Heritage Rides Again 6

After finding the Knott End ferry did not leave for another 5 hours, I cycled around the estuary and over Shard Bridge before some great riding across the salt marshes up to Glasson Dock. Plenty of tracks and grass to deal with. I had never seen this lighthouse before, it had the last female lighthouse keeper in situ when it ceased to be manned in 1965.

 

Heritage Rides Again 5

I reached the sea at Lytham and then followed the prom all the way to Fleetwood. It is a great place to cycle. I passed a lot of memories. The windmill and jetty at Lytham, that seemed to be in a sea of mud when I was a kid, now plenty of marsh grass is around. The ornate gardens between the prom and the sea which I used to love to run around, you can see them behind Bracken and me, wearing a jumper knitted by my Granny, in this photo. The dunes where my sister ran her hand through the sand and came up with a jet of blood from a glass cut. The pier where I went with my Gran and found a machine that kept letting me win, and resulted in my leaving heavier than when I arrived.

The centre of Blackpool where we would come for underage drinking on Saturdays when I was at Rossall school. And then I felt it was time for a coffee. The espresso machines were still warming up near central pier, but once I had left north pier behind, I came to this cafe, the Hole in the Wall which appeared to be built into the cliff. 

"Can you do me a coffee?" I asked, fearing that the espresso machine would not be switched on. There was no espresso machine.

"I can, £1 a cup". The coffee was instant. I had slipped through a time warp. She didn't take credit cards, I doubt she did receipts.

I gratefully took my cup to drink the warm liquid on a chair looking across the sands. And then she put on music; not just any music but rare Northern Soul classics. So rare that I didn't know them, and Shazam had not a clue. I thanked the lady, complimented her on the sounds, and headed north.

Heritage Rides Again 4

 

I stayed in a hotel in Fulwood in Preston (near where my Gran used to live) then set off early to follow the Lancaster Canal (that ran from Preston to Kendal) as far as Warton (where the ill fated TSR2 jet was built in the 60s). This section of the canal is amazingly lovely as I hope this shot shows.

Heritage Rides Again 3

 After Southport the route crosses the rich agricultural farmland reclaimed from the floodplains of the Ribble and the Douglas. There is very little of the marshes and bogs left, unlike with the Humber. Martin Mere just about survives as a wetland but there is not much else. The Sustrans route found some quiet backroads where the rush of the main roads seemed far away. This track is an example.

Heritage Rides Again 2

I picked up the Sustrans cycle route that follows the old route of the Cheshire Lines railway to Southport. It is a great trail across the south Lancashire plain with many an interesting bridge. As a family we would usually go to Southport rather than Blackpool, it was nearer and less frantic. The cycle route takes you right along the front, past the sad old pier with no sight of the sea, just a very very large beach.

Heritage Rides Again 1

Each year I cycle for a few days on my own, staying at B&Bs etc. 2023 I rode the Ridgeway from Seaton to Streetly, 2024 from Pitlochry to Findhorn and back, this year I started from Liverpool.

I took the early train to Liverpool Lime Street via Leeds and Manchester. The train was a modern Trans Pennine Express electric; quiet and comfy. It was packed with people mostly going to work in the first two cities. After Manchester though it was almost empty. Liverpool was feeling like a bit of a backwater as I slowly ground through Edge Hill cutting.

Liverpool was 30 miles from where I grew up in Preston. Our baby sitter used to go to the Cavern when we grew up in the 60s. We visited occasionally, the Mersey had been crossed on the ferry. From 1976 to 1979 I was a student at the University. So I cycled up from Lime Street to the University to pass a few memories. The sociology department seems to have been moved away from its old home (if sociology is still taught even) and there is a lot of new student accommodation near to the campus. The catholic cathedral still looks magnificent, the anglican one not so much.

Passing Liverpool 8, where I lived with friends Charlie and Joanna was hard; I am the only one still alive. Sefton Park (where I watched a stage of the Milk Race cycle race in 1977, and had not a clue what was going on) looked incredibly beautiful in the perfect summer sun, and was in pretty good nick. By the time I got to Carnatic, where my year 1 hall of residence used to be, all was changed. The site was shut a couple of years ago, and is now all chained up but with no new building or even demolition going on. This photo shows the sad and slightly creepy state of things - Chernobyl by Mersey.

 

Keep the Faith

 Saturday evening our Music Book Group went for an Italian meal at the Assembly Rooms in York, then to the Theatre Royal to see "Do I Love You" a John Godber play about Northern Soul. It was really good, not perfect but recommended if you get a chance to see it on tour.

Back in the garden the potato crop in a box, is doing well so far.

Stillness

Not sure if the serenity of this scene comes through in the photo from the canal. It was idyllic.

Hotter than July

Saturday was going to be hot, so we made some croissants and coffee to have with home made blackcurrant jam. We took it to the old Pocklington Canal at Hagg Bridge, and enjoyed a beautiful morning. Layla got her breakfast too.

Knavesmire Wood

This beautiful wood is right near the racecourse. Always cool and quiet no matter hot and busy outside.

 

Skipwith

I rode to Skipwith Common last week. The old airfield is at its best this time of year.

Garden news

This is a sycamore tree in the garden. That mass of white flowers is a rambling rose that rambled all over the tree, and the adjacent apple tree.

 

Tale of the Tree

                                                     

This is the tree that grew too tall, that we had to fell.

 

This is the log that had to season until it dried well

 

These are the planks that came from the log

 

And this is the table that came from the planks, that Wilf built.

Stroll 26

This week I carried on along the Calder and its navigations from Wakefield to Knottingley. Gradually the landscape changes from the Pennine foothills to the flatlands that lead to the North Sea. A lot of people running, walking, cycling on the towpaths, and plenty of boats on the water.

Stroll 25

The 25th leg of the Stroll last week took me from Mirfield to Wakefield. Here is a good bit of West Riding cobbles, with a freshly clipped Layla ready for the hot summer months ahead ...

Electric Layla Land

We got our solar panels replaced, and took the plunge at the same time to go for an electric car (EV). The world then opens up to a relaxed driving experience intermingled with acute range anxiety linked to getting the thing charged when away from home. We are getting our heads around it slowly. The dog is not convinced.

Spellings of Palmour

I have collected different misspellings of Palmour all my adult life. I have 123 to date. But in recent years in the internet age there have been less and less. So I was decided that Rowan sent my a new one, from a work meeting she was at. I had Paulmour, but this is all new.

Barce

Meantime Rowan has been in Barcelona at a festival with friends. Amongst the bands on were Wet Leg, Charlie XCX, Sabrina Carpenter and LCD Sound System - all of whom I have amazingly heard of. Sounds like a great gig.

Smardale

Walking along the old Stainmore line from Brownber to the Smardale Viaduct with everyone was a great experience. Beautiful limestone country with limekilns and this viaduct as well.

Family

Two thirds of the Eberhardt family at Brownber last week

Brownber

We went to celebrate sister Rosemary's 70th birthday at the weekend. Children and Grandchildren had been there first, siblings and siblings in law followed. We were at Brownber Hall, near Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria. Had a great time.

Clematis

 The rain came to the garden just in time. The clematis were appreciative.

A Welcome Guest

Rowan came up for the weekend, always good to see her. A view also held by the dog.
 

Gig Time

We went to see the East Pointers at the Crescent with Sue & Eddy last week. Saw a few other friends there as well. Great being able to walk to our local venue. The band are from PEI in Canada, and played folky jigs which we liked, and songs which we liked less. Good fun though and a a good crowd.