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| Trains, Planes and Water-mobiles!? |
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Date : 22nd August 2009
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Leader : Phil Bedson |
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Report by : Phil Bedson |
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Photos © : Phil Bedson |
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| Our first view of the Ribble Estuary | |
Accrington’s train station was the meeting point for 5 members of Hyndburn Ramblers to catch the 09.19 to Lytham for a linear walk to Kirkham. Alighting at Lytham turned out to be a great relief due to the horrendously overcrowded train. The first bit was down the high street towards the front and our first glimpse of the Ribble estuary and our route would accompany the water for the first half of the walk.
We passed the lifeboat station and made our way towards Lytham’s most famous landmark - its windmill.
Built in 1805 it served the town for over a century until a fire in 1919 spelt the end of an era and it has now gained a new lease of life as a museum.
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left:
Lytham Windmill |
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right: The inner workings |
The route from here is a stretch of the Lancashire Coastal Way (LCW) and is full of twists and turns as modern housing, some industrial units and a boatyard have to be negotiated around before we eventually end up back at the waters edge. Walking atop the flood defence banks the views over the estuary towards the Southport coast were very clear and the increasingly bluer skies spelt quite a fine day was ahead. As we neared Warton Aerodrome a large plane taking off, momentarily shattering the quietness, was quite a spectacle.
We continued along the LCW and eventually started the circumnavigation of the aerodrome. This path has the potential to be a great one but for the fact you are accompanied by a wire mesh fence for nigh on a mile and a half! At least the views were unobstructed off to our right and a small grassy mound was just about inviting enough to sit down and have some lunch.
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left:
The flood defence bank |
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right: A big plane |
As we sat eating we watched as various boats passed by, both upstream and downstream, and a log speeding it’s way along made us realise the tide was fast coming in.
We resumed our walking and rounding a corner we disturbed a large heron which in turn startled us as it rose suddenly from a small rivulet. Crossing a footbridge we finally left the aerodrome boundary fence behind us and continued along a wide flood plain. As we walked we were able to watch as the continuing onrush of the tide started to encroach on the low-lying flood plain and as we got to the point where we were to leave the waters edge it was almost lapping at our feet. We ascended up a slope until we reached a field containing a trig point located at the heady height of 14 metres above sea level.
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left:
A Tall Ship heading upstream
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right: The obligatory Trig Point photo |
After the obligatory photo we continued inland where a succession of enclosed and open field paths took us into the small town of Freckleton and a welcome stop at The Ship Inn. Sitting in the beer garden with the sun beating down and a nice drink can make even the most ardent walker want to remain where he is.
Reluctantly we left and continued down through the village to take a small lane that led us up to cross the A584 Preston New Road. Braving the traffic we crossed to follow the road right for a while before taking a footpath off to our left. These fields gave us all manner of animals which had been noticeably absent in the first part of the walk. The first field was full of cows which we had to find our way through before taking a couple of stiles into a larger open field where we had a feast. A large herd of bullocks were charging about the place and some sheep were spotted towards the top edge. This was nothing though as a pair of hares which were racing around in circles, seemingly oblivious to our presence, disturbed yet another heron which flew off in its eloquent style.
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left:
An enclosed pathway
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right: Courting hares |
The next field was a wheat field and as such was devoid of the activity we had just encountered and it was a short while after this that we entered the village of Newton-with-Scales. After crossing the A583 there was but a couple of fields before we began a stretch of road walking up to and through the village of Treales and thankfully these were quiet roads with not much traffic. After contemplating another stop at the Derby in Treales we decided the best course of action would be to continue on the final mile or so in the hope of maybe making the 16.10 train home.
This final leg was quite an easy one along a green lane and after passing Mowbreck Hall, a not too imposing brick structure, we took a field path back into the Wesham district and made our way to the train station. We arrived in perfect time really and had only a 10 minute wait before our train turned up - thankfully less crowded.
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| Nearly back at Kirkham | |
| OS EXPLORER 286 |
BLACKPOOL & PRESTON |
| START POINT |
SD 365 274 |
FINISH POINT |
SD 419 326 |
| WALK LENGTH |
12 mls / 20 km |
TIME WALKING |
4 hrs |
| MAX HEIGHT |
25.45 mtrs |
MIN HEIGHT |
3.00 mtrs |
| HEIGHT ASCENDED |
148.95 mtrs |
HEIGHT DESCENDED |
139.29 mtrs |
This map is for reference only and MUST NOT be used to do the walk.
Please use the correct OS map for all these walks.
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