Heading back for Sports Day

As I sit here on another glorious morning it's time to capture the last of our time west of Wigan for the time being. We've been down here for a couple of weeks in total and have certainly enjoyed it. Great weather, lots of walking and a different location every couple of days, it's been a real pleasure. We are currently between Appley Bridge and Gathurst and for those that have never ventured here you are missing a treat if beautiful scenery and peace and quiet are your thing.

We turned around between Halsall and Haskayne, where the canal sits in splendid isolation and solitude. Reed beds abound here and Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers abound too, the latter having migrated from Africa for the summer. Apparently, they are a favourite target of the Cuckoo but we didn't even hear one of those, let alone see one. Maybe next year!

As we made our way to Parbold after our day out in Liverpool we did spot a first for us in the guise of a Yellowhammer. They tell me they are quite common but I'm not so sure. Yesterday as we walked in knee high grass (just because you aren't on the path DOES NOT mean you are lost 😉) Elaine scared  a Pheasant out from under her feet. In return, it scared her too!

Here are some pics from the stretch between Parbold and Appley Bridge plus a shot from our current spot in the Douglas valley with Parbold Hill in the distance.

It would be remiss of me not to comment on the characters we have encountered here. We had the guy who asked us to water his dog, the father and son who were on a 15 mile walk and took a break near us during which they explained how they both weren't fit enough to work, the guy who offered us two quid for a lager and his girlfriend who had a free squirt of our factor 15! You meet all sorts as you live this life!

Well, it's off to Wigan for a meal tonight and back to Plank Lane on Wednesday for Logan's sports day. Let's hope the weather holds! More later.