Today was the walk from the Nags head in Thornton and once again we were blessed with decent weather. Twenty people started the walk ably led by Ian Gent. The route was down a road (Holgate) leading to a pedestrian crossing over the new Brooms Cross road and carrying on to Lunt Road. At this point Ian had to divert from the chosen route as the intended path was flooded. Suffice to say we eventually arrived in Little Crosby and what a delightful place it is, only best appreciated by walking. The pub was finally reached at1.00 o’clock  where tables had been reserved for us. Cheers! Here’s to the next walk.

Bill Langham

Autumn walks programme

Thursday 10th September – Meet at the Ship Inn, Haskayne. If coming by bus, the 300 stops a few yards beyond the Kings Arms. Walk back up Rosemary Lane back to the Ship Inn to chose your meal and then we will be off on a five mile circular walk around Halsall etc.

Leaders Ann & Bill Langham

Thursday 8th October –  Meet at South Parkway Station on the Hunts Cross line for a six mile walk through Allerton, Woolton and Clarke Gardens. We will have lunch at the Pub in the Park in Clarke Gardens before returning the short distance to South Parkway Station for home.

Leader Margaret Schumacher

Thursday 12th November –  Note change of venue. Meet at the Royal Oak at the top of Holborn Hill in Aughton for a circular 5 mile walk start around Clieves Hill, returning to the pub for lunch.

N.B. the 310/311 bus route is changing so watch this space.

Thursday 10th December – Meet at Ormskirk station at 1030 for a short walk around the town, finishing in The Fiveways for lunch.

Leaders Lynn & Ian Gent

All the walks start at 10.30

Bill Langham

Twenty nine of us had a very enjoyable day walking from West Kirby station along the Wirral Way and going up through The Dungeon and back to Thurstaton where we went to the Cottage Loaf pub for our Lunch.We then used the No82 bus to get us back to West Kirby,   the train for Liverpool was ready to depart as soon as we boarded.All in All a good day.   Many thanks to Keith for Leading this walk

Bill Langham

Once again we were blessed with fine weather. Twenty-two people set off from a reservoir near Longridge for a seven mile linear walk down to Ribchester, along by the River Ribble and then up to Hurst Green led by Margaret S. The remaining nineteen left the coach at Hurst Green for a five mile circular walk led by Ann L.  We went down to the River Ribble and worked our way around to Stoneyhurst College (a most magnificent building set in equally magnificent grounds) then returned to Hurst Green. (See slideshow below) Continue reading →

The ramble on 6th March around three Liverpool Parks and the revamped Festival Gardens was a great success with twenty-nine people enjoying the walk under the leadership of Margaret Schumacher. We all had a very good meal at the Otterspool Harvester where Ann & I joined them having walked very slowly from the railway station to the pub.
Next month’s walk is from the Hesketh Arms in Rufford on April 10th starting at 10.30 and the Leader will be Ian Gent.

Hello All,

I am very pleased to tell you that we now have volunteers to lead walks every month this year. So far my wife Ann has led the December walk – in atrocious weather – my  thanks to the hardy ten who turned up. She also led the January walk around Ormskirk, this time in good weather with thirty two people and we ended up in the Five Ways. Yesterday was also Ann’s walk around Clieves Hill ending up at the Royal Oak in Aughton. Twenty two people enjoyed this walk in sunshine but very muddy underfoot.

The next walk will be on 6th March around three Liverpool parks and the revamped Festival Gardens. We will meet at St Michael’s station on the Hunts Cross line to start the walk at 10.30am. Leave from Maghull station – change onto the Hunts Cross line and St Michael’s is the second station after Central. There will be a pub stop at the Otterspool pub before carrying on to the Festival Gardens

The Walk Leader for this ramble will be Margaret Schumacher.

Regards to all

Bill Langham (Walk Co-ordinator)

Todays ramble was from the Hop Vine along to “The Farm” near the Martin pub and then along the canal back to Burscough, 5.6 miles by my GPS..The usual late Summer obstacles were overcome ie,Long grass ,nettles,etc. However a totally unexpected event happened as we were nearing “The Farm ” for a welcome pot of tea,there, adjacent to the footpath, was one of these crop watering devices jetting pulses of water over the crops but also over the footpath,we had to try and dodge the spray but by and large not very sucessfully.We had our tea outside in the sun and let good king Sol dry us off.We then walked down to the canal and back to Burscough where we had the usual splendid meals offered by the Hop Vine (and their equally splendid brewed on the premises drinks).Thirty four of us enjoyed the day.

Thursday 8th August saw thirty eight of us setting off from Central Square  for a six mile ramble around Clapham in North Yorkshire.  (The coach driver thought he had drawn the short straw and was destined for Clapham in London!!).

The weather was very kind to us, sunny but not too hot. We started up the street and into the gloom of  a couple of tunnels about 100 metres long, leading to an upland track. This was quite a slog as we were climbing for about a kilometre. After a short stop to catch our breath we continued on the track and then crossed fields to see the Norber Erratics (granite boulders brought down by glaciers in the Ice Age and deposited on a bed of limestone).

After our lunch stop in a field, we regained the track and wended our way down to the village of Austwick.  Here we had a very welcome stop for liquid refreshment at the Gamecock pub. We then returned to Clapham over meadows and fields arriving back in good time for the coach to leave for home at  5 o’clock.

Our next walk starts from the Hop Vine in Burscough on September 5th starting at 10.45am.

We had a walk in Coniston yesterday (9th May) and my usual run of good weather for the longer rambles came to a shuddering halt. Instead of wall to wall sunshine it was wall to wall rain. Forty four of us set out from the southern end of Coniston Water in a slight drizzle but by the time we arrived at the boating pier the rain was coming down in stair rods so we all migrated to the boathouse cafe for a very welcome bowl of soup.

After much discussion thirty three people opted for plan B and walked directly into Coniston while  the remaining eleven completed the longer walk as planned. We all eventually met up in one of the local hostelries where we stayed until the coach left for home.