Across the Moss to Croston
In winter this part of West Lancashire is a scoured landscape. Bare, stubbled fields occupy a broad prairie stretching between Southport and Parbold Hill. Interspersed between fields, rectangular stands of woodland provide feature – like black chess pieces on a chequered board. Sluices and channels navigated by the Dutch engineers in the late 17th century drain the dark soil, and their quiet waters reflect the brooding sky. If this is not incentive enough to examine this part of Lancashire, then perhaps some of the ameneties to be found in the picturesque village of Croston will.
Time: 3 hours
Terrain: Easy across large open fields with riverside and towpath walking.
Map
Start: Church Road, Rufford off B5246 which is just off A59 Liverpool Road. (Readers wishing to do a shorter walk, should study the railway timetable of the Preston-Liverpool Line which links Croston and Rufford. This arrangement presumably would allow them to park at the station.)
1: Rufford to Croston (4 Km or 2½ miles: 1 hour)
From Church Road turn left on B5246. Cross first the canal, then the railway and finally the river Douglas to reach meadow lane.
Turn left onto a broad, farm track and follow it as it crosses a sluice by a metal bridge. Across arable land the track reaches a branch of the same waterway. Cross this by a flat bridge and continue, beneath pylons with the channel on your right. At the end of the field turn left and walk towards a small oak tree near the corner.
On reaching the hedge turn right.
For the next 15 minutes or so (1100m) walk ahead with the field boundary on your left. To your right, across a field, you will pass Caunce Wood. The footpath is narrow and hardly discernable but the odd waymarker will confirm the direction of travel. Do not stray from the left side as you cross four large fields to reach a farm track. [This is a point of contact with the Mawdesley Jubilee Trail] Turn left onto the track.
Ahead in the distance you will notice an imposing farm.
The track will lead you to the right of this building, past tennis courts, to where it meets a tarmac lane. Turn right onto the lane and follow it as it bends to the left. This will lead you to the edge of Croston village. Turn right at Manor House Barn towards the burial ground and then left by a footpath sign and cross the river Yarrow to pass through a passageway into the church yard.
Nearby there is a primary school. With the church on your right, cross the yard to reach Church Row which brings you on Town Road directly opposite the Grapes.
2: Croston to Rufford (7 Km or 4¼ miles: 1¾ hours)
It is a brave editor that leaves out the view of the church and the ancient stone bridge in any calendar of Lancashire.
As picturesque as that scene is, what is striking about the village is the variety of domestic architecture. Hardly a decade has gone by in the last 400 years without some addition to the range of styles and yet without detriment to the essential charm of the village.
It is well worth exploration in its own right.
Turn left onto Town Road (or right if you lunched in the Grapes) and walk to the junction with Station Road. Here turn into Station Road and at the mini roundabout turn left in the direction of Bretherton on the B5274. Walk down to the bridge over the River Lostock taking care along the lane which can be surprisingly busy at times. Cross the bridge and turn left over a wooden stile.
You are now on a raised embankment besides the channelled River Lostock which meets the channelled River Yarrow and the channelled River Douglas further on. Keep on the embankment with water on your left.
In just over 2½k (35 minutes) you will come to a green metal bridge (named Red Bridge on the map) which takes Eyes Lane across the river.
Turn left onto Eyes Lane which for a short distance becomes distinctly unmetalled to reach the Rufford Branch of the Leeds Liverpool Canal, on the edge of the large hamlet of Sollom.
Turn left onto the towpath In a little under 3k you will reach Rufford, leaving the canal at bridge number 7. At the bridge turn right for the church or left for the station. [Note: At time of posting there is a temporary diversion at Spark Bridge on the canal which readers should have no difficulty in following]
The Grapes
When it comes to taking lunch in Croston there is an abundance of riches. There is the Cafe Rendezvous which has a menu that would not disgrace a restaurant. The Crown serves food(though we have not sampled its wares) as does the Wheatsheaf which has a high class menu and a range of real ales.
The Grapes is a typical village pub with wooden beams and a friendly atmosphere. The walls are adorned with a range of brass artifacts. There are 4 main rooms, the main bar, 2 rooms which could almost be described as snugs and the restaurant..
On our visit they were serving 5 cask ales namely: Jennings' Cumberland Ale(4%), Greene King IPA (3.6%), Southport Brewery's Sandgrounder (3.8%) Cains Best Bitter (4%) and Wadsworth's 6X (4.3%).
We opted for the Sandgrounder and were not disappointed. It is a pale bitter with a traditional flavour and a deep bitter aftertaste and was served in good condition even though it was the end of the barrel.
The Grapes serves bar meals all day but the restaurant is open 12 - 2pm on a Monday to Friday, longer at weekends. We had a BLT and a Hot beef and onion sandwich. Both were served on thick rustic farmhouse bread and came with a generous portion of salad. This was more than a mere snack and took some walking off.