Out & About in West Lancashire

Sunset over The Douglas valley.

           

Somewhere up there …………. is this – Ashurst’s Beacon.  On what has probably been the hottest day of the year so far, we decided to walk up there!  Yes, the views are panoramic.  If there hadn’t been a heat haze they would have been even better!  Apparently, at times, you can see Blackpool Tower, the Welsh hills, the Lake District, good views of the Pennines +++++++ (can’t remember what else was on the pointer).

If you can’t afford Boat Builders’ prices – improvise and build your own!  After thought -I wonder if it had a licence?

You just never know what’s going to come along next.  This was by far the best ‘traffic’ I let across the bridge before opening it.

Some years ago I praised Leicestershire County Council for the management of their public footpaths.  We have now done three substantial walks in Lancashire and, sorry, but I have to say that whoever is supposed to be maintaining them in this part of Lancashire is not doing a good job at all.  For the most part, we have found the paths themselves to be heavily overgrown, too many stiles in a state of poor repair and signs either badly placed or missing altogether.

Booby Prize! 

On the way back from The Beacon we were very pleased to find a pub!  These guys were refreshing the hanging baskets with ………… PLASTIC FLOWERS!  This seems to be a growing trend amongst pubs.  Noooooooooooo!  It’s ghastly!  This pub was charging £19.49 for an 8oz sirloin steak so surely they can afford to bedeck the pub in summer with real flowers rather than plastic ones?!  Actually, I think they were silk so they probably cost more than real flowers but, of course, they’re low maintenance in as much as you don’t have to water them.  STILL GHASTLY!  John says, in his infinite wisdom, that he doesn’t go to a pub to look at the flowers; he goes for a decent pint!  OK, OK but plastic flowers?  Tacky and horrible!  Come on publicans, get a grip!

Wigan Pier is not a pier!  Not like Southport Pier at all!  It was actually a coal staithe – a landing stage for coal waggons.  In its heyday, 50,000 tons of coal a year was loaded from wagons onto barges, much of it being exported to Ireland via the docks at Liverpool.  Today it has all been renovated and decorated outside with hanging baskets containing ………………..  PLASTIC FLOWERS!!

What superb architecture and skilled masonry work on the tower of this church by Poolstock Locks on the outskirts of Wigan.

AND:-

       “For most part, it’s a grand life on’t boats.  It's thee slow pace and fresh air that does it fa’ me.”

(Genuine quote from a bargee – circa 1880.)

Some things don’t change and, yes, they’ve had lots of comments about that white rose!!

xxoo!