Local Lockdown Dog Walk

9th January 2021

The cold spell continues and with a day off work and what should have been a blue sky day myself and Paula decided to take advantage of a free afternoon and take Brad and Holly out, a rarity given that I'd usually be on the fells enjoying the Winter conditions.

The forecast was for a dry and bright day which was just how it started then around lunchtime the mist started to descend, this I thought wouldn't last but it just happened that it did and to be honest, I'm pleased it did because the last hour of daylight turned out to be perfect.

 
 
 

Overview
Ascent: Moss Bridge had some steps
Wainwrights: N/A
Weather: A Dry But Misty Start Soon Lifting Revealing A Lovely Sunset Highs of 1°C Lows of 1°C
Parking: N/A
Area: Wigan Flashes
Miles: 2.3
Walking With: Paula, Brad & Holly
Ordnance Survey: 287
Time Taken: 1 Hours 30 Minutes
Route: Westwood Flash - Pearson's Flash - Moss Bridge - Bryn Flash - Moss Bridge - Scotsman's Flash
 

Photo Gallery

Frozen Westwood Flash 14:30pm 1°C
Due to the recent freeze Westwood Flash has been frozen for about a week now along with the canal just over my shoulder. It appears the lingering mist is starting to break as chinks of blue sky begin to poke through.

Heading along the Leeds & Liverpool canal.

It's not just the lakes which are frozen the tow path is too and to accommodate this I'm wearing my Salomon Winter boots while Paula is putting her trust in her Doc Marten boots, just in case you were wondering which colour, there the red ones which is kinda cool and takes me back to our first date 29 years ago when she turned up wearing Doc Marten boots.


Pulling up alongside Pearson's Flash.
Which was also frozen, Brad always explores the waters edge here but today we purposely kept him on his lead because we didn't want him trotting off on the frozen ice.

Looking over a frozen Leeds & Liverpool canal towards Scotsman Flash.
We'll be returning that way later.

That's the sun framed nicly between the trees.
Taken by Paula.

Heading towards Bryn Flash now.
We climbed the steps at Moss Bridge and crossed the canal onto the opposite tow path, now heading for Bryn Flash over what is usually very muddy ground but today it's all frozen.

 
 

Continuing along the tow path.
 

Ready, steady GO!
We wanted to take a picture of Brad and Holly togeather but this is no easy feat so Paula held them both while I ran ahead, knelt down then Paula let them go.

Crazy these two.

It looks like Brad has the edge on Holly but on a open field playing together Holly can run rings around Brad with her slender body. Both seven years of age now, both still crackers.

Holly and Brad have returned from the groomers a few weeks ago and while Holly enjoyed her pamper day Brad wasn't so lucky. To cut a long story short Brad hates being cut to the point the last time he was cut by the groomer she rang us asking could we collect him after only just managing to cut him because he really made things difficult for her.

After that to get Brad groomed our vet had to put him to sleep which was very costly because he's a little over weight! So this time we thought we'd cut him ourselves and Brad was much more comfortable with me cutting him in his own home. If you hold your hand over one eye and squint with the other you can't tell!


Bryn Flash.
I explained to Paula that this was my favourite lake to visit and she instantly knew why.

 
 

Frozen Bryn flash.
We were joined by a local dog walker who took interest in Paula's Doc Marten's as he explained he was into the MOD scene and Lamberetta scooters. Turns out he only lives a few streets away from us.

Bryn Flash.
While them two chatted about Doc Marten's I carried on taking a few pictures. BTW all of todays photo's were taken using my mobile phone.

Love this place.
 

Time to head back now.
Just as the mist is starting to lift.

Heading through the trees towards the Leeds & Liverpool canal.
Holly is back on her lead now mainly because there's too many cyclists about and she doesn't like bikes. Or let me rephrase that, she loves bikes, that's why she chases them!

 
 

 
 

 
 

Looking towards Moss Bridge.
From the Leeds and Liverpool canal.

It's almost sunset.
Seen here from the southern tip of Scotsman Flash.

Sun setting over a frozen Scotsman Flash.
It's not very often we see Scotman's Flash froozen.

Magic.
 

Sun setting over Scotsman Flash.
 

Fire and ice.
 

 
 

Last embers of the day.
Lockdown wouldn't seem so bad if we could have days like this everyday.

 

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