For today’s walk, nineteen Stramblers took the train to West Kirby. We couldn’t have asked for better weather with bright sunshine and blue skies. We joined the Wirral Way – part of the Wirral Country Park which opened in 1973. The Wirral Way follows the track bed of part of the former Birkenhead Railway line, which closed in 1962. The path, flanked by trees, led through Ashton Park and further on, it rose to give Continue reading →

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twenty Stramblers met at Hightown Station for today’s walk. We couldn’t have picked a better day – blue skies and bright sunshine. Leaving the station at Alt Road, we walked along School Lane to the aptly named Blundell Road. This took us to a footpath through fields to Crosby Coastal Path. A sculpture here, “Pebble” (known locally as the “Wedding Cake”) is a memorial to James Myers, a former pupil of Newfield School, and was created by year 11 pupils from the School and artist Julian Taylor in 2006. The path is popular with cyclists and several groups passed us with cheery waves. We were soon walking parallel to the beach with West Lancs Golf Course on one side and the Crosby “Blitz Beach” on the other. The rubble here was Continue reading →

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eighteen Stramblers braved the cold and met at School Lane, Westhead for today’s walk. We set off in bright sunshine along Wigan Road and took a raised path past terraced houses. As we stepped down to the lane we intended to take, we had to wait for the bin lorry to pass – a déjà vu moment – we’d had the same experience last time we walked this way. The lane between the terraced houses Continue reading →

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For today’s walk, we took the train to Bromborough Rake Station. The weather was sunny with just a little breeze, and fourteen of us set off along the road which gave the station its name – The Rake. (Rake being an old Norse word for lane or track.) We soon came to The Cross, one of the few surviving market crosses in the country. The base Continue reading →

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite the threat of rain, thirteen Stramblers met at St Mary the Virgin Church in Church Road, Rufford for today’s walk. It was lovely to see Anne Blundell back with us. A short walk along Diamond Jubilee Road took us to our old stomping ground, the Leeds Liverpool Canal, and we joined the towpath to head south. Continue reading →

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appley Bridge to Burscough 22/08/2024

Other commitments reduced our number to seven for this month’s walk and we met at Burscough Bridge Station for the train to Appley Bridge. As we left the station there, the sun battled with some light drizzle. We walked down Appley Lane to the Leeds Liverpool Canal and joined the towpath to head back towards Burscough. The towpath was wide with smooth, sandy coloured, compacted gravel Continue reading →

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eleven Stramblers took the train to Aughton Park and walked along Long Lane to Holborne Hill. Here, we crossed the main road and turned through some houses to a path through fields. On reaching a barn we took a path through more open fields with views of Aughton’s Christ Church to our left. We passed a couple of giraffes Continue reading →

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thirteen Stramblers met at Sankey Valley Visitor Centre for today’s walk.
We set off through the wooded Sankey Valley Park alongside what remains of the Sankey (St Helens) Canal. The path then meandered along Black Brook Basin, following the brook. The weather was warm and cloudy with just enough breeze Continue reading →

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weather forecast had put some Stramblers off, but eight hardy souls met at Haigh Woodland Park for today’s walk. Bob had shortened it to avoid the more waterlogged sections and we set off in fine drizzle. The early part followed Continue reading →