Well what a weekend for getting the forecast all wrong. I'm not going to go into the in's and outs but just about every forecast for Saturday and Sunday was physically turned upside down and because of that I didn't end up travelling to the Lakes to walk, in fact it wasn't just me who cancelled because of the forecast Rod did too.

Waking up (after a lie in) to see Keswick and Skiddaw completely clear from George Fisher's webcam was enough enough to drop my stomach and seeing that the forecast was for it to worsen there was no point heading up late either, I do hope the boffins and the met office were scratching their heads this weekend because I certainly was.

Back here in Wigan it didn't really stop raining all day but Sunday showed a little promise and with that I set about planning a jaunt over Winter Hill which would include a little detective work in trying to locate the crash site from the 1953 air disaster, a little grim I know but it had eluded me after watching a You Tube documentary a few weeks ago. I didn't want to return to Winter Hill just to locate the crash site I also came back to thank the hill for the pleasure it has given me during the lock downs without which I'm sure I would have gone insane.

After all the rain that fell locally yesterday I woke to find sunlight creeping through the gaps in the blinds. The forecast was for it to brighten up around midday but after yesterday who knows. I could have had another hour in bed but instead I thought I'd take advantage of the sunshine by setting off earlier than planned, that way I might even get to mow the lawns when I get back later.

A diversion had been in place for well over a month now which meant I arrived at the bottom of Coal Pit Lane a little later but it was no biggie parking easily around the same time another walker arrived and 'mornings' were shared. After a quick sweep of the boot I locked the car and started my walk up Coal Pit Lane taking on the gentle incline with my walking poles set aside. Up ahead two girls on horseback veer off towards Chadwicks Close Farm before two more girls on horseback approach from Green Nook who straddle the lane allowing me to pass through the middle which was a tad daunting as these were full grown horses but I didn't let the girls know I was a bit jittery.

Transcript between Manchester Zone Control and Pilot Mr Cairnes courtesy of Patrick Taylor 'Winter Hill Air Disaster'

"Have you checked Wigan yet, please?"

"Negative" he replied.

Manchester asked: "Are you in visual contact with the ground?"

"Negative"

The Zone Control officer speaking from Manchester was Mr Maurice Ladd. From its bearing on his cathode-ray direction finder and a faint echo he'd noticed at the edge of his radar screen, Mr Ladd could see that Charlie Sierra had gone too far to the east.

"Charlie Sierra will you make a right turn immediately onto a heading of two five zero. I have a faint paint on radar which indicates you're going over towards the hills."

"Two five zero right, Roger."

The plane collided with the ground 15 seconds later destroying the aircraft and killing 35 people having been able to complete less than 45 degrees of the turn.

I still had a good mile to walk which I did somberly while enjoying the midday sunshine. I pass the odd dog walkers and mountain bikers but no where near the level I used too during the lock downs. The sound of traffic travelling along Colliers Row Road brought me back to reality and through gaps in the trees my car started to appear.

Arriving back at the car I am joined by the walker who I shared a 'morning' with eailer only this time we are more chattier the topic of conversation was how wet it was and how less crowded it was too "wasn't expecting this warm sunshine either" while the chap replied "aye, I'll probably get the washing out when I get back"