Midge Walkers

Walk No.  153

Higher Walton 22-05 22

As other people in the North West got wildly excited at the prospects of their team being the football league champions for 2022, our select little bunch congregated adjacent to Bamber Bridge Methodist Church in the appropriately named Wesley Street. We were particularly pleased to have John Waites re-joining us after a prolonged absence due to medical diagnoses. He along with 9 other stalwarts set off at 2.05 p.m. passing along Brown Street and crossing over Mounsey Road, turning right into Cambridge Road and taking a narrow overgrown path alongside the rail line which necessitated progressing in single file, we soon arrived at a pedestrian crossing point over the rail line into the park.

Here our route should have clung to the other side of the rail fence, but due to extensive construction work by Mr Murphy’s Co, a detour forced us to deviate slightly, but regain our proposed route just prior to the motorway underpass, after which we followed the path passing a block of allotments on the left and emerging on to Brindle Road.

Crossing the road, we branched left down Shuttling Fields Lane, which took us past some properties and the gravel road then turned to take a parallel route with the M6. After a short distance, a curve to the right took us away from the motorway and under two bridges which were the slip roads of the M61.

Continuing on the same lane, brought us to a sharp right hand bend and soon after a left one. Here the road split and we took the lower road to a point where a sign pointed us through a gate to the farmyard of Middle Shuttling Fields Farm and Fishery. Passing barns of young calves busily eating hay, we emerged at the other side and continued down the slope of the road to cross a bridge over Drum Head Brook. The winding, undulating road took us past other properties, one with the unusual name of Many Brooks Farm, clearly named after the brook of the same name which passed under the lane at around that point and continuing, we ultimately merged into Gregson lane where we turned left walking to the road junction with Blackburn Road.

Turning left, we walked to the first street on the left being Church St, and followed it to the bottom, cutting through a passage into the next street, Brook St. The building on our left used to be the local school but now has been converted to flats. Turning left to the bottom of the street and following the railings to the right brought us to an open triangular grassed area at the bottom of Bridge Street. Here we found a bench seat overlooking the Many Brooks stream below and took the opportunity of taking our refreshment break here.

Resuming our journey, following the railings on our left brought us out on to Kittlingbourne Brow, more or less opposite where the old Coupe’s Foundry used to be. Keeping on the left-hand side pavement we passed the unusual and probably unique property numbered 57. This clearly was the project of a collector of memorabilia possibly otherwise known as scrap.

Attaining the summit of the brow, we passed over the motorway bridge, noting the heavy quantity of traffic travelling in both directions. Just beyond, a path to the left took us on a route to the rear of the High School playing field, running parallel with the motorway and leading us to Brown Lane, where we turned right and passed along to reach Brindle Road at a position opposite Collins Road. Turning left we continued until arriving at the entrance to Withy Grove Park which we passed through. It was at a point just prior to leaving the park that a shower of rain caught us by surprise sending us scrambling for any protective gear we may have had. However no sooner had we got it on than the rain stopped. Leaving the park via Sergeant Street on to Station Road and passing over the level crossing, we returning to our vehicles.

We had again completed a walk not previously undertaken, and covered a distance of 4.5 miles. With the exception of the last couple of hundred yards we had enjoyed good weather and all the participants had learned things about the area on their doorstep that they didn’t know before. Appreciation must be recorded to the organisers in once again producing a package for everyone’s enjoyment.