We’re back!
After a lovely morning with Jess’ cousins, Mel and Ste took us out for a lunch break walk around Heaton Park, which at 600 acres, is the biggest municipal park in Europe. And she’s a stunner.
Enormous beech trees tangled their way towards the sky as dogs bolted around the loveliest lawn of a dog park and one shot after a tiny shadow - a squirrel! Of course I lost my shit and the Brit and Americans were quite confused. One came up to me for a chat, so that made my day.
We walked past Heaton Hall, complete with peacocks and Orangery, a flock of goslings heading into the lake, and some very cute cows. The park was sold to Manchester City Council in 1902 and the hall was used as a military hospital in WWI. The views over the city and surrounding countryside are gorgeous.
In the afternoon, Jess and I headed to Ramsbottom, to do the walk up to Peel Tower. In addition to the excellent name, Ramsbottom’s Drycleaning Service informed us that whilst we have missed the town’s annual Duck Race this year, the Black Pudding Throwing contest is yet to come. Ste tells us that 1) the competition is to see who can throw the pudding the highest and 2) the prize is said black pudding.
Heading up through the village of Holocombe, we passed Shoulder of Mutton (a pub) and then began the rocky ascent up Holocombe Hill past a healthy mix of Angelica, Floxgloves, Nettles and Blackberries. No one fell in. The tower itself was only built in the 1850s to commemorate Prime Minister Robert Peel, who was born nearby.
On the way down, we passed some school holiday kiddies on a selection of heavily-feathered and docile riding school ponies. Further down, some sheep who seemed to think they were allowed to be there grazed on the roadside, and Jess was greeted by an English Pointer, which we didn’t know was a thing until today.
Back home, the cousins organised an excellent spread of Indian takeaway, accompanied by some Weingut Roterfaden wine, for a cute night in.
This featured blog entry was written by OaksGoWalking from the blog Hattie and Jess Go Walking.
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