Friday 24 January 2020 - Irlam and the Mosses

 

The last of my current series of Friday morning walks was due to start from Irlam Station, but Paul and I couldn't find any satisfactory parking there, and with nobody else expected on the walk we took the risk of driving round to the small car park at New Moss Wood (SJ 703 933).

 

The mizzle eased as we strolled up the lane by Cadishead Moss, along the route of the Salford Trail.

 

 

The fields looked lush with winter greens.

 

 

After crossing the M62, the path went past Ringing Pits Farm, then through woodland teeming with birds.

 

 

The peat beds of Great Woolden Moss and Little Woolden Moss were soon reached. The path around the mosses remains in good condition, but the willow arch seen in 2017 has been destroyed.

 

This frog dates from when the path was built a few years ago.

 

 

The mosses are being preserved, and form a nature reserve that's really close to the industrial sites of Greater Manchester. Lots of bird watching opportunities here.

 

 

Our path turned towards Moss Lodge Farm and Red House Farm, where discarded tractors litter the countryside.

 

 

 

 

Before reaching Glazebury, and the site of the first 'inter city' railway in 1830, we turned, still on the Salford Trail, to follow Glaze Brook in a southerly direction, enjoying a tea and cake break before passing Little Woolden Hall and reaching the Keeper's Cottage, in front of which is a carpet of budding snowdrops. This entire stretch is full of birds - we saw redwings, tits, a great spotted woodpecker, blackcap, and many more.

 

 

These places, through which the M62 motorway now carves, are full of history, with Great Woolden Hall soon being passed beyond the motorway.

 

 

We followed the Glazebrook Trail/Salford Trail routes, leaving them just after going under a railway. We then took a mildly incorrect turn down a pleasant stretch of dismantled railway as far as Liverpool Road, to which we descended through a hole in the fence.

 

Irlam station beckoned. In my haste to grab coffees and scones I forgot to take a photo, so here's one from 2017. The renovated station is a fine licensed café, with good food being served.

 

 

Outside, this old engine has been lovingly restored. The whole place is a museum piece. Worth a visit if you haven't been there.

 

 

Nearby, not everywhere is as prosperous.

 

 

An easy 2 km walk back to the car completed this 15 km circuit that took us three hours plus stops.

 

Here's the route:

 

 

Thanks for your company, Paul - I hope you enjoyed this 'new' location that is really close to home.

 

I've been here before, and indeed have reported in much greater detail that doesn't warrant being repeated today. Those reports can be found here:

 

Report from 20 September 2011.

Report from 6 October 2017

The TGO Challenge - Vetting Days (12)

The most southerly starting point for the Challenge used to be The Grey Gull Inn at Ardrishaig. Sue is pictured here before our 2012 start. She is carrying all her luggage - a bum bag - hence looking so cheerful.

Recently, an additional, even more southerly, start point has been added - Portavadie Marina. I'm currently vetting a route that utilises that start point and sets off along the route of the Cowal Way. It looks very good; perhaps we'll start from there next year.

The TGO Challenge - Vetting Days (11)

 

Today I've been vetting a route that follows the Rob Roy Way from Kenmore to Aberfeldy. That means the Challengers concerned will be able to enjoy the delights of the Birks of Aberfeldy, a series of small waterfalls in a beautiful wooded area above the town.

 

They are in for a treat!

The TGO Challenge - Vetting Days (10)

 

Here I am, on 17 May 2009, on the suspension bridge by Tarf Falls, which we found a little disappointing.

 

The trigger for this image is a route I'm currently vetting, on which the Challengers plan to cross Allt Garbh Buidhe here, en route from Tarf Water to Fealar Lodge. They may have to paddle across, just beyond the bridge. Sue and I must have done that in 2009, though my diary simply states "from the falls a pleasant path led over to Fealar Lodge".

Center Parcs - Sherwood Forest - 17 to 20 January 2020

 

Here are just a few pictures from our weekend sojourn at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest.

 

We had house/chalet number 889 again, reached by foot, bike or (in Louise's case) invalid carriage, down pretty pathways and past some relatively new buildings that have resulted in the golf range being turned into a family crazy golf course.

 

 

 

On Friday night, we assembled in the sauna, and adjourned (when the beer bottles got too hot) for Gerry and Chris's excellent 'spag bol', before a 'slide show' of last year's canal trip and other stuff.

 

 

Stuart, Lyn, Louise, Gerry, Chris, Robert and Sue.

 

On Saturday morning I went on a nearby 5 km parkrun, on which I've already reported. It was a lovely morning, as I took a finishing line picture before heading back to base.

 

 

The lake was glittering in the sunshine as I walked past.

 

 

 

There's a new 'ride' in the pool area - here it is, wisely positioned just above a building that houses the medical centre.

 

 

The afternoon was spent on a variety of different courts, of which only badminton is pictured below.

 

 

 

 

Whilst most of us adjourned to table tennis, Chris struggled up a climbing wall.

 

 

Captions please?

 

 

The exercises concluded with a marathon game of floodlit tennis, in which it took Sue and Robert the entire hour to beat me and Stuart (both cripples) by 10 games to 8. Then it was back to the sauna, and a chicken meal from Louise.

 

Sunday started with an hour and a half of squash, which five of us managed to enjoy without getting too shattered.

 

Nearby, Greylag and Egyptian Geese pottered about expectantly.

 

 

 

Later, the short tennis (indoors with a soft ball on a badminton court) was interrupted by a visit to some owls.

 

Did you know that a barn owl, without its feathers, is no bigger than a blackbird?

 

 

Owls from Africa and Mexico were passed around, then the barn owl, then the European Eagle Owl pictured below.

 

 

This fine fellow can live between 30 and 40 years in the wild, and 40 to 50 years in captivity. This one is about 18 years old. They are breeding successfully in the UK, in particular on the Yorkshire Moors and in the Yorkshire Dales, according to their 'dad'.

 

 

Goulash followed more sauna, then we enjoyed 'Lyn's Log' - a documentary about a canal crew in the Stratford area.

 

Monday morning saw more table tennis, swimming, etc, before everyone hobbled away for a bit of recovery time before their next bout of exercise.

Monday 20 January 2020 - The Wabash Jazzmen at Eagley Jazz Club

 

We've seen this band a few times, but today the clarinet was in the hands of Eric Newton, who we last saw giving a presentation about his interesting life to SWOG members in October 2018.

Pictured on the left in the picture, Eric tells us he is still available to give talks about his life and times.

Another excellent Monday evening jazz night, with the added bonus of a winning raffle ticket for the second time running!

Center Parcs 2019 (2)

 

Some more photos may follow, but suffice to say we have enjoyed a variety of activities ranging from basket weaving to rock climbing, with lots of games involving balls of miscellaneous sizes in between. (Pool, tennis, badminton, short tennis, table tennis, etc.) As well as other stuff involving owls, gyms, cricket, football, slide shows, and the sauna that's attached to the chalet.

Sherwood Pines parkrun

 

 

 

This parkrun takes place only a couple of miles from Center Parcs, so I popped along whilst the others got a few minutes exercise on hydrobikes.

Curiously, there were 390 participants on the single lap course along forest paths - the same as Wythenshawe last week. Also, curiously,  I took exactly the same time as last week - 23.54, but my position was slightly different - thanks possibly to all the fast 11 year olds at Sherwood Pines.

Full results are here.

It was a lovely clear morning - ideal for this 5 km jog.

Center Parcs 2019 (1)

 

Here we are, duly assembled for another active weekend in Sherwood Forest. 

The TGO Challenge - Vetting Days (9)

 

Here, I'm packing up near the summit of Beinn na Caillich, on 18 May 2010, after one of the best nights I've had in a tent, with the door wide open and views across Loch Leven to Glencoe.

The TGO Challenge - Vetting Days (8)

 

The route I'm currently vetting has a camping spot below the Munro summit of Creag nan Damh, on the South Glen Shiel ridge. Sue and I were there on 9 May 2008, in t-shirt weather.

 

This year's Challengers may not be so lucky - here's a panoramic view taken by Ali O on her 2019 Challenge, where a group of Challengers camped in the same (more or less - NG 986 111) spot in fine, but hardly t-shirt, weather. You'll need to click on the picture to view it properly.

 

The TGO Challenge - Vetting Days (7)

 

This one is for fellow vetter, Barbara, who asked about access to the Schiehallion path from Kinloch Rannoch (where ice creams are an essential purchase).

 

Here's Sue on 15 May 2019 at our camp (NN696554) along the track Barbara was enquiring about.

The TGO Challenge - Vetting Days (6)

 

Today I'm vetting a route that passes Ryvoan bothy, near Glenmore Lodge. I stayed outside the bothy on a lovely flat piece of grass, on my first Challenge in 2007.

 

I have a vivid memory of the ensuing sleepless night. Some might say I was disturbing the wildlife, but the troop of lekking black grouse acted as if I simply wasn't there, refusing to be shooed away from their night time mating rituals.

 

Don't camp here!

Saturday 11 January 2020 - Wythenshawe parkrun number 424

 

On a routine Saturday morning on the 5 km 'Reverse Flag and Sandcastle' course, Jan rests under the supervision of Oliver after speeding off ahead of me, despite my efforts to slow him down with inconsequential chat at around the 3 km mark.

 

Full results are here. Another good turn out of 390 people. Laura was first woman again, in another new PB, so well done to her - she's now flying ahead of her dad.

 

I was over a minute slower on today's (Sunday) faster 'Great Run Local' course, but as it was somewhat rainy, and I was wearing full waterproofs, I'll live with that.

Friday 10 January 2020 - A Walk from Stockport to Ashton

 

I did this walk on my own back in September, reporting on it here, where you'll find a bit more greenery in the pictures, and a map.

 

Today's outing was for the benefit of Sue and Paul, who I think were as surprised as me to discover that there's a completely off-road route through the suburbs of Greater Manchester between these two towns, thanks largely to the River Tame, and the canal engineers from over 200 years ago.

 

We travelled by train from Navigation Road, and it took a few minutes to extricate ourselves from Stockport Town Centre, where the frog pictured in September by the railway station has been removed. We soon found ourselves in woodland beside the River Tame, near to where it joins up with the River Goyt to form the Mersey.

 

 

It was a wintry view today, with greenery provided courtesy of the mosses and lichens that cover almost every bit of bare wood.

 

 

I dutifully showed Sue and Paul Harrison's Weir, dating from the early 1780s. It's in need of a bit of repair.

 

 

We normally cross the bridge leading to Reddish Vale Visitor's Centre on our bikes, without noticing the carved inscriptions at either side of the bridge, denoting the old border between Cheshire and Lancashire. Interestingly, there's a bee emblem on the Cheshire side, and a rose on the Lancashire side. I've rather amateurishly stitched a few photos together. If you click on the images you'll get a better version.

 

 

Amongst other information, these plaques state that Lancashire was formed in 1351, and that the Heatons and Reddish were transferred to the Borough of Stockport in 1916. They also state that since 1974, wherever you stand on the bridge you are in Greater Manchester. That makes these plaques quite recent.

 

 

From the bridge, there's a view over a small nature reserve - lots of varieties of ducks on view - and to the impressive Reddish Vale viaduct.

 

 

Our route headed east, under the massive arches of the viaduct.

 

We then passed under the M60 motorway and crossed some waterlogged fields that challenged the trail shoes that Sue and I were wearing.
 

 

Eventually, after more pleasant walking (and lunch on a convenient bench) beside the River Tame, we took a pretty walled path (see top picture) up to the Peak Forest Canal. The sun came out and provided some lovely reflections.

 

 

Reaching the Portland Basin, the Peak Forest Canal meets the Ashton Canal and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Some of the street furniture there looks in need of renovation!

 

 

From the same spot - a rather better view towards the Portland Basin Museum (open) and its attached café (closed).

 

 

Ashton Metrolink Station is nearby, so we strolled along to it and caught a tram home.

 

We had walked about 16 km, taking around four hours, on this enjoyable excursion.

 

Next:

Friday 24 January

Day Walk

A 15 km circuit from Irlam Station, visiting The Salford Trail, Great Woolden Moss, and the Glazebrook Trail. Meet at 10 am. Lunch at the station (SJ 713 931).