Photo-a-Day  (Thursday, 13th March, 2025)

A nice tranquil scene but if its down hill all the way is it not up hill going the other way?

Will you wend your winding way to Wigan
In watery whisky light ,
With only a warbling blackbird
To break the breathless quiet ,
Or honk your horn in road rage wrath ,
As the exhausts exude their stink ,
While the dreadful din of drum and bass
Make it hard to think ?

Best leave the motorists to frown
Unquelled in querolous queues ,
And like Robert Frost forever choose
The tranquil trod to town .

I know Pad is not about being a good photo, but today's is poor one and doesn't show what the excellent Multi-Use Path (horses, walkers and cyclist) is really like.
I could ramble on but I won't bore you.

I forgot to mention disability scooters.

Mick its much better than old bricks and mortar walls.
Poet, it's a cracking photo, you can bet full of wildlife.

You don’t even need to ramble on to bore anyone on here. If it’s the same ‘Mick’ who posted the moronic comment yesterday about the Changi POW Chapel / Memorial you should be ashamed of yourself. “ (They had nothing else to do” ?.).
Apologies to Poet it’s a beautiful photo and the words bring it to life. Well done.

I'd have thought this photo would be up your street Mick, being a keen cyclist or are you just picking.
Good photo Poet, once the Spring and Summer arrives be absolutely fantastic.

I have to agree with Mick with this one.
It looks cold, wet and dark.

But thanks for showing Poet.

Down hill sounds great, but coming back could be an issue.

A lovely introduction Poet to this restored and accessible pathway to Beech Hill through some beautiful scenery. Wigan Council have done a great job with this and other pathways.
My son takes that walk most mornings at the crack of dawn and has sent me photos of deer, pheasant and one of a woodpecker complete with sound recording.

I love this one! It's quite eerie and feels as if someone or something is waiting just out of sight for anyone foolish enough to walk up that path. You can almost hear footsteps in the stillness. It would make a wonderful book cover for a mystery story.

Walk down , bus back Peter .

Kath, it is still effectively Winter and I think you would see much less with the leaves on the trees.
The morning sun shining through the trees casts cold shadows of the branches across the path and gives a true reflection of the season and the promise of warmer, greener times to come.

Sounds good to me, Poet.

Is Mick Kath or is Kath Mick.
Wail till the weather warms up and everything in leave. Looks a good walk Poet, not too sure about coming back though.

Poet, reading through my previous comment, it sounds as if it were a criticism.....I assure you it isn't! The "someone waiting just out of sight for someone to venture up that path" was due to the loneliness, the shadows and the feeling of a chill in the air that the photo portrays. I think it's brilliant and again I can see it as a book cover that would draw me like a moth to a flame in a library. Well captured!

Mick is just an alarmist..I’ve never seen a good effort of his yet.
Poet.I love it and thank you.

The old Mick is back! thought he had turned over a new leaf these last few days. Must be the cold weather, not taken his medication this morning and his knees are playing up.
No doubt he would be happier if there were double yellow lines, graffiti, litter and someone peeing up a tree. Now That's What He Calls PAD.

Well in my eyes that is one good photo that
awaits the warmth of spring.
I really enjoyed the verse too, it brought back Robert Frost's words in a poem I have. ''And I have miles to go before I sleep''

so that is what I am, many, many doctors have said that I am a cycle path, it's good to know there are others

Poet your winding me up in a nice way as I can’t wait to try these cycling routes in the future.

Poet, the final part of your poem is so true, try driving in and out of Wigan from Standish at peak periods, thankfully though we do have bus lanes.
Last week I was on the bus from Wrightington to Standish. I was so frustrated with the stationary traffic I got off at the bottom of Almond Brook Road and walked it. Even with my slow pace uphill, by time I got to Aldi there was still no sign of the bus behind me.
Cars do have there advantages but driving one in this day and age is not one of them.
More paths for walking and cycling are the future. Or get a Taxi, all in all much cheaper than being addicted to an expensive, depreciating four wheeled piece of polluting metal.
Apologies to those that love or cannot do without one.

Each time I go along here I can picture in my mind the days when it was the railway line from John pit,Taylor pit and Robin Hill leading to the washing plant and Gidlow sidings

I love the colours of this photo and the shadows of the trees on the path. Thank you Poet

All I'm saying is that there is too much shadow, so it's not showing the best of the Multi-User Path.
For those who are thinking of going for a walk along it, I would like to say that it doesn't end in Beech Hill; it ends at Wigan Park.
I know because I've been using the path for years, even when it was a bog, and now I'm using it at least once a week. I've also seen trains using the line at Robin Hill, School Lane in Standish and the Beech Hill coal wash.

PS if any of you fatties fancy a walk along it, come from the Standish end because then it's all down a slight hill.

a word of caution a barrier at the entrance to the Park prevents some mobility scooters from using this entrance / exit

Good advice from the cycling fatist.

These paths are great for walking in winter when the fields are generally too wet and muddy for comfort .
Aye , they've done good job , but only the council could come up with such a prosaic Metro Speak name like ' The Multi User Path' . No-one I know refers to it as such . Place names tend to evolve with experience .
I wonder how it will come to be known in the future . Standishers may remember Midgy Lane .
Thanks for commenting friends.

I really don’t mind
A ride down the track
But it’s a beggar of a thing
When you have to ride back
On the way down
With the wind in your hair
It’s all fun and pleasure
With never a care
But it has to be paid for
This run down the hill
And on the way back
You can feel proper ill
Your legs start to ache
Not to mention your back
How long is this track
You keep asking yourself
It’s worse than a session
Being stretched on the rack
But Poet has a plan
So all is not lost
Just use your Bus Pass
At no extra cost!

Poet have called it a Multi User Path so people who see a horse rider or somebody walking don't complain, yes you're right nobody will call it a Multi User Path.

Good one, DTease! And I much prefer "Midgy Lane" than "The Multi-User Path", Poet; It sounds like a gathering of druggies!