Wednesday, 22nd May 2013

Walk: Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve
Start Point: Hesketh Arms, Rufford Grid Reference: SD 460 155
Distance: 5.5 miles Ascent: <100 feet
Time: 2.5 hours    
Weather: Sunny with passing cloud, but quite windy. Cool.
Comments: After passing through the wood we were in wide open country. All the fields here are for crops and this is done on an industrial scale. It was a change from the normal type of Lancashire walk, with plenty of opportunity to look at a distant horizon and a very big sky. 21 people took part.

Scroll down to see photos of the walk

Swathes of lettuce near Mere Sands Wood

 

It's back breaking work harvesting this crop

 

Rape growing alongside Rufford Boundary Sluice

 

The leader checks on his followers at Sandy Way

 

Windmill Animal Farm in the distance - A day trip for school children

 

Brassicas growing on Tarlscough Moss

 

Follow this sign to Martin Mere Nature Reserve

 

One of the many drainage ditches on the Moss

 

A queue of prospective purchasers

 

A few swallows made an appearance but not a single curlew showed its face

 

On Curlew Lane

 

Preparing the soil . . .

 

for this machine to sow the seed

 

Protecting the brassicas - with wind playing on it, it resembled a seething sea

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