Health Walk - Tuesday 11th September 2018
Photos by Michael S & Sheila T - Please click on photos to see a larger one
Today we had thirty-seven walkers.
It was a dry morning after overnight and early morning rain
Irene S led the main walk with Sheila T back marker. Brian L led the short option (Elite) walk with Maggie, back marker.
Irene had agreed to lead a few days ago but was unsure where to go because of the previous heavy rain so Michael suggested a walk which Irene started on
Irene led off down Snake Hill while
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Michael S tried to get a photo of the Elite walkers setting off up into the Car Park
Belatedly he set off down Snake Hill and the main group were nowhere in sight
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Rounding the bend he saw them disappearing along the Cycle Track but
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they came into view again walking along the bottom of the Dam
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Getting to the Stone Bridge you could see the river was in spate.
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As the walkers were about to disappear up the steps Michael S crossed the Picnic Area to try and catch up which he managed at the top of the steps because they had kindly waited for him.
Irene led off right round the Lake and through the Kissing Gate. At the top of the steps Brian C noticed these
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funghi
Irene continued along Cam Lane
Photo 8- Sheila
passed Hawks Clough and entered Green Wood walking down the dip over the Footbridge meaning to go clockwise round the wood. Still climbing Sheila was impressed by the amount of water
Photo 9 - Sheila
in the brook, normally just a trickle having almost disappeared earlier in the year when we had our summer.
We passed round the back of ASDA and eventually climbed the many steps back up to Cam Lane.
Photo 10 - Sheila Photo 11 - Sheila
I'm not sure where we saw these funghi, they could have been as we crossed over Cam Lane but we were beginning to notice them all over the place
Lis had been asking Michael S where the various paths went that led of our path and he pointed out the path from Cam Lane as we came onto the lane that went over the Cow Field. Lis asked if she could leave the walk and explore the path. Irene said why don't we all go that way? There was common assent, well no one said no, so Irene started along the path to the Stile
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More funghi
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Michael S and Sheila falling behind again
The views were panoramic and when we had all climbed over the Stile, request for no photos of us struggling,
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we continued down the Cow Field pleased that there were no cows in sight
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Preston in the distance
Photo 20 - Sheila
Continuing along the now horizontal path you can just pick out Michael S hurrying ahead to identify the lower stile and be ready to help anyone that felt they needed assistance - no one did!
Where to go now, we were ahead of time so Irene suggested we walk though Gravel Hole Wood, Dog Kennel Wood, down the Slope and along the river back towards the Wooden Bridge.
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Michael S and Sheila fell behind again taking photos
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of the funghi
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there were lots
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Sheila getting closer
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We crossed the Wooden Bridge and Climbed up Cardiac Hill.
There's a feeling now that Cardiac Hill is easier to get up than Snake Hill, it's just as steep but shorter.
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Still at the bottom of Cardiac Hill there's something about this view that Michael S finds fascinating
We entered the Pinetum turning sharp right and continuing to Climb we got back to the Visitors Centre.
The Elite group had walked through the Car Park turning into the Pinetum passed the sculpture and walking up to the Viewing Platform before descending out of the Pinetum and down Cardiac Hill, crossing the Wooden Bridge and climbing up into
Gravel Hole Wood taking the path through the woods the main group were to take later. However after going down the Slope the Elite group crossed the Stone Bridge and walked up Snake Hill, back to the Visitors Centre.
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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 - Ann K, Annette, Barbara G, Barry, Brian C, Christine S, Clare, Irene S, Julie S, Kath, Lis, Malcolm, Marilyn, Michael G, Michael S, Roberta, Roseanne, Sheila T, Susan G, Sylvia & Tony
Elite group - Beth, Brian L, Colin C, Gillian, Dianne, Jennifer, John B, Karin, Linda E, Maggie, Michelle, Muriel, Stephen, Suzi, Vic & Yvonne, actually Yvonne didn't walk very far, not very well
Compiled by Michael Swarbrick
Cinder Path Cuerden Hall Hawksclough Farmhouse Cam Lane Lower Kem Mill
Cuerden Valley's Health Walk Cock Cabin Wood Cam Lane Cottage Ponderosa Pinetum Visitors Centre
