Getting out and about in Burscough for some much needed fresh air therapy and the benefit on your mental health.
Engaging in outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, or cycling allows us to connect with nature and escape the daily stresses of life. The fresh air can help clear our minds and provide a sense of clarity and calmness. It can also help improve our sleep patterns and boost our energy levels.
Unusually, It's been a beautiful weekend to start the school half term holidays so a friend and I decided to take advantage of this and have a little 5 mile walk in and around Burscough, skirting the edge of Rufford (this bit wasn't planned). Leaving the map at home we decided to go blind and despite living here all of my life, our journey led into areas we'd never visited before.
We decided to start by mooching along the Leeds to Liverpool Canal to have a little nosey at the progress of for the forthcoming re-opening of the Ring O'Bells Pub in Lathom. As a resident of Burscough with a family, this pub has been sorely missed and we are all looking forward to to the opening weekend on the 4th & 5th of November 2023. They are busy working hard to ensure that everything is just perfect and we must say, we were very impressed with what we could see after having a sneaky peak through the railings. It's defintely going to be popular with families with their fantastic playground area at the rear of the car park.
Following this we headed down Ring 0'Bells lane and headed off down Meadow Lane a sneaky little road linking Lathom to Rufford which you may drive down at your own risk. A narrow lane with no footpath, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the driver who didn't feel they had time to slow down as they passed us and felt we needed a little cool down with the help of the puddles at the side of the road.
Not easily put off, we came to the bottom were we met the railway crossing and the option of three directions. Going left, we would have cut short the walk, going right we would have been heading right out of Burscough and although we wanted to get our steps in, we also wanted to get home before dark, so we headed straight on! Straight on past some beautiful properties and saying hi to a couple of friendly donkeys, we continued to head down a long quiet road which we had then worked out runs paralell to Moss Lane into Rufford. To the left, the Leeds to Liverpool Canal must be somewhere so we steered left down a track and across the edge of a couple of fields until we can across a stream which we think was called "Eller brook".
Plodding along past a couple of derelict towers which started many conversations about what they were, and we're still none the wiser. By this time we could see that we were heading back to Burscough and in the direction we wanted to be in. We diverted off the "Eller Brook" and continued through the railway passing down Sutch Lane and back across to walk back down the Leeds to liverpool canal and through Top Locks, the home of the popular "The Ship, Lathom".
Formally known as the "Blood Tub" it is based on Wheat Lane and can be accessed by walking down the canal or by car. So if you're looking for a car with lots of character, history and serves fantastic wholesome food, this is the place to be.
And then we were on our last leg, again on the canal and heading just past Burscough Wharf, which although it has lots of great venues such as Hugo's, The Sinners Club, and the newist additition Kaizen Sushi & Eatery the blisters had kicked in and our final destination was our regular haunt, The Old Packet House. Recently taken over, this family ran pub has a great friendly atmosphere and serves great ales.
So that's it, a great way to spend a couple of hours and get some steps under our belts, and of course ending it with friends and family and cheeky pint. An afternoon well spent benefitting from injecting some fresh air therapy into our dailly routine, nourishing our mind, body and soul.
Remember, fresh air therapy is not a substitute for professional help. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, it's important to reach out to a healthcare professional for guidance and support.
Comentarios