| Walk: | Balls Farm, Hall Green, Marsh Farm (Little Hoole), Hall Pool, Marsh Farm (Longton), Back Lane (Longton), Longton Brick Croft Nature Reserve. | ||
| Start Point: | The Fox Cub, Walmer Bridge | Grid Reference: | SD 476 236 |
| Distance: | 5.2 miles | Ascent: | 60 feet |
| Time: | 2.75 hours | ||
| Weather: | Cold and grey but dry | ||
| Comments: | The walk was over lanes, field paths and green lanes. There was a little bit of ice on the lanes but the frozen fields were easier to walk on than the underlying mud. There was little in the way of ascent apart from stiles. The leader tried to make the walk interesting by relating bits of useless information about Little Hoole, Longton and Hoole Railway Station (which fell under the Beaching Axe in 1964). Longton Nature Reserve (a former brick croft) was visited on the later part of the walk. Here, ducks and the like were learning to skate on the frozen ponds. Returning through Walmer Bridge the group enjoyed lunch at the Fox Cub. | ||
Scroll down to see photos of the walk
(Captions to follow)
Norman the Bus leads the way . . .
whilst Brenda (OH) brings up the rear
We confidently ignored the icy patches
Everything was white over with frost
Ian negotiates one of the many stiles
The boring bit - the demise of the Preston-Southport Railway line in 1964
Puddle patterns
Come on Ian - keep up!
Early coffee stop - but no seats!
Negotiating a slippery bridge
Our first lambs - camera shy . . .
and more
Bracket Fungus
Penny shows off her limbo dancing skills
The dump - part of the scenery
Horse blankets are in fashion
The first blossom?
The bench donated by South Ribble Ramblers
Snowdrops are just coming out
Land bound ducks in the Nature Reserve