Blakemere Woods

This mornings walk around Blakemere Woods. Nice and cool under the shady trees. A few dog walkers seen through the foliage. Took a few photos behind trees for Allen Bukoff. Afterwards we looked round the antique emporiums but found no bargains. All a bit pricey now sadly. We have enough junk anyway!

Blakemere Woods

This mornings wander around the woods at Blakemere. Passed the miniature railway and new station and bridge to the Enchanted Woods which are lit up on special nights with galleons and haunted houses etc. In broad daylight they look a little less impressive. Then to the antique emporiums to try and find some bargains but tricky when the prices seem to go up all the time. We enjoyed stretching our legs in the sunshine anyway which was the main purpose of our mornings ramblings.

Bluebells - Marbury

More wanderings in the woods at Marbury to see the last knockings of the gorgeous bluebells, wild garlic, the greenery! The birds are twitterpated! Nearly gone but still looking delightful. So good for one's soul. Nature heals.

Marbury Country Park

Nice wander around Marbury this morning. The sun popped out occasionally but it was mostly cloudy and a bit nippy. Hazel got some plants from the garden centre. Saw the first bluebells of Spring ( early for Cheshire anyway!) which don't usually appear until the end of April. Good to have a wander and althougb the car park was full the woods were very quiet except the chirping of the birds and the distant bark of a labradoodle.

Marbury Woods

Lovely walk in Marbury woods this morning in the sunshine. Bluebells looking good - should be even better next week. Blossom was good too. Hazel full of the joys of Spring! Lots of mad dogs and englishmen out in the early morning sun! Went a bit snap happy with the camera!

Walk In Blakemere Woods

Pleasant wander around the woods at Blakemere - passed the miniature railway and the piles of logs and fallen trees. The owner threatens to build a large fence around it which will be a shame.  Afterwards to the antique emporiums to rummage through piles of junk.  I bought two postcards for 50p each (last of the big spenders!) one, a nice painting of Pier Hill in Southend around 1906.  Hazel bought something but I'm not at liberty to say what it is - Xmas present.  Thankfully very quite although the car park was surpisingly full . Where did everybody go?  The Play Barn?  The Wild Bird santuary?  The Candle shop?  It's a mystery. 
 

Lostock Walk

 Actually two walks - one on Saturday over at Anderton where the photo of me was take with a wooden reindeer we found in the woods.  Yesterdays walk was over in Lostock after we dropped off Hazel's Mom's chicken and other groceries as we do every Sunday morning.  A quicj walk to the brine pumps and the hissy pipes .  This is what passes for entertainment in these days of lockdown!

Marbury and Garden Centre

 Friday morning walk over at Marbury Country Park which wasn't too crowded for a change.  I think it gets busier at weekends so Friday is a good day to walk in the woods and by the lake.  A friendly twitcher who socially distanced in the bird hide we sat in told us he was looking out for the bittern - a rare and shy bird that he'd spotted and photographed before.  He showed us a photo that was very impressive , of a bittern blending in very well with the brown reeds.  Also some lovely shots of kingfishers he's seen at the very spot we occupied.  Mind you, he did have a very large and expensive looking camera with a telephoto lens about a yard long!   Afterwards  we wandered over to the garden centre as Hazel wanted to buy some plants for her Mom and sister.  The walled garden was full of Xmas trees.  We were tempted but will buy one nearer Christmas when hopefully they will be a little cheaper.

Marbury Road/ Neumann's Flashes

Early morning walk to Marbury Road and Neumann's Flashes and surrounding area through Carey Park.  Always amazed how big this nature reserve is and the paths that go off in all directions to Marbury, Anderton, Northwich etc. A few dog walkers and joggers but most stayed out of our way.  Hazel picked a few late blackberries but they were puny specimens so she left them on a gate post for the birds. Afterwards popped into Matalan for some bedding.  Horrible self service tills in there now.  More buttons to press!  Good job we have several gallons of hand sanitiser to apply afterwards.  Hazel foolishly tried the new self service ASDA pretrol station which comepletely baffled her and she ended up phoning up the helpline to see if she's paid for the previous users petrol as her reciept said "cancelled".  They weren't much help apparently.  She won't be using them again.

Marbury Woods

Pleasant wander round the lake at Marbury this morning distributing sunflower seeds and wedging peanuts behind creepers and on tree stumps. The woods were busy with walkers and mad dogs in their new year outfits - terriers in waistcoats, greyhounds in aprons, jack russells in tabbards etc.

Only a short walk as we had to go and take down the Xmas decorations and lights at Granma's place afterwards. Stuffing tinsel into bags isn't my idea of fun but it was soon done and we had a cup of tea a chat.

Marbury Park Walk

Pleasant walk in the squelchy leaves down the frosty woods in Marbury this afternoon. Dec. 1st. 2019

The light was amazing through the trees and over the autumnal foliage - what' s left of it! Sat in the bird hide we saw a sneaky rabbit pass by and a few blue tits land for some seeds but they had all gone. Had we known we could have bought some. Lots of mad dogs sploshing about in the muddy puddles and one raced off being followed by two lots of frantic calling couples - "Tobious! Gropious! Come back - where are you?!"

Marbury Again!

Good Friday - wandering around town - got some CD boxes for 49p from Scope. Then off to Marbury for another walk round the blue bells. They looked brighter in the warm sunshine. Woods were alive with mad wet dogs and the smell of wild garlic. Or was it the smell of wild dogs and the mad garlic?