“Through hill and high water”


On a bright sunny day a couple of dozen intrepid ramblers set off from Freshfield Station.
The walk originally planned, had to be amended several times due to circumstances beyond our control.
Fisherman’s Path was closed to enable Sefton Council to carry out repairs to the path surface, so we headed straight down Victoria Road to the National Trust Squirrel reserve.
Here we made our way through the pinewoods and on to the sand dunes where we met a major obstacle. Our arrival on the beach co-incided exactly with the Spring Tide at its highest point. Fortunately there was a narrow bit of beach untouched by the tide so we were able to walk along for a couple of hundred yards before we were faced with a choice of starting to paddle or to stay dry and climb back over the dunes. We opted to stay dry, climbed back over the dunes and made our way through the car park. After meandering through some former asparagus fields we reached the Pinewoods pub where we had a very enjoyable meal.

Next Walks

Thursday 12th April

Walk from Westhead around the West Lancashire
countryside towards the Stanley Gate
and back into Westhead
Thursday 3rd May
Grasmere, Loughrigg Terrace to Rydal and back along the Coffin Trail to
Grasmere, approximately 5.8 miles.

Walks report

On 8th December 2011, an intrepid group of a dozen or so hardy walkers braved the inclement weather for a five-mile walk around Ormskirk. We started at the bus station, had a brief coffee stop at Aughton Community Centre and ended at the Fiveways pub, where we enjoyed a very pleasant lunch. The heavy downpour of rain and sleet taught us the difference between water resistant and waterproof and at least two of us found it necessary to invest in a new outer coat.

Our first walk of the New Year found us meeting at Sandhills Station for a five-mile linear walk ending at the Britannia Inn. Despite the gloomy weather forecast, on this occasion we were blessed with beautiful sunshine. The walk took us along the canal towpath, past the Eldonian Village, then down to the river’s edge passing the Three Graces and on for a short break at the New Museum of Liverpool. We then continued along the excellent path all the way to the Britannia Inn for an enjoyable carvery lunch.
We had to alter our planned journey home. Due to a suspected gas leak, trains were not stopping at Central Station so we trekked across town to Moorfields station where we caught the train for Maghull.

The February walk will commence from the Hare and Hounds, Liverpool Road North – almost opposite the site of old Library – at 10.30 as usual.
This will be a circular walk around rural areas of Maghull including part of the Mersey Forest.

January Walk

Thursday 19th January at 10.30 .
Meet at Sandhills station platform. We will  walk up to the canal, along the  towpath, and past the Eldonian Village
down to the dock road and onto the Pier head, then along the sea wall to the Brittania Inn where lunch will be
available. The walk is about 5 miles long and I have picked this route in case the weather is inclement.

July Ramble – Kendal

Here are some photographs taken on our ramble around Kendal on Thurs 7th July. It was a great success despite a gloomy weather forecast. On the day the sunshine was more in evidence than the rain. 20 of us hardy souls started the walk at a lay-by near Sizergh Castle, climbing through rolling countryside to a viewpolnt at 220ft, . giving extensive views over Morcambe Bay and the Lyth Valley.

We then started walking along Scout Scar towards the “Mushroom” at 780ft. This gave us views over towards Coniston Old Man. After lunch and a photo shoot we started our descent to Kendal stopping at Kendal golf course for a last viewpoint at 650ft over towards Troutbeck ( a rather high golf course).

We then wound our way down to the town of Kendal through various Wynds and passage ways and so to the bus station to be picked up for the journey home having covered just under 7 miles.