Monthly Archives: June 2017

Holiday Group – Holland in 2018

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Six day/five night break to the Netherlands from the 24th – 29th June 2018   

We will be staying at the 4*  Fletcher Hotel  just outside Amersfroot.  Excursions include a full day in Amsterdam; a sightseeing day including Marken, where we will experience a clog making demonstration, a boat trip to Volendam, a tour of Edam with a cheese tasting and a visit to Zaanse Schans, the home of windmills.

We will have a tour of the De Haar Castle – the largest and most luxurious castle in the Netherlands, with time to visit Amersfroot itself; a city where Mondrian grew up.  We plan a guided tour to  the Dutch Open Air Museum Arnhem with time to explore this very pretty city afterwards. The cost is £485.00 (before the group discount) with a single supplement of £70.00 approx for the first ten singles.  Booking opens on the 4th of July.

Click on the link for more info

Practical Gardening May/June meetings

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U3A prac gdn hanging basket At our May meeting , Wanda very ably demonstrated how to plant a successful hanging basket, the beautiful results of which can be seen left. Wanda’s tips included:

– use a basket liner – either purchased ready made or cut from eg coconut matting material – but don’t trim this until the basket is full

– cover the bottom of the basket with a double layer of black plastic to aid water retention

  • –  add chicken manure fertiliser pellets and  water retaining granules  into the compost then water  well before putting this mix into the basket to approx a third/half level

– plant the basket top and sides with a mixture of desired plants such as calabrattia, trailing fuschia, lobetia, lysimachia nummularia, and glechoma. When fully planted, fill the basket with more compost and then cover the compost with damp sphagnum moss to reduce evaporation and absorb more water. Drench the basket with water before hanging up – a pulley is  a useful aid to easier watering but is not essential.

At our June meeting we discussed growing herbs. Mediterranean herbs such as basil and rosemary enjoy being in poor quality/used compost and kept on the dry side, in full sun wherever possible. To prevent herbs mixing in to each other in a large pot, several members recommended planting smaller pots of each herb within a bigger pot. Basil should not be allowed to flower and if  planted around tomatoes,  discourages bugs  Continue reading →

Walking Group – Moel Famau

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The next walk will take place on Thursday 6th July and will be a circular walk from Cilcain ascending Moel Famau and returning to the start point. The hill ( not big enough to be called a mountain) is highest one within the Clwydian range. moel ffamau
The walk will be approx. 8 miles long and is described as “hard” on most websites, taking well defined paths and forestry tracks. Because of the terrain good footwear is required and walking poles might useful for the descent. As transport will be by private cars, if you intend to go on this walk, please meet at the Baptist church car park no later than 9:30am on 6th July and we will organise car-share. Donations towards fuel to each driver please. Please bring a change of footwear to prevent muddying cars. Packed lunch and waterproofs also essential. Phil has organised tea and cake with a local shop for the end of the walk!

Please contact Margaret Kendall if any further information required. (526 3164)

Sunday Lunch Group – August

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Our next lunch date is on 06 August

The venue is Ladygreen Garden Centre, Ince Blundell, L38 1QB

1.30pm for 2.00 pm.

PLEASE NOTE PRICE CHANGE AND FURTHER DETAILS

1 course: £8.75     2 courses:  £10.50 (starter & main or main & dessert) awaiting price for 3 courses. Menu choice slips will be available from Tuesday, 11 July. I’d be grateful if these could be completed and handed back to me on 11 July.

Booking will be from Tuesday, 04 July at Day Trips desk.

A deposit will NOT be required

THANK YOU

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A big thank you to all who sent me such lovely cards, thoughtful messages and prayers during my recent stay in The Christie Hospital.  They were all very special and it an-envelope-royalty-free-picture-cartoon-cute-and-creative-designer-unique-with-blue-envelope-foldable-thank-you-card-clipartdid mean so much to receive them.  I’m back home, on the road to recovery  and rearing to go, so hope to see everyone soon. Kindest Regards   Marj xx

Canal Walking Group – June

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This walk was something of a landmark for us as it took us past the official midway point between Liverpool and Leeds at 63.625 miles between each city. The canal took a surprisingly winding route as we skirted low hills, former cotton towns like Riston, Oswaldtwistle and Accrington, crossed the M65 on the oddly named Dunkenhaigh Aqueduct and reached Clayton Le Moors, our destination for the day. The route was full of interest with plenty of wildlife in the form of ducks and Canada geese with their offspring by the score. The canal’s meandering form felt more like a gentle river than an industrial waterway with lovely vistas opening towards Pendle and the Pennine moors. Needless to say, it was not without its industrial archaeology, with sturdy stone bridges, the traces of stone quarries, relatively modest and grand stone mills, the remains of unusual brick coke ovens, canal workshops, stables and warehouses….all in a 7.5mile hike.

 

NEW DAY TRIP

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12802262-muffins-and-coffeeIt used to be in Yorkshire and then the boundary changes moved it into Lancashire and the locals are still fighting to remain in Yorkshire.  We’re off to the interesting area of Saddleworth.  We will begin with a visit to the Daisy Nook Garden Centre where we will have a coffee/cake and a talk about the interesting area which was a particular favourite of L.S.Lowry.  Then we are off on a tour of the ancient Saddleworth Villages,set beneath the West Pennines, they have hardly changed over centuries.  They still have the old mills, market squares, weavers’ cottages and typical village life styles. We will finish up at the popular Old Bell Inn in the quaint village of  Delph for a 3 course set lunch.  After lunch there will be an opportunity to visit Upper Mill, which is the largest and probably the most popular of the Villages.  There is a good selection of downloadinteresting things to see/do..Plenty of cafes if you fancy a drink.  If time allows we will visit Grandad Greene’s luxury Ice Cream Parlour on the banks of the Canal where their large selection of home produced ice creams should tempt a few of us (if not all)  There is also a nice licensed Cafe for a cool wine or a cup of tea.

WHEN? Wednesday 27th September 2017.  Dep.9.15am  Ret.6pm  Price: £23 includes morning coffee/cake, talk, 3 course set lunch.  Seats will be on sale at our table on Tuesday 27th June 2017. NB. the usual deposit of £5 is acceptable but in view of the impending closure of the Baptist Church for major repair/refurbishment and the temporary accommodation we will have, it would be appreciated if you could pay in full. Many thanks

 

 

 

DAY RIDERS CYCLE GROUP

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BANKS BIKE RIDE

CYCLE RIDE TO BANKS

Last Monday (19-06-17), eight Day Riders met at Aughton Station, on an incredibly sunny day.   The ride was planned and led by Alan Carr.  We cycled via Clieves Hills to Barton, thence across country to the start of the Coastal Road. Picking up the cycle track alongside the Coastal Road the riders headed for Southport and on to Crossens.  The Botanic Gardens Cafe provided a welcome, and for Phil (Hot Pants) Hughes a memorable, cuppa.  Whilst Phil was buying the teas, the whole tray tipped up and he was drenched from the waist down with scalding hot tea. The waitress apologised and gave him an ice cold drink pack in order to soothe the burning to his mid section, whilst we drank our tea. Steam could be seen coming from him and there was strange looks in his direction from old ladies sitting close by.  After our break we cycled through lovely Churchtown, whilst poor Phil cycled frantically to Southport train station, in order to catch the first train home. We wish him well and hope he recovers in time for next Monday’s bike ride.

The remaining riders returned to Ormskirk along quiet lanes to Scarisbrick and then after taking in the wonderful scarecrow collection in Halsall it was back over Clieves Hills to Aughton having covered 30 miles.

Ian Gent & Alan Carr