Midge Walkers

Walk No.  157

Mawdesley 21st August ‘22

Our meeting point was Cedar Farm, which having opened in July 1987, has just celebrated its 35th anniversary. Growing steadily over the years with retail spaces, cafes and studios, aimed at supplying the needs of its customers, it continues to nurture creative design and has become the home of worldwide cuisine and much more. This might be useful when we return.

Starting our walk at 2.00 p.m. from the car park on an ideal walking day, our latest recruit Margaret, recruited from The South Ribble Walking Group joined with 8 other participants, left the car park and turned right on to Back Lane, continuing past its junction with Gorsey Lane to a point where a way marker pointed us left through a gate down the side of a property called South View. Passing through a paddock and across its end to the left, we continued over the next field to arrive at a plank, bridging a stream which led us to a path around the edge of another paddock and turning left to follow the hedgerow brought us through some trees to the end of a cul-de-sac (Tarnbeck Drive), with new properties. Taking the outer perimeter, led us into the main road of Hall Lane.

Turning right, we took the access track signposted Jigsaw, being the first turning on the left, rising to pass the equestrian centre of the same name. As the lane bent to the right, we continued straight on through a gate to drop into a field where we turned left, following its perimeter until exiting through a gate to a lane on the left. Crossing a bridge with stone parapets, led us into Gales Lane and continuing to its meeting point with Black Moor Road, we turned right and then next left into Sandy Lane. Walking along this to its merging with Jay Bank and following to the left, just prior to its end, a neatly concealed seat under some trees formed the basis for our refreshment break.

Resuming our efforts, turning left into Maltkiln Lane, brought us in due course to Bispham Green, a small group of properties with the essential pub and farm shop. Taking the lane to the left of the pub, we walked for about 50 yards and crossed a stile into a field keeping the hedge boundary to our right until emerging on to a lane leading to Sills Farm. Just prior to entering the property a stile pointed us into a field, which we crossed taking a line slightly to the right aiming for the corner of a hedge. Here another stile gave us access to a field and following the left-hand hedge, an unusual stile, constructed with stone slabs, brought us to Chorley Road at the side of Richard Durnings Endowed Primary School adjacent to the Farmers Arms Pub.

Turning left into Bentley Lane and walking for about 900 yards, reaching the first two properties on the right, a footpath sign to the left pointed us through a gate and two fields linked by a plank footbridge. Keeping the hedge boundary to our right we continued along this route until reaching a gate giving access to a farm track where we turned to the left continuing as far as the next turn to the right which led us back along a narrow path around the rear of the site, to our starting point.

Mutual agreement was that this had been an excellent walk, not least of all because of the weather conditions, covering a distance of 5 miles and with pleasing and varied scenery. But was the best yet to come?

The café was still open, so for those who had a mind to, the joys of afternoon tea or coffee could still be partaken in comparative luxury, or maybe, even a piece of cake.