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gerald and mavis lovely pictures Jim

Jim Here leaving the station and taking a photo of the famous Uncle Joe's Mint Ball factory, the motion of the train creates a "blown over" effect on the verticals in the picture.

Jim On the platform.

Geoff Craven Thanks Jim. I'm amazed at how much greener and cleaner this part of the world has become in the last 50 years. Please keep doing this.

Jim Thanks Bill, I was sorely tempted to use that Waylon Jennings, Sally Was A Good Old Girl I watched you shaking it to in grand style the other night - not bad for someone who will be 90 in Feb. Rock on Fodge.

Jim Today I am using a cheap camera I bought as a backup - its' a Vivitar Viv/cam 7690 on offer at Comet for £19.95 but you need a memory card for it.

Jim Trains to Southport 24 mins. past the hour. Gathurst to Wigan 25 past the hour. (A.B. 22 mins. past) Bus 640 Gathurst Bridge lights 03 mins. past, via Orrell Post - Pemberton - Wigan - but check.

Bill F The music sets the mood for this walk , quiet , thoughtful , mixed memories , some of long ,long ago ,others of recent outings , then brought back to now by details of the train .Food for thought !!.

Jim Here you pass a farm swing bridge.

Jim Gathurst Bridge - for the rail station, walk towards the camera and turn left up the station approach, or just behind the camera is a bus stop for buses to Wigan.

Jim Well here we are on the platform of Gathurst station - Wigan is just a five minute train ride away. The station building left is now a pub, daytime openings, Sat. and Sundays.

Jim It is quiet and pleasant as you stroll along the canal.

Jim A family out on bikes pass me by.

Jim Ahead a first glimpse of the M6 viaduct carrying the motorway over the Douglas Valley.

Jim The locks and toll house near Gathurst.

Jim A narrowboat has just come through the lock.

Jim An overspill or bywash on the locks - there are two locks here. This is the run off from the higher one.

Jim The old toll cottage - use to collect tolls from the barges in the old days.

Jim In the basin by the side of the lock the pleasure boat the Kittiwake turns around to return to Wigan Pier. This hires out for group outings

Jim A good view of the underside of the M6 viaduct betwen junctions 26/27

Jim Watch out! here comes the Kittiwake again..

Jim ..It's getting nearer - dont worry he swung his pole to the side just in time.

Jim Here we are at Gathurst - here you can leave the canal and catch a train back to Wigan. Or if you wanted you could just carry on walking to Wigan Pier 3 miles away and walk up Wallgate to the start.

Jim Journey time to Appley Bridge is about ten minutes

Jim Start: You catch a Southport train from Wallgate Station, and book two stations to Appley Bridge. Seniors bus pass takes you to Appley Bridge free. Check it stops at Appley Bridge before boarding.

Jim You walk out of the station and turn left.

Jim ..to walk downhill to the canal bridge you can see painted blue..

Jim ..where you turn left on to the towpath to walk towards Gathurst and Wigan. Walk time - Gathurst about 45 minutes - Wigan 2 hours.

Jim I walk towards the swing bridge.

Jim ..I reach the bridge just has it has been swung across to let a canal narrowboat through.

Jim There was a fishing match in progress so there are lots of fishing poles for it to avoid.

Jim ..but everyone knows the drill - the anglers swing their poles to the side to let boats pass.

Jim Just past the swing bridge I spot a path that skirts a meadow, following the River Douglas before returning to the towpath again. Dont worry you can just stay on the towpath and enjoy the same views.

Jim Appley Bridge in the distance.

Jim Down below these banks of flowers is the River Douglas that flows through the centre of Wigan.

Jim The River Douglas. Before they cut the Leeds Liverpool Canal in the 1790s, this was turned into a canal for transporting Wigan coal to the coast.

Jim In the trees in the distance is a large heronry.

Jim The path around the meadow now brings me back to the towpath. I continue walking towards Gathurst.

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