Updated on the 29th November 2010.
Looking across towards Peel Tower on Holcombe Moor above Ramsbottom.
At the trig point on Cheetham Close.
At the trig point on Cheetham Close.
A large heron, modern art called "the Wader".
A very obliging Kestrel, just round the corner from the Strawberry Duck.
Icicles, a sign that it was still quite cool! Adjacent to the path from Turton Bottoms back to the Jumbles Country Park car park.
Walk stats:Distance:10.6 miles; Climb:1116'.
Time:4 hours 59 minutes; On the move walking average:2.5 m.p.h.; Overall walk average:2.1 m.p.h.
Group:Martyn, Roger, Dave J., Mike D., Carol and joined by Elaine and Paul for the last part of the walk.
Another glorious day for walking, a little on the cool side, especially if you forget your Paramo jacket! Despite the forecast of "partly cloudy", we seemed to have plenty of sunshine. The extension over Cheetham Close gave us good views towards Winter Hill and Holcombe Moor and the circuit around Turton and Entwistle Reservoir was a real bonus.You can see why so many of the locals enjoy walking around these reservoirs. We had lunch taking advantage of one of the many seats provided, three of us sat on the seat, and two sat on the wall alongside. Martyn provided some of his fruit cake for those daring enough to risk the alcohol present!
There didn't seem to be many birds on the reservoirs until we arrived at Wayoh Reservoir where Carol spotted some Goosanders, over a dozen in all, male and female in about equal numbers. The Goosander was definitely our bird of the day, but we did get some superb views of a Redwing and later on a Kestrel.
Elaine and Paul joined us for part of the return journey and were rewarded with a piece of fruit cake for their efforts to meet us before we got back to the car park! Attempts to communicate using modern technology failed miserably as mobile phone signals were absent for most of the walk.
Birds seen or heard today included:European robin, Blue tit, Great tit, Long-tailed tit, Blackbird, Mallard, Great cormorant, Pochard, Redwing, Buzzard, Black-headed gull, Herring gull, House sparrow, Dunnock, Black-billed magpie, Jay and Goosander.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the King William Hotel in Bromley Cross where Thwaites Bombadier and Original went down well, but the tea wasn't the best brew that I've ever tasted.
The high point of the day for me was meeting two locals since one was a very special friend from more than 20 years ago. It really was lovely to make contact again.
This a superb Winter walk, preferably to be repeated knowing that sections around Cheetham Close would be frozen, otherwise it would have great potential for being on the boggy side! It would be lovely to meet up with the locals again as well.
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