Midge Walkers

Walk  No. 87

Grange Park

Having battled through the traffic of Blackpool Rd Ribbleton, our starting point was the Morrison’s car park. The temperature was a balmy 8 degrees C, albeit a dampness permeated the air, ensuring the 8 strong contingent dressed suitably to withstand whatever was thrown at us.

Leaving at 2.00 p.m. our route took us along the disused railway track, now suitably surfaced, in the general direction of Longridge, and mirrored a walk we had taken on a previous occasion. Passing under Blackpool Rd, we continued along the pathway until arriving at Gammul Lane, the site of a former station, we had to emerge to cross the road and then regain the pathway on the opposite side.

Continuing over the motorway bridge we emerged on to Bluebell Way adjacent to the Booths distribution centre and head office. Skirting the boundary fence, we found ourselves following a section of the Guild Wheel which took us to the main Longridge road, where we turned left until arriving at the crematorium drive which we followed. Prior to the end of the drive the route turned right and took us through Redscar Woods, which unsurprisingly took us to the rear of the industrial site formerly occupied by Courtaulds.

Despite having been assured that “ rain at seven, clear by eleven” had been quoted by learned members of well wishers, today was to prove a contradiction, as it was now considerably wetter than at the start.The offer to stop for our coffee break whilst still under the partial shelter of the woods, on this occasion was declined, and we emerged into open fields which in former times had been the original Grange Park. Still following a pathway which gave way to muddy areas, brought about by the recent bouts of adverse weather, we subsequently re- crossed over the Motorway by means of a footbridge, which brought us to the new Grange Park, where snowdrops, daffodils and even rhododendrons were already showing signs of blooming.

Following the pathway through the park we came across the ruins of what we have subsequently found to be Ribbleton Hall, and took a course through Grange Valley to emerge at the junction of Ribbleton Hall Drive, and Ribbleton Avenue. We crossed the road, turning into Chatburn Rd and continued to regain the railway track we had followed a couple of hours earlier, and returned to our starting point.

As promised this had been a walk on predominantly good hard standing pathways, no stiles and table top flat of approximately 4.5 miles duration and despite the adverse weather which prevailed during the majority of the route, had been an enjoyable pastime from which I am sure we all benefitted