We took the 47 bus from Sir Thomas Street to South Park in Bootle, arriving about 10.30 for the Remembrance Service.
There were several marching bands, a contingent from 238 Transport Squadron and several local worthies, including Joe Benton MP. It had been overcast earlier, with dark clouds threatening, and as the bands took their places a cold rain began. It always seems to rain on Remembrance Day.
We jumped on a 53 bus to Waterloo Station and had lunch in Crescent Gardens, one of the four seafront gardens now being restored by the local Friends group. They have made a bog garden and wildlife haven in the old overgrown pond and rockery. See this Crosby Herald article.
The shrubbery has been cut back and re-planted, allowing some of the older fruit trees to flourish. One of the group collected a handful of quince for her jelly, and we saw some young figs growing by the railings.
There were no rarities on the Boating Lake, just the usual Black-headed gulls, Mallards, Coots, Mute Swans, Canada Geese and a few Tufted Duck. In the biting wind we walked back to the new Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre. It is open to the public, not just to the Yacht Club, and they have a restaurant and bistro. It will be a wonderful place to sit with a coffee and snack to observe the birds on the Marina. There were leaflets about general outdoor activities in their rack and the receptionist agreed we could bring some MNA leaflets for approval.
By 2.15 we were heading back to Waterloo Station for the train home.