Midge Walkers

Walk No.  178

Fulwood/Tanterton 25/02/24  

Following a couple of weeks of what seemed like pretty constant rainfall,  Sunday the 25th broke the mould with sunshine, albeit still quite cold, With a  turnout of 15, which included two new recruits, Christine and Geoffrey, we  set off from our meeting point on Lightfoot Lane at1.50p.m. We crossed the  main line rail bridge and turned into Lightfoot Green Lane which led us past  Preston Grasshopers rugby ground and over a bridge above the M55  Motorway. Keeping to the left hand fork brought us past a couple of barn  conversions opposite which, to the left, a muddy track through the trees  brought us to a single lane path alongside the motorway fence.

Continuing along this route and passing a quarry on the right, brought us to  a footbridge back across the motorway into an area of fenced off fields  which forced us to walk around the perimeter. The fencing was an  undoubted sign of intended house development which seemed rife in the  area.

Arriving at the opposite side of the field allowed us to cross a footbridge into  the next field and subsequently exit by another to follow a narrow path  around a fence forming the security of Houghton House Farm, which wasn’t  really a farm at all but a very lavish house behind security gates, Following  the lane past other elegant properties brought us to a new road, William  Young Way, which we crossed and followed a track leading us to another  area of Lightfoot Lane, where we turned left. This brought us to Tom Benson  Way and crossing to a path at the side of the former Ingol Golf course noted  another area of fencing and properties being built. Taking a path to the right  allowed us to cross the open area which no longer resembled anything like a  golf course having long since been abandoned. We emerged onto Wood  Drive at the end of which Tanterton Hall Rd offered a bench seat where it  was decided to pause for our refreshment break.

Resuming our journey and crossing back over the road and following the  fence line on our left, soon revealed a metal restrictor allowing us to pass on  to a track leading to the rear of various properties along Mayfield Ave.  Crossing Dovedale Ave we arrived at Oaktree Ave where we turned left into  Lower Greenfield which was a cul-de-sac of detached properties. Making  our way through, we found that between numbers 40 and 41, a path of steps  led us down to an open area and subsequently over a footbridge to an  upward slope of steps through an area of trees. Arriving at a concrete path  we turned right, bringing us out on to Walker Lane where we turned left. The road soon led us past the impressive gates of Greyfriars Hall, at one time  the home of the Bradshaw family owners of Bradshaw Motors in Preston.  The 7ft+ high perimeter wooden fence surrounding the grounds would  provide many weeks work for a painter to keep it in good condition.

At the bottom of a hill, we turned left at Roseacre Cottage dating back to  1842 and followed a footpath sign along the side of Sharoe Brook through a  woodland, continued to a footbridge on the left adjacent to the rail line.  Following this path brought us back to the initial bridge crossing point where  we turned back to regain our starting point having completed 5 miles.

From the previous time of carrying out this walk in September 2018, the  changes in scenery by way of building development has been truly amazing  and the indications are that it will continue a pace. Despite the few areas of  muddy ground, the paths and lack of stiles had been our salvation and  everyone had enjoyed what had probably been the best day of the week.