HEATON with
OXCLIFFE & LANCASTER/MORECAMBE CYCLEWAY
Summary
Date - 14th January 2010
Distance - 8.5 miles
Map - 296
Start point - Hayfell Ave,
Morecambe (SD 440633)
The Walk
Shaun with Little Eric hitching a
ride on his back wandered in with Tetley, to find Allen and
Grizzly looking very glum and unhappy.
"Whatever is the matter?",
asked Shaun.
Allen responded, "You know we
were supposed to be walking with Uncle Eric today. Well, he has
just phoned Dad to say that it has had to be cancelled, as there
is snow in Kendal, and the road from his house is so icy, that he
cannot get his car up the hill."
"I know it is disappointing,
but it is better to be safe than sorry", said Tetley, trying
to console him.
Just then Dad came in to the room.
"I guess you heard about Uncle Eric having to cancel, but
never fear there is still time for us to do a walk, and I have
decided to redo the one that we can start from home. It will save
time in not having to drive anywhere, especially as before we set
off I have to do some errands for Uncle Brian."
Allen and Grizzly's expressions
brightened visibly, and they both shouted out "hooray",
in unison.
Once the errands were done, Dad got
the rucksack out and we jumped in ready for the off. He soon had
his boots and coat on and was ready to go. We all called out
goodbyes to Uncle Brian and our other Hug pals and off we went,
Dad marching up the drive of the house and along the street. The
house is called Atlow-Fowey after favourite places of Uncle Brian
and Dad, but we just refer to it as the Bears Den!
On to Westgate, where we went left
and walked along to the bridge and on to the cycle path, going
left towards Morecambe. There had been a light dusting of snow
overnight so the paths were white.
Yes, the path is very level and
straight, and some readers might comment that it looks like the
track bed of a railway line, and indeed you would be correct. The
"Little" North Western Railway (NWR) line between
Morecambe and Lancaster was opened on Whit Monday 1848. When the
North Western Railway was absorbed by the Midland Railway in 1874,
they then set about on a scheme to build a grand new station on
the Promenade, which opened in 1907, and the following year the
Heysham - Morecambe - Lancaster service was electrified. In 1957
the only intermediate station was opened to serve a new housing
estate at Scale Hall on the approach to Lancaster but was short
lived. In 1958 a section of the
line either side of this station was used for experiments in
connection with the subsequent electrification of the West Coast
Main Line. The Lancaster terminus was Green Ayre station on the
south bank of the River Lune and remained open until the
passenger services were withdrawn. Also from Green Ayre there was
a service to Leeds. The line ran initially beside the river Lune
to Caton and Claughton then joining the line from Carnforth at
Wennington. Electric services between Heysham - Morecambe -
Lancaster were withdrawn in 1966 and, at the same time Morecambe
- Leeds services were re-routed via Carnforth.
Well after the history lesson, we
had better get on with the walk. Striding along the path we soon
came to a junction where a path curved off left, which was the
route we took.
"Does this have any
significance in connection with the old railway?", asked
Grizzly.
Dad explained, "this was where
the spur went off to Heysham for direct trains to and from
Lancaster. It then joined with another track to and from
Morecambe, which incidentally still exists, effectively forming a
triangular junction."
"Thanks", replied Grizzly
The path brought us to a t-junction.
It was left, then immediately right along another path, passing
the school, to Westgate again. Crossed over and walked right, to
then take a signed footpath on the left between caravan sites,
that eventually led out on to Oxcliffe Road. This was followed
almost to the bridge, under which runs the railway line to
Heysham. Just before, it was left along a track out into open
country. This was followed for about three quarters mile. Where it
turned right, we walked on a few yards to climb a stile on the
left and cross pastures to Downlands Farm. Each time Dad had done
this walk before, he had had to paddle across, so wet and boggy
are they. Today the ground was thankfully deeply frozen, so
progress was easier.
Strolling the access track we then
passed North Farm and Moss Side Farm. Just before the Heysham
bypass, a gate on the left gave access to a track and tunnel
underneath. From here a broad track led to steps over the sea
wall and to a road. The steps seemed to us a good place to pose
for our picture and Dad obliged.
Walking left along the
road, this almost Turner like view of the wide sweeping River
Lune, opened up before us. Behind the large building on the
opposite bank, can be seen the tower of the Priory Church and
Lancaster Castle.
Just a few yards further on we
reached the Golden Ball pub. The road and pub are frequently cut
off by the tide. Another pint please......
This area of Morecambe is known as
Snatchems. Dad thinks that the origin of this maybe to do with
the naval times in the 18th century, when raiding parties would
come ashore and snatch people to bolster their crews. The poor
unwilling men would wake up to find that they had been forced
into a hard life on the ocean wave.
There were birds and wildfowl on
the river including these three geese marching in line,
We continued along the road to the
traffic island then on ahead to walk through the car park of Asda
and on to the cycleway once again, turning left in the direction
of Morecambe. This part of the old railway track passes the large
industrial estate called White Lund. The section from here to
Lancaster was the last to close, retained until 2nd February 1970.
There is little to indicate that this was ever a railway,
although the concrete posts in the dilapidated fence are
contemporary. These old gateposts too we thought could be relics
from an unmanned crossing.
Eventually we arrived at Westgate
Bridge, where we had initially joined the track earlier. The
scene had changed the light covering of snow having melted away
in just a couple of hours.
Shaun looking up said, "that
bridge is quite interesting in that at some time the road has
been widened"
"You're right" replied
Tetley. "The original is an arched bridge in stone, but the
later addition a less stylish metal construction."
Now we were on the last lap of our
adventure, repeating the route along the track at the beginning.
However before reaching the school, Dad turned left on to
Hampsfell Drive, which led to Hayfell Ave and home. It made our
day that we had done this walk, after the initial disappointment
of not walking with Uncle Eric.