Hale Point

I took J on a mystery trip this morning, a half hour journey to Hale. We parked near the church and then walked down the road and track to the lighthouse. No longer in use and attached to a bungalow (extra). On a bleak, grey day it felt just a little edgy.

Some interesting facts:
* we are at the southernmost point of the historic county of Lancashire. Across the Mersey is Cheshire and in the distance the Welsh hills
* this is the widest point of the river, and because of that the flow slows. This is the location of the Hale Ford, where for hundreds of years people attempted to cross on foot and horseback. Not everyone succeeded - gravestones in the church attest to that.
* one of the graves is very big and surrounded by railings. The last resting place of John Middleton, nine foot and three inches tall.
* this is also the home of Thomas Molyneux, master of the Endeavour, who accompanied Captain Cook on his voyages to what would become New Zealand and Australia. Cook commented on his “reprehensible drunkenness” on Tahiti. What shall we do with the drunken sailor might have been his strap line.