Walk 130

Ulverston to Askam 14miles

It rained a lot, there were roads, it was foggy and I couldn't see much, a pretty depressing day. I skirted around Barrow in Furness and the finish couldn't come quick enough.

Walk 129

Lancaster to Cairnforth 18miles

Heysham NPS

It's a few weeks since I had abandon my last walking holiday so I was hopeful that the weather would be a little better by now, but I was wrong!

As I stepped from the train in Lancaster the rain was pouring down, I tried to follow the map and failed so I did the sensible thing and looked for the river I had to cross, eventually I found the river and made my way upstream. The map showed a bridge almost in the town centre but what it didn't show was there is also a pedestrian bridge that runs next to the railway line so that was a added bonus to a soggy start. Once across the river I headed upstream and this took me through Salt Ayre which has a large gym and recreational area this all looked very new, and so was the path along the river as it wasn't marked on my map. Just after Salt Ayre I picked up the road that took me into Middleton and onto Heysham. Heysham is a lovely village but unfortunate it lies in the shadow of a nuclear power station, its such a shame and a real blot on the landscape . After Heysham the rain stopped and I picked up a promenade walk which took me all the way to Morecambe, this route takes in Sandylands which is a sad run down seaside resort desperate for investment, such a shame as the view across the bay is fantastic. I stopped in Morecambe for a sandwich and to have my photo taken with the statue of Eric Morecambe who is still a hero of mine.

Once the promenade runs out you have to head across marsh land, I had to play hopscotch with many a pot hole, its quite fun and a pleasant change from walking along roads. The tide was a long way out when I walked this section so I wouldn't know how to proceed if it was high tide, the route takes you through Hest Bank and Bolton le Sands and finally onto Cairnforth.

Walk 128

Fleetwood to Condor Green 16miles

Even wearing the tennis shoes it was painful to walk but I just needed to get to Lancaster so I could make arrangements to seek medical attention.

The Lake District

The day started with a ferry to Knott End followed by a 3 mile walk along a promenade to Fluke Hall, this then lead me to the busy A588 to Cockerham which took me to Condor Green.  At Condor Green I finally gave up on this weeks walk, I caught a bus to Lancaster went to A&E and was told to stop walking ( no surprise)  The moral to this story is don't buy bloody cheap shoes!!!!

Walk 127

Lytham to Fleetwood 18miles

I woke up and looked at my now swollen foot, I put my shoe on and limped down Preston high st and found a shop selling tennis shoes, I had no choice to carry on at this point as all my accommodation for the next few days was paid for with no chance of a refund.

Lytham

I had intended to walk along the busy A584 to Lytham but something had to give and yet another pointless estuary walk was the very thing I didn't need today.  So I took a train journey to Lytham and there on the seafront lawn to greet me was a fantastic windmill I didn't expect to see that on my journey up the west coast of England.  A mile or so up the road from Lytham is the town of St Annes, now I thought Lytham St Annes was one town but no it is in fact two, today was becoming full of supprises! The next part of the journey was along the beach all the way to Blackpool.

I haven't been to Blackpool since 1978 and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the promenade and what a great job the council had done to make it all spic and span!, A word of advice, when you walk along the promenade.....don't look right!!!!

Fleetwood Lighthouse

The rest of the journey to  took me through Bispham and Cleverleys and finally to Fleetwood where there is a fantastic old lighthouse which was built in 1839 and is made of sandstone.

Walk 126

Southport to Preston 23miles

The sun is shinning and as I make my way to the seafront the Blackpool tower is there in the distance, if only there was a 10miles bridge directly across the sea! A lot of road walking today and the first village is Banks which takes me through to Becconsall and onto Tarleton. At Tarleton I'm able to cross the river on my way to Much Hootle.  The bridge over the river is being revamped and there is not much space for a walker so the nice workman holds up all the traffic so I can cross, the least I can do is break into a jog!!!  Just after Longton I'm able to get onto the river Ribble way which takes me for the rest of the journey all the way to Preston.

Walk 125

New Brighton to Southport 24miles

I woke up and popped into Morrisons for breakfast and blister plasters.  The plasters did some good but I was in some considerable discomfort.  I decided to carry on my walk and I made my way to catch the ferry to Liverpool, here I managed to get my timings all wrong and ended up missing the last "fast" ferry by 5 mins, this meant I would have to catch the tourist ferry.....,.40mins later after a trip up and down the Mersey c/w running commentary I screamed in my head. aaaaaaargh get me off this ferry!!!

Liverpool

  Eventually I reached Liverpool and I was on my way.  The road out of Liverpool takes you along the docks which I must say this part is best done quickly! I have on my coast walk never felt as uneasy as I did along this part of the walk!!  Soon the road takes you down to Crosby beach and the Another Place sculptures by Anthony Gormley, these sculptures have all been done in his own image and are amazing to see.

Crosby Beach

I walked along the seafront to Hightown but could go no further due to the firing range being in use and I was so close that at one point I could smell the cordite from the munitions!  Just after the end of the firing range there is a path that runs parallel with the railway line, I believe this takes you around the firing range and into Formby, but alas due to resurfacing the path was out of use, the irony to this story is that the sign on the path said it was closed for 60days from Dec 9th....today's date was Mch 11th.....I think they were overrunning a little!!  So I took the road route through Formby and eventually onto Southport, nothing much to report except some cracking snow showers which made me look like the abominable snowman at times !!!

Walk 124

Sealand to New Brighton 25miles

Its the 10th March and as I step off the bus on my way to my start point at Sealand the snow starts to fall, the forecast for the whole week is wintry :(   The first part of the walk takes me through Shotwick down a lane that was completely flooded last time I was here, a couple of farmers fields later and I'm in Puddington and then on through Burton.  The houses are getting very big and very expensive as I make my way through these small hamlets, this is footballers country with big gates and big cars!

Mostyn School

Soon after Burton I pick up the No 70 cycle route which takes me along the Dee estuary through the pretty villages of Mostyn and Heswell,. At Heswell you pick up the Wirral country park trail which is along a disused railway line, it was very busy with dog walkers, cyclists and joggers, this eventually ends at Hoylake. I follow the signs for the cycle path and this takes me inland, I have to double back through a country park reserve which in itself is really nice but an extra mile on today's already long walk is not welcome.

Leasowe Lighthouse

I eventually find my way to the coast and its route one along the promenade to New Brighton via a very nice lighthouse at Leasowe. Today's walk was another long 8 hours and has come at a big cost as even though I thought I had "broken in" my new walking shoes I have ended up with a very large blister on my right foot little toe.