| Aylesbury Arm at Broughton
Sunrise from the bridge by Broughton Lakes
The stretch of the Aylesbury Arm and the footpaths beside the Broughton Lakes, are a lovely walk or place to watch wildlife. A footpath runs between the lakes to join the canal, and continues on the other side of the footpath to the Rare Breeds farm. Here you can turn back towards the canal and join it again a short way up.
Great-spotted woodpecker
Green woodpecker
Woodpeckers love the dead trees beside the canal bridge at this junction, especially on sunny days, which is lucky for a photographer like me! The entire hedgerow is thriving with hedgerow birds, and in the trees i've also got photos of swallows, terns, and black-headed gulls.
  
  
The footpath that runs back to the canal beside the rare breeds farm is a worthwhile detour. The first field from the towpath to the footpath is grazing for horses and their fowls. Walking alongside the rare breeds farm you get to see their goats, sheep, and a donkey. The footpath also runs further away from the canal and you can see some of their wild fowl, and their caravan park. The photos below are all taken along the footpath heading back to meet the canal at the next bridge.
  
 
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