Where the Wild Things Were

A lively bunch met at Loftus Leisure Centre and we headed off towards the school. Here we heard about school gardening clubs, pig clubs, rosehip collecting schemes and how the caretaker would lend you his ladder if you wanted an egg from a house martins nest!  Entering the narrows we stopped at the top of the cliff to listen to stories of excavating caves that were full of spiders and how to drop your sister down the cliffs on the end of a rope.  Walking through the woods we heard tales of making camps and stealing tatties for camp fires and collecting wild animals, jackdaws, owls, and squirrels to be kept as pets.  Reaching the stream we learnt about how best to catch a brown trout. We passed the Roman Steps and wondered about their history whilst listening to tales of what good slides they made.   At the viaduct culvert we discovered the site of the old swimming dump and looked up to see the Throne on Glovers Path.  Walking out of the woods we reflected on the days when birds were far more abundant and collecting eggs was a popular past time. Climbing back up towards the Leisured Centre through Deepdale we heard about the fights boys used to get into and the fun to be had on the old shale tips. We ended the walk at the old scratching house listening to the frustration of not seeing the end of films because of of air raids.  A good walk in the most excellent company.  Thanks to John Roberts and Margeret Perkins for the photos