Winter Wanderings

The walk of Monday 27th December, 2021

As many times I have strolled along Pool Hey Lane in Southport’s / Scarisbrick’s boundary area, I’d never actually headed off towards the oddly named “Snape Green” a location that I had inadvertently entered on a walk home from work way back in 2019. Today was time to change that and get out of the Christmas festivities if only for a few glorious hours. As usual for a UK Christmas the weather was changeable in that there looked to be rain on the horizon but the air temperature was invitingly warm enough for leisure walking.

Pool Hey Lane was its usual peaceful self and to be honest traffic in general was not an issue throughout this walk. I was temporarily captivated by some horses being ridden around a tiny arena on Wyke Cop Road as they appeared to build up quite a pace over not much distance, they have much better defined calf and thigh muscles than me! I had to comment (to anyone who would listen) that the atmosphere had a very pronounced “Brassica” aroma which given the time of year was only to be expected. Still rather the smell of fresh vegetation than the aroma of car brake linings so all was well. It has to be said that this was not my most challenging walk ever, although it could be included in the illusive ‘most refreshing yomp! The hardest section was trying to get across the race-track which is the A570 Southport Road at Carr Cross / Snape Green which must have taken a couple of minutes.

From here the craving to deviate from a more linear passage to a circular one was overwhelming as I turned left onto the semi-rural Turning Lane which after passing distractions such as a pair of farms and a caravan park delivered me onto Jacksmere Lane and the inevitable and dubious Birkdale Cop for a twenty-five minute dice with death as I pounded on over towards the path under construction at the south-western edge of our estate. A lovely walk indeed.

And the accompanying photos are here: Watch the Video on You Tube.