MATCHSTALK MEN AND MATCHSTALK CATS AND DOGS

I decided I needed to go out today and didn't want to go far so I decided I hadn't visited Knots End for years, way before Covid, so it must be at least 5 years ago.  Many years ago it was a favourite place for my Dad to visit.  He and Mum used to get the bus from Morecambe, change at Lancaster then onto Knott End.  They would just have enough time for coffee and cake, a walk along the Esplanade to the village centre and back before getting the bus home and he just loved that journey.

I left fairly early on the A590, the usual M6 to Junction 33 (seems to be a favourite route of mine) then along the A6 briefly to join the Cockerham Road and the B5272 through Cockerham onto Marsh Lane and the A588 heading towards Blackpool before joining the B5270 to Knott End.   The drive takes you through some picturesque countryside, flat as it is the Marshes but still lovely.  On the way I saw a house with full sized steam engine in the garden next to a tiny wooden one as a planter!!!! Then on entering Knott End, around a lampost was a 3 way cardboard cut out of the TARDIS!!! Amazing what you see!!!  I had a few short sharp showers on the M6 otherwise, bright sunny and very breezy.

I parked in Quail Holme Car Park (must look up why that name) FREE PARKING.  It also has toilet facilities!!!  It was now only 10.00 am.

The cafe is exactly the same, even the furniture is the same.  I just had a coffee, the food looks pretty bland to be honest, but it was mainly breakfasts at that time and OK for what it is.

Knott End is a village situated at the southern end of Morecambe Bay and the Wyre Estuary.  The walk along the Esplanade looks over Morecambe Bay (way too misty to see anything over there today) and Prince Philip Walk overlooks the Wyre Estuary to Fleetwood.

After taking a few photos of the long slipway down to the Wyre Ferry I  walked along Prince  Philip Walk, past the RNLI station and the golf club when I came to a gate so I was about to turn back when I saw a notice that said "please keep dogs on leads" so I decided to go through. It's only a short walk past some houses to a viewing point where you can see the skeletal remains of a shipwreck and after a couple of photos I then re-traced my steps back to the slipway and then along The Esplanade into the Village and had a saunter around there before heading back.

Back at the slipway I met a dog called Mavis and her elderly male hooman friend.  Now the Hooman friend was very friendly and really loved to chat, so I didn't mind.  He told me a little about Knott End and Mavis kept nudging me for cuddles, so it would have been rude not to wouldn't it!!  It's like a lot of places now, signs of neglect and not a lot there but, in the summer  months, you can get the little ferry over to Fleetwood if you want. I didn't today but it is a pleasant little maximum of 5 minute journey.

The statue of the man and his dog is a tribute to L S Lowry who used to visit Knott End a lot with his sketch book and did lots of sketchs of boats and the estuary etc.

I'm now back home and going to edit my photos, these are the first few I've done of some of the things I saw.  The estuary had quite a lot of egrets on it and I saw a man haul his land boat onto the sands and then watched him whizz up and down as it was very breezy.  He must have seen me with the camera because he came up as far as he could near me and circuled around, for which I was very grateful.  

There that's today's adventure for you.  Sorry about the explanation of the drive but I know a couple of you like to follow my routes so I do that for you.

That's all for now, do take care and stay safe and I will see you all tomorrow.