We had made arrangements to visit Southport this afternoon, three of us, so at 2pm we started up Chorley New Road with a terrific gale behind us.  Our luck was out, just beyond Horwich one of the tyres flattened.  Near Adlington my chain jumped off and broke, and just beyond Chorley the same lad’s other tyre expired, and we had a rest for one and a half hours whilst he struggled with it.  Taking the Wigan-Preston road, we reached Walton le Dale at 6pm.  Now we were taken over the old building [we think he is describing the ‘Unicorn Inn’] by the proprietor.  Inside a room where Cromwell slept at the battle of Preston in 1648, are some interesting curio’s, one being an old chest of drawers which is full of secret recesses and drawers. 

It was 10pm when he had shown us round.  Then we had coffee and cakes, and after another chat – 10.45 when we started for Belmont.  The wind helped us along but it was a stiff climb, mostly walking, the while we sang a few selections until we reached Bolton.  Twenty minutes to one in the morning saw me striding through town, and once at home I docked myself on the sofa and went to sleep.  Didn’t I get into a row this morning, in fact I have missed the Sunday run today due to the same problem.  [The perils of living at home as an eighteen year old  !!]

41 miles, 11 hours