Midge Walkers

Walk  No. 123

Ingol

11 regular adult members of the group assembled on Lightfoot Lane adjacent to the Free Methodist Church and set off at the appointed time of 1.45. Crossing a pedestrian bridge over the main West Lancs rail line, we continued for a short distance and turned right down Lightfoot Green Lane, now the subject of considerable house building on both sides. Passing the front of Preston Grasshoppers, the road took us over the M55 Motorway and alongside a couple of secluded barn conversions to a path through the trees which continued between a quarry and parallel with the motorway. A footbridge back over the Motorway led us to a couple of fields linked by small footbridges ultimately leading us along an exceedingly overgrown path skirting the outer perimeter of what we were told was Houghton House Farm at one time occupied by the football manager David Moyes.

After beating our way along the path, we emerged on to a side road linking us back to a different section of Lightfoot Lane, but still surrounded by new house developments. We had passed a gated property showing a for sale notice and indulged in our usual guessing as to the anticipated asking price. Not many of us got near to what we subsequently found to be £775,000. Not bad for a converted barn.

It was at this point, that a short shower caused us to adopt appropriate clothing, and we continued to cross Tom Benson Way to enter a tree lined route and followed around the perimeter of what had been Ingol Golf Course, now considerably overgrown as its owner, Mr Trevor Hemmings fights for approval to build on it. Emerging into the Tanterton area of Ingol, we followed the road until spying a bench stopped for our coffee break.

Rejuvenated, we continued, branching left along a footpath between properties, bringing us to a road junction and after turning left through a fairly select development, a path through the trees brought us back to a different area of the former golf course across which, following another path led us on to Walker Lane. Some of our number were seen to be collecting damsons from the hedgerows which doubtless would appear in some tasty format at a later date.

Passing the impressive gates of Greyfriars Hall, we continued around its 6ft+ wooden fenced perimeter, to arrive at Roseacre Cottage dated at 1842. A footpath to the side took us into a wooded area alongside Sharoe Brook. After a short distance, we spotted a young lad who, as young lads do, had been swinging on a rope swing and fell off landing awkwardly on his arm, which he believed was broken. Fortunately, one of his pals was with him, whilst another had gone to fetch his parents. We stopped with him for a short while just to ensure he was reasonably o.k. until his parents arrived.

The route continued through the trees to arrive at a footbridge branching us to the side of the rail line and back to our starting point. The promised 4.5mls actually turned out to be 4.5mls.

It was agreed that this had been an enjoyable walk and once again demonstrated that if there is a spot of greenery anywhere, someone is likely to build on it.

Our thanks, once again to the organisers and participants alike.