Sunday Stroll: Boodle Woods

The ground throughout Boodle Woods, in Daisy Nook Country Park, is a carpet of golden leaves at this time of year. This is the footpath that leads from the former canal tunnel towards the site of Riversvale Hall. The River Medlock can be seen on the left, at the bottom of a steep slope.

A little further along this path was the location of this wintry scene that appeared in February.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sunday Stroll: Sylvan Steps

Today's photo was taken on a recent stroll around Daisy Nook Country Park, situated between Ashton and Failsworth.

For some reason I had never come across this particular path before, leading from Sammy's Basin down towards the River Medlock. I was enchanted by the quality of the light trickling through the trees in this sylvan setting.

As the steps wind downwards between the trees there seems to be a compulsion to follow then and see where they lead!

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Sky Watch: Medlock Valley

Today's Sky Watch photo shows a cloudscape and treescape looking down the Medlock Valley from Daisy Nook.

Forty years ago you would have had a job to fins any trees here at all. Now you can't see the River Medlock in the bottom of the valley for all the trees. And all this just two miles from Ashton and three from Oldham!

Sky Watch is the regular Friday feature on this photo blog. It will link with websites all over the world with the general theme each week of looking upwards. Please take the opportunity to visit some of these other sites. I hope some new visitors have found their way here today, watching the skies!

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Sunday Stroll: Park Bridge

Even a dull day doesn't diminish the attractiveness of the Medlock Valley near Park Bridge.

Up until around fifty years ago this valley would have rung out with the sounds of the Lees family's iron works. The viaduct carrying the Ashton to Oldham railway would have been visible just down the valley. Even this gently rising riverside path was originally the track of a narrow-gauge railway that transported coal and iron down to the Hollinwood Canal at Fairbottom.

These days, however, the loudest sound you will hear at this spot is the rushing of the river beside you. A few of the iron work's buildings survive and are used for other purposes but large areas of the former works have now reverted to part of the landscape.

Behind the camera the path continues along the valley to the remains of the coal mine at Rocher Vale.

See Google Aerial View of this location.
See LiveSearch Birds Eye View of this location.