Stroll 74 iii

 

This is where the Walton Summit canal branched off from the Leeds Liverpool canal to connect with the Preston tramway that joined up with the Lancaster canal in Preston (the names get confusing). That canal went north to Lancaster and, ultimately, Kendal. When were kids in Preston my father would show us the old tram bridge over the Ribble. This was out of bounds, as were nearly all the old industrial rail lines even if they were abandoned. Now it is much improved, like a lot of things. 

Stroll 74 ii

A ruined factory beside the canal, well and truly on its way to being reintegrated into the natural world.

 

Stroll 74 Blackburn to Chorley

 

I moved further into Lancashire on the Leeds Liverpool canal. Good to see plenty of Red Roses around. A lovely stretch contours around to head south towards Wigan. I got off at Chorley, then got a train back via Preston. Met the usual assortment of wonderful people. Life is a bit of a privilege sometimes.

Friends

Here are the four friends in Valencia.

 

Face Paint

Whilst we watched the World Cup final here in York, Rowan was in Valencia with three friends for the weekend. A local was happy to give Rowan a Spain flag on her cheeks. Looked reasonably crazy after the win, but in my daughter's words "to be honest it wasn't a patch on when Arsenal won the league"

 

Purple haze

On a bit of a butterfly roll at the moment. I saw this Purple Hairstreak in Museum gardens in the centre of York this week. I take the photos mainly to aid identification. Not works of art, but they do the job.

 

World Cup

 Rob, Mark and I always used to watch at least one World Cup match together. This year Rob's widow Kath invited us with Mandy and Rowan to watch a game at their house. It was a sad but good occasion. 

True to the past, it was the painful England exit to horrible Argentina. Danielle and I watched the final at home, and it was a great relief that Spain won.