Longridge to Arnside 6

Friday 28th December 2018 - Halton to near Warton

If we were to stay within our one kilometre boundary either side of our straight line our only possibility was to traverse the private land of Stubb Hall Farm. We planned to walk up the private road to the farm and ask for permission.

Parking on the south side of the River Lune we walked across the narrow bridge to Halton. It looks as though it was made of grown up Meccano. It is divided by a number of bollards which separate pedestrians from cars - I have driven across here previously and it is touch and go in an ordinary car whether wing mirrors will be demolished on the bollards and I reckon anything much wider would have a problem.

We ascended out of Halton in mizzle: that fine penetrating rain. It was a contrast from the forecast suggesting only a possibility of occasional showers. Eventually the rain stopped, but it was a dreary dull day, but an interesting walk through varied terrain.

We met the farmer who was in the process of rounding up his cows to bring them in for winter. He was s jolly character and had no objection to us walking across his land. The last two cows of the roundup were in the first field we would cross. I asked the farmer how he was going to bring them in, "I've got a quad bike" was the answer.

Nether Kellet had a memorial to the peace after WW2 donated by T. C. Butler-Cole. We speculated about his significance, but Googling later revealed nothing of note about him.

We crossed the A6 south of Carnforth, a road I have driven along in both directions many times over the last eighteen years, but strangely, as we approached from the countryside I had no recognition of this section of road.

Approaching Galley Hall the footpath was engulfed in head high reeds with brambles and other thick undergrowth below. We came to a barbed wire fence and GPS told us the path crossed only a about ten feet impenetrably to our left. Others had been before. The wire had been cut and re-joined and we did the same. Having clambered over into a more amenable field we looked at the stile we should have used and it was obvious nobody gad been through there for a long time.

Our straight line and our one kilometre parameter gave us access to a bridge crossing the river Keer, another minor miracle allowing us to use our straight line with convenient crossings of the Rivers Wyre, Ribble, Lune, and now the Keer, as well as the M6 and the Lancaster Canal. If you have ever tried to plot a straight line route it is rare to find access to all those barriers within the confines of your desired route.

A few hundred yards after the bridge we were back at our car in now improving weather.

CLICK TO ENLARGE AND IMPROVE ON THE DULL DAY PHOTOS

Across the Lune to Hslton

Walling through Halton

BC getting "off road."

National Grid takes a right-angle bend. The wires were humming in the mizzle

This metal sign was an unusual fretwork - quite artistic.

This farmland was the key to us maintaining our one kilometre boundary either side of our straight line

Looking back to Stubb Hall Farm and the last two cows. awaiting their roundup  and winter lodgings

Memeorial to peace since WW2 - Nether Kellet

Zoom back to the busy M6

This and below - strange water feature, it was on the site of a disused quarry

I'm always attracted to the colours of rusted metal like this

The overgrown stile. We crossed a few yards to the left by unwinding previously cut barbed wire which we re-fixed

"The Bridge Over the River Keer"

Red dots show where we walked on private land with permission