Canal Visit: Halsall

Yesterday we had hoped to go to the canal for a walk but the weather was so changable we couldnt tell whether it was going to pour down or have a heat wave. We headed towards some blue sky and away from the huge black cloud with mini tornados under it. We parked at Halsall by the Halsall Navvy. It was raining a bit and on the horizon towards Ormskirk the sky was black and it must have been pouring down. We only managed a very short walk but we saw some interesting flowers on the towpath: tufted vetch, hemp-agrimony and the usual yellow flowers that could be any one of many types!
It was a shame we didnt have more time on the towpath but we at least got some fresh air and used my new field guide to flowers. Even with the D SLR its tricky to get the flowers in focus. There were quite a few people on the towpath and the Saracens Head looked busy.

Canal Pub Review: Saracens Head Halsall

As it was a sunny summer evening and with a birthday to celebrate it seemed a good opportunity to go to the newly refurbished Sarcacens Head at Halsall.
From the outside not too much has changed. The pub now has a modern sign and some nice new wooden seating. The pub is lucky to have a large car park at the back so there was no problem finding somewhere to park. The pub re-opened 8 weeks ago and there are still signs that it is not quite finished yet, not least the fact that the main doors were still being fitted when we arrived.
Once you go inside you can see where the money was spent. The pub has been completely refurbished in a very classy modern style. There are some black and white photos of the old pub and canal scenes but there has been no attempt to recreate a country pub.
There were two menus, a bar menu and the dinner menu. the bar menu is available until 8pm, later than some pubs. We had the fish and chips, the gammon and a New York burger. When the food arrived any fears that they would be trendy (ie small) portions were gone. The food was hot, it hadnt been hanging around in the kitchen. The prices are good for that class of establishment, much better than the Blackburne Arms in Liverpool. We managed to fit in some deserts too, the apple crumble (served in a cup!) was hot and had plenty of apple.
There were a couple of negatives, we had started to look at our watches waiting for the food and the waitresses need a bit of practice and they need to smile more.
I recommend evryone to see this pub while it is newly refurbished and enjoy and meal and a drink while you are there.

Canal Walk: Halsall to Scarisbrick

Bank Holiday Monday and it isn't raining so it was off to the canal for towpath trek. Its been a while since I have had a walk on the canal and it was nice to be back.
We parked on the small car park next to Halsall Warehouse Bridge over the canal from the Saracens Head pub. We walked towards Scarisbrick to see how the new marina was progressing. The sky was grey and it was warm and a bit humid. There were lots of people out walking, fishing, and cruising.
The blossoms and hedgerow flowers were out and attracting butterflies.
The mysterious milepost painter has visited milepost 19 and pruned back the hedge and painted the milepost. Its now easily visible, before it was camouflaged.
Approaching the Red Lion caravan place by Scarisbrick bridge there is a new fence being built on the towpath. The field behind it will soon be a new marina. Its a shame that the fence wasnt built on the farm land rather than on the canal land. At least they haven't dug up and stolen the 20mile milepost to build it as they have at Rufford.
We turned around at the bridge and walked back stopping off to look for pottery in a newly ploughed field.

Canal Walk: Halsall

Today was more of a towpath toddle than a trek. With my trusty yet tubby retriever in tow we set off for a short walk. We parked at near the Sarcens Head pub, near bridge #25 Halsall Warehouse bridge. In the carpark by the bridge are two new pieces of sculpture. the first and most noticeable is the figure of a man emerging from the ground. He is naked with a shovel to hide his embarrasment. The other is a large piece of rock with a fish carved on it which doesn't look finished. I will have to return to see what it looks like when completed.



the weather was nice and we werent the only ones out for a walk by the canal. We headed towards the cutting, though my companion had started to pant not far after the pub. We made it to the next bridge Halsall Hill bridge #24 with some dragging and encouragement. I took photos of a boat passing under the bridge as my canine companion had a sit down to get her breath back.



Break over we headed back to the car. The hedgerow was in full fruit and autumn was in evidence across the fields. Soon the hedges will have died down and the mileposts will come out of hiding ready for the winter season of milepost hunting.

The sculpture is very impressive and its nice to find such artwork in a carpark by the canal. I hope there are other works of art being put along this stretch of canal. They would certainly add to the towpaths.

Canal Walk: Halsall

We started at Bridge #25 and walked to milepost 17 just after Haskayne Bridge #21A, about 3 miles round trip. The main feature of this walk is the cutting between Bridges 23 and 22. Halsall Cutting is where the first sod of the Leeds & Liverpool canal was cut back in the 18th century. Spring has definitely sprung and the towpaths are green again, the cutting is getting back to looking like an arboreal secret canyon and the ducks have tiny ducklings with them. The Spring feeling was briefly spoilt by the usual stench of sewage by the Ship Inn (nr bridge #22). On the return trip we saw a retriever and a spaniel enjoying a swim in the cut, the two happiest canal users on the whole 127.25miles. Further along the cutting there was a couple in a kayak, one of the best ways to enjoy the canal especially Halsall Cutting.

Canal Walk: Heatons Bridge

This afternoon it was sunny enough to be tempted out to the towpath at Heatons bridge (28). I was looking for some mile stones, today it was 21 and 22. The car park at Heatons bridge was full, a popular pub for a Sunday drink. Walking north to Martin Lane bridge (29) I passed a couple of people on bikes and some dog walkers. The field boundaires were the same as the 1894 OS map but there was no sign of milestone 22. I turned around and walked a mile in the other direction to look for milestone 21. On the way I passed milepost 21 and quite a few mallards sat sunning themselves on the side of the canal. Unfortunately again I was unable to find the milestone even though I could be confident of standing in the right place. Although its only early April it was too warm for my fleece so I turned around again and went back to the car.
On the way home I stopped off at Hulmes bridge (26) to look for the half mile post (19.5miles). I walked south up to Halsall Warehouse Bridge (25) passing milepost 19 then turned around to walk back past Hulmes bridge and on to Weavers bridge (27). There were a few people fishing and Vagabond from Riley Green was heading back north. No sign of the half mile post in the brambles, soon the hedge will be green again and I will have to wait until autumn to look for it again.
No luck with the milestones and mile post spotting but a nice short sunny walk on a day that was predicted to be rain and sleet!