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.

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.

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.

Thursday 16th February 2012

Walk starting 10:30 at Hare & Hounds, Liverpool Road North, Maghull. Mainly fields and footpaths, approx 5.7 miles long, no hills, return to the H&H for optional lunch. .

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.

Thursday, 20th October @ 10.30

Meet at the Railway Hotel, Formby, near the station for a 5 mile circular walk towards Altcar.
The walk goes past St Luke’s church and down to the beach, across the dunes and on to the foreshore returning to Formby via the car park and Lifeboat Road.
Optional lunch will be available at the Railway Hotel.
Leader – Bill Langham

Thursday 24th November@ 10.30

Meet at the Ship Inn on Rosemary Lane in Haskayne for a 5 mile walk around Haskayne and Halsall. The 300 bus towards Southport stops near Haskayne Post Office and it is a short walk across the main road to the Ship. Cars can be parked in the pub car park.
The walk is a circular one going across farmland and down Trundle Pie Lane to the canal near Halsall and back via Barton to Haskayne.
Optional lunch is available at the pub after the walk.
Leader – Bill Langham

Thursday, 8th December@10.30

Meet at Ormskirk Station for a 5 mile walk around Ormskirk and Aughton.
Optional lunch at the Fiveways Hotel

Leader Bill Langham

Our July  “Merseyside Walk” saw us starting from the Hesketh Arms in Rufford at 10.30 am after pre-ordering our lunch at the above hostelry. We crossed the road and went down to the canal and headed towards Burscough along the towpath. The view over the two Marinas was very picturesque and the scene was finished off by watching a holiday barge negotiate the adjacent lock
.
Crossing the A59, we walked on fields and footpaths and eventually arrived at Mere Sands Nature Reserve where we had a break for a look around and a cooling drink. We then walked behind Rufford Old Hospital and eventually recrossed the A59 near to the Rufford Arms. We again walked along the canal bank and made our way back to the Hesketh Arms where we were very efficiently served with a very good lunch.
The weather was very kind to us and eighteen people enjoyed a 5 mile meander.

Our August “Merseyside Walk” started from Freshfield Station and twenty six of us set out in glorious sunshine for a walk around old Formby and Freshfield. After many lefts and rights and passage ways we crossed over the Formby by-pass and into a section of fields, with stiles and lots of horses, eventually walking back down to the by-pass by Porters fuschia nurseries. After re-crossing the road we walked down various tracks back to the Freshfield Hotel where sixteen of us had pre-booked. The meal when it came was  good but the speed of service was nowhere as good as the Hesketh Arms. The weather stayed fine  for the duration of the walk and only rained late afternoon. We were very lucky.
Bill Langham

The September walk, crossing the Pontcysyllte aqueduct and on into Llangollen was a great success. After the walk, we had a couple of hours free time to browse in the town and have some well-earned refreshments. The weather was extremely kind to us with wall to wall sunshine all the way.
Bill Lngham

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.

Thursday 7th July 2011 09:00

Coach to Kendal, Lake District

and 6.5 mile walk along Scout Scar

Thursday 28th July 2011 10:40

Rufford and Mere Sands Wood

Thursday 25th August 2011

5 mile walk around old Formby

Full details of all works in the July August Newsletter