Lancashire

Well had a trip down into Lancashire, or to put it in the modern parlance, Mersyside, and to be more precise St.Helens my old home town. However it was a visit that for once I wished I wasn't making, as I was going to the funeral of an old friend. Someone I use to work with at Victoria park. There was people there I hadn't seen for nearly 40 years, some I no longer recognised and reintroductions were necessary.
     When I arrived in St.Helens I had a bit of time to spare, and close to  where Dave (a lad I am constantly in touch with) lives, is a place called Carr mill dam. I spent many a happy hour playing around the dam when I was a kid, and at about the same period it use to used for hydro plane racing. It has always been a popular place for fishing, and more recently birdwatching. I remember at the age of 14 myself and a mate built a raft sailed it right across the dam, all good fun. At the Northern end of the dam is a place called the 19 arches, the arches now carry a footpath, and as can be seen there are 19 arches-----

The 19 arches Carr Mill, on the other side of the arches the dam continue to a road, then on the other side of the road an area of water called the Dig pit, which also use to be used for fishing.

Going to a funeral I wasn't exactly dressed for birding, and although the weather looked good, it was extremely windy and cold, so I  didn't linger, but it was nice to see the old place after more years than I care to remember.

pic from the top of the arches, not much to be seen apart from a few mallard.

And lastly looking South along a good portion of the dam.

A day of mixed feeling and memories.        More on the history of the dam can be found on various web sights and Wiki.