Ashurst Beacon from Appley Bridge

On the 2nd January I caught the train to Appley Bridge – a short ride of only 2 stops from Wigan – for a walk up to Ashurst Beacon. It wasn’t my first walk of the year as I’d been for a shortish wander in the Plantations on New Year’s Day. My walk took me from the village up to the top of the hill and then down to the canal for an easy stroll back to the station. It was a potentially muddy route but it was a cold, clear day so, higher up at least, the ground was hard underfoot, although it was muddy lower down for the final stretch to the canal, so I didn’t manage to avoid getting my boots dirty as well as the bottom of my trouser legs. I should have worn my gaiters to save some washing!

I crossed over the canal bridge and set off down the road.

Shortly after the bridge I could have taken the path through the fields but as that tends to be muddy even during fairly dry spells I carried on along the road, turning down Lees Lane before leaving the tarmac as I climbed up the hill.

Looking back across the fields as I climbed there were good views across to the West Lancashire Moors

I varied my route slightly from the other times I’d been up to the Beacon, and passed Stone Hall, a Grade 2 listed building, from the early 18th Century.

I carried on along the lane and turned off onto a path climbing along the edge of the fields that took me to Long Heys Lane, a narrow tarmacked road. A short walk on the tarmac, passing behind the now derelict Prince William. I used to bring visitors up to this former pub and restaurant when I had an office in Orrell, 2 or 3 miles away so I was sad to see it in such a poor condition. It was shut by the brewery (Robinsons) back in 2020. Another victim of the Covid lockdown, perhaps.

Turning of the road it was a short walk along to the Beacon.

The tower, a Grade 2 Listed Building, was built in 1798 for Sir William Ashurst as a watch tower to warn of a French invasion in the lead up to the Napoleonic War. before the trees were planted and grown there was a good view all around including to the coast at Liverpool and Southport. It’s likely that this was also the site of an earlier relay beacon from the Elizabethan period when there was a threat of invasion by an earlier enemy, the Spanish.

It was cold in the wind but I sheltered behind the structure for a bite to eat and a drink of hot Vimto from my flask. I got chatting with the father of a family, who used to come up as a boy.

The tower and it’s surroundings was left to Wigan Corporation in 1962 “for the enjoyment of the people of Wigan“. although it’s now in West Lancashire District (although one of the people of Wigan was there to enjoy it!). The plaque commemorating this, however, disappeared from the side of the tower some time ago.

Moving on, I descended down quiet lanes and paths towards the canal

with views across to the West Pennines (with Pendle Hill just visible)

and Parbold Hill across the Douglas Valley.

At the bottom of the hill there was a short walk along Lees Lane which I’d turned off to climb the hill, before I took a path towards the canal, part of it being rather slutchy.

The path crossed the River Douglas

just before I reached the Leeds Liverpool canal at Bridge 40.

I had a few options here but decided to take the easy route along the canal towpath back to Appley Bridge

I made my way back to the train station where I had a wait of about 20 minutes for my train.

October 2023

Time is relative. According to Einstein, the rate at which it passes depends entirely on your speed and acceleration at any given moment. He forgot to add that it also depends on how old you are. It certainly seems that way to me as the years just seem to zip past these days. It was definitely true this October. The start of the Academic year meant there was a lot of work related activity but I also managed to get out and about too. But I haven’t kept up with recording what I’ve been up to, partly because I’ve been doing stuff but also because after having to spend time staring at a screen for work, I didn’t feel too inclined to turn it back on when I had some free time. There’s a stack of stuff I haven’t recorded and so although I don’t usually write posts covering several activities, given that my memory’s like a sieve, I’m going to make an exception for last month or I’ll never catch up.

Early in the month, one afternoon I caught the train over to Manchester as I wanted to see the latest film by Ken Loach which was showing at Home (a confusing name for an arts venue.) I had a bit of a wander round Manchester first as the train went into Victoria. Home is near Oxford Road station but there aren’t many trains that go direct to thee from Wigan.

I paid my respects to Emily Pankhurst

Arriving at Home I had a bite to eat then had a look around the current exhibition. As is usual for Home, the exhibits were multi-media.

I made my way upstairs to watch the film

This is, possibly, loach’s last ever film. As is usual for him, it address a topical social concern – in this case the reaction of a former mining community in the north east to the arrival of a group refugees to be housed in their village. Initially there’s a split reaction with some, if not most, of the community being hostile. But Loach is a optimist and there was a positive ending.

October is the end of the Rugby League season, the culmination being the Grand Final held at Old Trafford, the so called “Theatre of Dreams”, the home of Manchester United. This year Wigan who had topped the table, made it through the play-offs and were in the final to face Catalan Dragons, the second time the French team had appeared. I bought tickets and off we went on a cold, showery day on the 14th.

The teams enter the stadium

The Wigan supporters in the Stretford End

It was tight, low scoring game, with defences on top and only one try (unusual for Rugby League). Nail biting, but it was a good result at the end, 10 -2, with Wigan victorious!

The weather was awful for much of the month so that, combined with work commitments, meant I didn’t get much walking in, but I tried to take advantage of the limited number of windows of decent weather, with some local walks.

A few days after the Grand Final I caught the Southport train, getting off at Appley Bridge, just 2 stops down the line, to head along the canal and then up to Ashurst Beacon. I’d more or less followed the route last November, but this time I traversed it n the opposite direction to add some variation. After all the rain it was muddy in places but it was a decent day, if a little windy.

On the tow path

Looking across the fields from the canal towards the Beacon

Looking towards Winter Hill and the moors

Approaching the summit

Returning to Appley Bridge I decided to re-join the canal towpath and extend the walk to Gathurst – the next stop on the line, nearer to Wigan

where the M6 crosses the railway line which crosses the canal!

Toward the end of the month I managed to get out for another walk around Rivington and Anglezarke. I knew that the moors would be sodden, so chose a route that would minimise my exposure to the quagmire.

Parking up near Rivington Hall and its barn, I made my way up the hill, to the Pigeon Tower

and then took the old road over to Horden Stoops

Looking over to the moors from the old road

After a short walk along the Rivington to Belmont Road, I took the path on to the moor to head over to the ruins of Hempshaws’ farms. Time for some bog hopping!

I then joined the farm track and followed it to Lead Mines Clough – the best way of keeping my boots reasonably dry.

Reaching the road I decided to make my way through the fields back to Rivington

We also had a family day out (except for son as we didn’t give him enough notice!) to Dunham Massy, a National Trust property and deer park just south of Altrincham. We’ve visited many times over the years but hadn’t been for some time.

We had a look in the house

Haile Selassie slept here

It had turned into a very pleasant autumn afternoon and we had a wander around the gardens

and then around the deer park

where we spotted a few deer

The old mill

The nearby fields were flooded, the water completely covering the footpath towards the pub!

It was getting late, so time to make our way back to the car, passing the old stables

the 500 year old oak tree

and the view over the lake to the hall and gardens

A good day out and even the M6 wasn’t too busy on the drive home!

Our offspring had a short break in Berlin the next week and the day after they returned I headed off with J to Scotland for our autumn break – a little later in the year than normal. So there’s a lot more write up. Best get typing soon.