Devising the route for our canal walks can be tricky.
Returning by the same route has always been a disappointing compromise on any walk for me.
We do have a time constraint in that Pete needs to be back in Arnside by 3:45 pm to rendezvous with his wife Liz at her painting class.
Preferring a circular route I try to finish walking the canal part at a road accessible by car so we can continue next week from the same place. This week I plotted two possibilities, the shorter via Cross House (see map) which didn't leave the canal at a road, but was a bit shorter than our normal distance, and the longer finishing at a road, and more than our normal distance. We opted for the latter and also added a longer finish. That resulted in us walking 9 miles compared with our usual 6.5 or so, and we both felt the difference. Having done walks on consecutive days (see my previous post) my knee was protesting, and ominously, so was the one that was not replaced. On top of that we didn't have time to go to the café for our customary brew afterwards. The café of choice at the moment is "No. 17" in Milnthorpe: superior coffee, waitress service, comfortable leather armchairs, and no riff-raff.
The forecast was for rain "later in the afternoon". The first specks appeared on the windscreen as we got back into the car. Forecasts are getting better these days.

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| This and below: the marina at Barton. This is part of a huge, recently, purpose built garden centre called Barton Grange - an old Preston family business originating further down the road where they also own a posh hotel |
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Aqueduct over River Brock. The source is in the Bowland Hills. The only remote interest gleaned from Wikipedia, is that in its brief 15 km length before joining the River Wyre, it has 22 tributaries |
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| Guys Court Thatched Hamlet. An unusual, pub/eating place/shopping experience not far from Preston where my daughter arranged a surprise 60th birthday party for me (now many years ago). I thought we were just going for a meal and when we arrived there were about thirty of my friends there - 'twas a right good do. |
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The canal borders onto land owned by Myerscough College (Agriculture and Sport). This is their golf course |
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| More residential scenery. The photo reminds me of France, but that ambience didn't prevail on the spot |
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KATIE UPDATE
I just received this little video from daughter Jill. She called it:
Teacher Training
CLICK HERE Katie
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I'm not sure who all my readers are, but for those that this may be relevant to I have sad news of the recent death of Pauline Broadley. Funeral is on Monday at Nab Wood Cemetery, West Yorks - 10:50am.