Walk leader:  Sue Lomax

No on walk:   25

Distance:      12.4 miles

Weather:       Sun, cloud and light "mizzle"

A group of 25 of us and 1 dog set off from Prince William pub in Dalton.  We walked down the lane past Athertons farm and continued on the tree lined track down to meet the road near Halliwell farm.  Further field paths took us down to the road through Appley Bridge.

We soon turned off to follow the Leeds Liverpool canal for nearly a mile before leaving it to cross fields into the woods at Fairy Glen. This deep valley follows the course of Sprodley Brook.  Crossing over the busy A5209 we followed more field paths to the road at High Moor Lane.  En-route several blackberries were eaten by most members of the group!

We turned up the driveway to Harrock Hall then turned off up the footpaths towards our first high point Harrock Hill.  We walked past the remains of the old windmill and soon came out into the open fields above Lower Barn.  Despite the slightly murky conditions there was still a good view out towards the coast at Blackpool and across towards Liverpool Bay.

A short road section took us up to Hunters Hill before dropping down through fields (with a lot of well-behaved Belted Galloway cattle) to the outskirts of Parbold.  Crossing the A5209 for the second time we walked along Wood Lane before turning down to cross the railway line and pass the site of the old Douglas Chapel. 

Crossing over the Leeds Liverpool canal and river Douglas we made our way to Priors Wood Farm. Then began the last climb of the day via Hillock Lane and field paths to Ashurst Beacon. This was built in 1798 by Sir William Ashurst as a watch tower to warn of a French invasion in the lead up to the Napoleonic war.

It was then just a short walk back to the Prince William where a number of us made good use of the facilities and went inside for a welcome drink.

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