Health Walk - Tuesday 6th February 2018

Photos by Michael S, Carol W & Jennifer K - Please click on photos to see a larger one

Today we had only thirty-one twalkers who were rewarded with a lovely walk in the snow flakes

Lawrence led the main walk with Frankie back marking.  Pat R led the Elite group with Colin C back marking.

Lawrence introduced himself and Frankie and then he went on to outlined his plans.  We set off towards the Car Park and Snake Hill.

The Elite walkers disappeared in the direction of Sue Ryder's Cafe

Keith Billington: "The wonderful photos posted (on Facebook) so far (I wouldn't be surprised if there were many more to follow) are compelling evidence of a truly memorable walk this morning, when fortune favoured the brave and a last minute change of plan proved to be pure serendipity. In order to avoid repeating a recent experience, Lawrence (back-marked by Frankie) used his knowledge to quickly re-imagine an alternative route for the well wrapped-up band of brothers & sisters, who set out under a gentle but steady fall of light snow. It was a long awaited first for me, as I've been desperate to walk in the park after or in a snow fall, in order to savour that unique atmosphere and to witness yet another aspect of the park's infinite beauty. The dusting of snow was everywhere, even making it's way through the trees to carpet the wooded areas, and by the time we landed back at The Barn the whole park was the proverbial 'winter wonderland'. It was everything I hoped it would be today, offering picture postcard views in all directions, as the snow gradually built up on the trees, shrubs, fences, in the fields, on 'US', and also provided that ethereal sound-deadening effect that snow can, whereby background noise (i.e. traffic) is excluded, whilst the sound of everything within the immediate environment seems to be amplified. That certainly was the case with the huge variety of small songbirds we saw and heard throughout our walk today - I lost count of the number of [my personal favourite] robins that were flitting about. But there was only one thing being discussed back at The Barn afterwards, and that truly was something very special indeed. After descending Snake Hill, Lawrence lead us on a meandering route towards

Photo 1
The entrance to one of the nature reserves.  This was the track/road to Stag Lodge from the Hall which the owners used on Sundays to attend St. Saviours church.  I believe they also paid for the church to be built.

Photo 2                                                           Photo 3
I took a short cut so that I could get a photo of the walkers from the front

Keith again: ". . . a small pond (in Cock Cabin Wood) to the left of the large lake, that some may know for the large carp that could be seen basking near the surface during the summer months. However, it may not be there now because as we approached the pond there was a lot of disturbance in the water, without a duck to be seen and no wind to speak of. Could it be?... OH YES IT WAS. . .

 
Photo 4                                                           Photo 5                                             Photo 6                                                         Photo 7 - Carol 
the group gathered and were held captivated by the most playful and utterly enchanting otter, who appeared to be completely oblivious to the onlookers as it cheekily popped up, then slipped gracefully back under the water time and time again for us. We must have stayed there for a good five minutes or more, for it not only showed no desire to disappear, it did everything bar sign autographs and pose for selfies. . . .

Photo 8                                                             Photo 9
. . . It was doubly thrilling that both groups happened to arrive at the pond at the very same time today, meaning no-one missed out on this mesmerising spectacle, and it was a real wrench to eventually leave Tarka happily playing away and to continue with our walk. After such a rare and special experience, . . . "

Photo 10
Cuerden Hall.  We carried on out of Cock Cabin Wood and down Bikers Hill


Photo 11 - Jennifer
across the Stone Bridge

Photo 12
along the bottom of the Dam and up

Photo 13 - Jennifer                                        Photo 14 - Jennifer                                Photo 15 - Jennifer
to the lake

Photo 16                                                          Photo 17 - Jennifer
Two coots - is spring around the corner?

Photo 18                                                              Photo 19
I think that's Jennifer taking photos in photo 19

Photo 20
Here I took another short cut, not long ago I used to be able to catch up and overtake to get photos from the front but now . . .
This is a photo taken leaning on the gate alongside the Kissing Gate looking up to the Ponderosa now not being hidden by the leaves.

Photo 21                                                         Photo 22                                                Photo 23  
The group had carried on round the Lake, climbed the steps on to Cam Lane and are descending to the Kissing Gate to enter Dog Kennel Wood

Photo 24
Coming out of Gravel Hole Wood I long to walk through the Cow Field but only James is willing.

Photo 25 - Jennifer
That's me under the umbrella

Photo 26                                                          Photo 27
The new building - we must be going into it soon?

The short option walkers, the 'Elite' group walked through the passage to the Hall drive and walked down the drive to the Cinder Path.  They walked along to Cock Cabin Wood where

Photo 9
they met the main group and after watching the otters walked through the wood in the opposite direction to the main group, into Walkers Wood and up Snake Hill back to the Barn

Keith: ". . . I(Keith) spent the rest of the walk looking for a mermaid riding a unicorn chasing fairies, as anything seemed possible today. It has to be said though, everything about the walk was wonderful, with so many things to marvel at and having lots of lovely people to share it with. Refreshments was taken up with everyone comparing their snapshots of the otter, and keeping one eye on the much heavier snow falling outside. I ticked so many personal boxes today, and must thank everyone for being instrumental in that. Wonderful - Wonderful - WONDERFUL!!! "

Today's walks (Red Main Group, Green Short Walk Option Group).  
Where there are green arrows on the red route it means the Elite walkers had followed the main >> or the main group had followed the Elite walkers >>.

Today's walkers

Main Walk - Barbara, Barry, Brenda, Brian C, Carmel, Carol W, Christine S, Dee, Elizabeth M, Frankie, James Mc, Jennifer K, Joe H, John Mc, John W, Judy, Keith B, Lawrence, Linda E, Margaret W, Marie, Marilyn, Michael G, Michael S, Suzanne and Yvonne and Otis, Brenda's dog

Short Walk Group - Ann S, Colin C, Dianne, Pat R & Suzi

Compiled by Michael Swarbrick

Cinder Path                Cuerden Hall          Hawksclough Farmhouse                         Cam Lane               Lower Kem Mill

Cuerden Valley's Health Walk            Cock Cabin Wood

The Chorley Walks.