One can’t always be in exotic areas, Lancashire is enough. Mel was up for a few days, my planning had been delayed by other arrangements, so on the hoof we enjoyed the following days.
Thursday. 11.30 Pick up at Preston station . 12.00 lunch at the five star RK Sweet Centre – masala dhosa £2.50.
14.00 a walk around the reservoirs in Longridge visiting the shops to purchase delicacies and drink for tonight’s home cooked Italian meal.
A Longridge reservoir.
Friday. A late start saw us in a compulsory Chinese buffet in Southport.
After the Egyptian Room in the Atkinson Gallery we spent time looking at the eclectic historical exhibits relating to the Sefton coast – lifeboats, Bootle Docks, shrimping, Dan Dare, Meccano.
On the spur of the moment we drove down the coast to Crosby to view Antony Gormley’s ‘Time and Space’. It was mid tide so the figures ranged from full bodies to heads barely visible in the sea.
Crosby beach.
Saturday. Another late start, shan’t tell you why, and we were following the Ribble Link canal towards the Ribble. We didn’t go all the way but cut across a golf course to the Lancaster Canal which we followed back towards Preston, stopping off at a cafe in the UCLAN sports ground. We skirted Haslam Park and continued along the surprisingly green route into the centre of Preston where goods from the canal were transferred to trams to cross the river and join up with the Leeds/Liverpool canal. The modern Ribble Link strives to do the same but I wonder how many boats use this facility. A glorious sunny day.
Lancaster Canal in Preston.
End of the canal in Preston.
The excellent Egyptian cafe in Preston provided food as good as Cairo in the evening.
Sunday. The weather remained good. Another ‘watery’ walk, taking in Cockersand Abbey, coastal walking, Glasson Dock, another canal and Thurnham Hall, was enjoyed in the sunshine.
Cockersand Abbey.
Glasson estuary with the damaged Plover Scar light.
Glasson Dock.
Link canal with Bowland Fells in the distance.
Back home it was time for an ‘Indian’.
Monday. Take Mel back to the station until we meet again next Spring on the Thames Way for some more ‘watery’ walking.
http://www.gourmethouserestaurant.co.uk/
Time well spent.
Did you manage Mickle Fell? The weather continues to be fine.
I could tease and say wait for the post, but the answer is yes. I hope to do the post tomorrow.
Well done. Nobody will know till tomorrow.
Glasson Dock. Always wanted to go there but never made it. You get to interesting places.
Alen
Alan, yes Glasson is an interesting place with lots of history, none of which I detailed in my post – was too busy eating and drinking this weekend. A port before Lancaster, linked at first by lanes, then canal, then rail. It had shipbuilding too. Now a thriving marina but the high tide range makes getting in and out awkward. Sundays bring in the hordes of motorcyclists searching for chips or ices, not a Migas to be seen.
Any idea where my next ‘interesting’ place will be, they just keep popping up.