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303 Friday 30 January to Sunday 1 February 2026 Burton-in-Kendal weekend

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 We took our accustomed trip to Burton and stayed in the Travelodge. The drive up was uneventful. On the Saturday , we went filming three pele towers . The video we filmed will appear here in due course. We  had a  problem parking at Kentmere ; eventually I blocked someone in and left Simon in the car while I filmed the Hall and dashed back. After filming Kentmere Hall , we went to the Eagle and Child Inn in Staveley for lunch In the afternoon, we filmed at  Ubarrow Pele and Killington Hall before  returning to the Travelodge. We had tea at Burger King there.  The videos we filmed can be viewed here in due course. On  Sunday, we went to Mass in Bolton-le-Sands then drove to Kendal to meet our friend Philip who's just bought a house there. We had a brew at his house before setting off on a walk to Scout Scar. After a  steep pull out of the town we went through Serpentine Woods. The view over the town was tremendous/ We soon crossed over the A590. W...
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302 Saturday 24th February 2026 The River Mersey Cadished to Warrington

 This  was  a  filming  trip covering  the  river Mersey from Cadishead  to Woolston. We  drove to Cadishead and had some difficulty parking near the start of the Mersey Way  where a busybody truck  driver was trying  to put  us off parking in a lane ( the only feasible option). Eventually  we  ignored him and set off . The  video we filmed will appear here in due course/ We  stopped walking around  12-00 and  caught a bus  back to Cadishead. The car  was still there and undamaged. We  drove  to  Barley  Farm for  lunch  and  then on to Rochdale to see a 2-0 win over Truro.
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301 Saturday 17 January 2026 Preston

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 Not the most successful of our trips to be honest. Simon needed some new walking shoes as his others had split. We decided to combine this necessity with a trip to the Owl & Bird of Prey sanctuary on  the  rural outskirts. We  went by train to Preston. . We  found  our  way  to  Trespass in Preston where  despite some  pretty poor customer service, Simon was  able  to find some good  shoes. We  then went to Pizza Express for  a good  lunch, taking advantage of  a  January special offer.  We then caught  a  bus  to the  sanctuary but  I had not  checked the  times carefully and it  had  just  closed when we arrived,. Simon took some solace from the fact that this bush was already flowering We  had quite a long wait for  the  bus  back to  Preston. We  then went home.
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300 Saturday 10th January 2026 Wakefield

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 On  this very cold day, I decided we'd go to Wakefield to walk  the very last bit  of  the  Calder and Hebble Canal in Wakefield and possibly move on to Huddersfield  to  Greenhead Park miniature railway.  We drove to Todmorden and caught the train to Halifax. There we changed for the train to Wakefield Kirkgate which was a Grand Central express. When we arrived in Wakefield, it was nearly lunchtime so we went to the pub, a  Wetherspoon's, first. After lunch we headed for the canal but passed by the famous bridge chapel on the way Unfortunately, it wasn't open to explore inside We  then found the canal. There was a pub on the opposite side The  canal was partially frozen over. So was the towpath We were soon approaching the final lock on the Calder and Hebble Navigation And here it is : Here's our completion selfie From there a  path led to the old packhorse bridge now  stranded by silting. We  then went across ...
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299 Sunday 4th January 2026 Power Hall , Museum of Science and Industry

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 Simon had wanted to visit this for some time but it had been closed for renovation. He  remembered a ride on a simulator we did when he was very little and wanted to do it again. We took the train to Manchester and, after an errand, we went for lunch at Sixes Cricket Bar. The video we filmed there will appear here in due course. We  then took a tram to Castlefield and walked to the Museum. This monster powered a mill in Burnley. This one came from a mill in Littleborough. We noted that, inevitably, many of the display boards had woke-y references to slavery and exploitation. This engine powered a light bulb in a chip shop in Bolton. This is the engine that powers the museum's heating system through use of an aquifier, This was the largest wheel in  the  exhibition. Simon poses by a machine bearing the name of his friend.   The  trains were at the far end of  the  hall. This steam engine was from South Africa. I didn't note where this diesel ...
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