| Walk: | Adlington, Blackrod and Little Scotland | ||
| Start Point: | Worthington Lakes near Standish | Grid Reference: | SD 579 105 |
| Distance: | 8 miles | Ascent: | 400 feet |
| Time: | 4.5 hours | ||
| Weather: | Cool but sunny until after lunch when it started to cloud over | ||
| Comments: | Worthington Lakes consists of three
reservoirs completed in 1870 to supply Wigan. The lakes now form
part of a 50 acre country park which is owned by United Utilities
and is open to the public all year round. The reservoirs are
Adlington Lake to the north and Worthington Reservoir to the south
with Arley Lake in between both. United Utilities also have a school
children’s Environment Centre at the lakes. On leaving the car park the group headed north alongside the lakes to Arley Wood. On the way they were rewarded with some of autumn's magical colours reflected in the water. Soon after passing Crawshaw Hall the group got a taste of the environment when plodding over ploughed fields and along muddy woodland paths on the way to the River Arley. It was intended to continue through Arley Woods and to ascend steps to the Leeds to Liverpool Canal. But remembering the state of the ground when doing a recce for the walk, the leader decided instead to use part of Rotary Way along the canal path. In doing so, his party of twenty eight may have upset several men taking part of an angling competition. At bridge “68” the group left the canal to cross the A6 in Adlington. Passing through a trading estate the group soon regained a rural path to arrive back at the A6 north of Blackrod. Leaving the A6 behind, the leader took is charges towards Aberdeen Farm to start an onslaught of several stiles and waterlogged fields to reach Blundell Lane. Unfortunately the intended lunch site had been “re-arranged” and that is why people could be seen sitting on a grass bank at the side of a lane eating their lunch and being slightly warmed by the sun. After lunch the leader was so engrossed in his map and dodging dog dirt that he missed a stile and had to turn back after a few yards. A few Brownie Points lost here! He did however remember the rest of the route and got the group back to base unharmed although a little tired and muddy. Incidentally, the leader was informed that some of the Scottish names such as Little Scotland and Aberdeen Farm etcetera came to be because previous owners of the nearby Haigh Hall were of Scottish descent. Nikon Norman |
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Scroll down to see photos of the walk
Early Winter at Arley Lake
Leaving Worthington Lakes car park
On the perimeter of Arley Wood
A narrow strip of turf!
Bridge number 68 on the Leeds to Liverpool canal
Descending into Arley Wood from Wigan golf course
Re-entering Worthington Lakes
Winter visitors
Winter visitors in the sun
The embankment separating Adlington and Arley Lakes
Early afternoon reflections at Arley Lake