onto the Cycle Track and walked to the bottom of Snake Hill.

James had intended to take us up round the Ponderosa and down over the Cow Field and back to the Hall via Cardiac Hill and the Pinetum but it was almost eleven-o-clock so he decided to walk up Snake Hill

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Probably for the first time we didn't rest on the Gregsons' seat but continued on up the hill

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Views from the top of Snake Hill

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Getting the latest report on the new building from Ian.

At the Park AGM last night it was more or less conceded that the building won't be finished until spring next year.

The short walkers, led by Suzie, did a longer walk than usual so they became the slow walkers arriving back at the Barn just before the main walk.

They started by walking round the Barn anticlockwise to join Sue Ryder's Drive and on to the Cinder Path but they turned right as they emerged on to the Cycle Track and following the route the main group did after they had been in the dark side.

They missed out Walkers wood but crossed the Stone Bridge and, walking along the bottom of the Dam, they climbed up to the Lake.

Walking round the Lake until they came to the entrance to Dog Kennel Wood where they entered the wood passing through Gravel Hole Wood and reaching the Wooden Bridge.  They crossed the Wooden Bridge and climbed up Cardiac Hill walking round the edge of the Pinetum, alongside the new building and back to the Barn.

Today's Walks

Red - main walk
Green - shorter walk

Michael Swarbrick