Day 19 Warrington to Chorley

I was expecting a pretty uneventful day today and that's exactly what I got. The 36.4km walk to Chorley started on the busy A49 (sorry I got it wrong yesterday). The walk was as much stop/start as yesterday, this time due to the number of busy road junctions with pedestrian lights. The walk was colourful with the number of big superstores and shopping parks, for 2 miles it was almost continuous. I reckon, that from the range of shops, I could have built a house (Wicks and B&Q superstore, furnished it, brought a car and then had a game of 10 pin bowling. Soon after crossing the M56 the views improved with my first sight of the Pennines. These views however, weren't to last, with towns soon taking centre stage. It was as I was entering on of the towns en route that I had a strange feeling. Referring to yesterday's state of pregnancy, I think I had my first craving. I wanted, needed a custard tart. Priority now switched to finding a tart, the first try failed, a general convenience store didn't have the tart that I desired, but informed me that there was a bakery further on in the town. Off I went, finding what I thought was the bakery, but was another convenience store, this time with a bakery attached. After waiting some time for a previous customers breakfast order for an army to be completed, I brought my tart. And what a tart, not your normal 2" diameter tart, but more like 3.5" and almost twice as deep. Down it went. Craving satisfied, for now anyway, what's going to happen when I hit the remote areas of Scotland? Today have have contact with two separate groups undertaking the adventure on bikes. In the B&B there was a supported group of lads cycle down from JOG, hoping to do it in 9 days, good luck lads. The second was a couple, travelling slower, who I spoke to when satisfying my craving. Later on in the day I was back on the canals, this time the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, I started by climbing 16 locks, which for some reason I thought I was going to descended. I am neither going to Leeds or Liverpool, but this provides a good off road option to Chorley. By the time I was on the canal the skies had brightened, from the mornings darkness and I was to have a rain free day. This goes against the trend of raining on the canals, but last time I walked this canal, doing the Thirlmere Way, I got soaked, not 5 miles away from where I ended today, walking to Abby Village. It was on the canal, dispite stating previous that you don't see the changes in county's on the canals like you do on the road that I came across the "Lancashire" sign. However, this was miles aways from where the map said it was suppose to be? One week on from "13", I am still struggling with a lingering pain in the lh shin, but my thoughts today have reflected on that walk into Worcester and the pain, hopefully its the last of that!!!!!! For the record, when I look back on this in the future, there was a general election yesterday and apart from being a hung parliament I haven't a clue about the details, who got what etc... But I do know I'm walking to Garstang tomorrow and really enjoying myself, that's not to say its not hard or challenging, but its just great, and anyone out there who has thought about doing this, should, its a buzz. Finally, thanks for those who continue to help me with their comments, mails and text.