Old Railway Line

Today's view of the world of Ashton under Lyne shows this bridge that carries Cranbourne Road across an old railway line.

The railway line was the Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Railway which opened in 1861 with stations at Ashton, Oldham Road (where Monk's Garage is) and at Park Bridge, where a 12-arch viaduct carried the line high above the Medlock Valley.

Passenger trains ceased in 1959 but the railway carried freight until 1967, after which it was dismantled. In recent years the trackbed has been given a good surface and is now a cycle way and foot path from Ashton to Park Bridge. The path starts at Turner Lane, not far from the town centre, and is a good and easy route out into the countryside.

Few of the people who drive or walk across the bridge on Cranbourne Road realise that they are crossing such a smart 3-arch brick viaduct.

I showed you a view of this bridge from the other side in 2008.

See Bird's Eye View of this location.

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"Old Railway Line" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.

Footpath to the Hills

"F" is for "Footpath to the Hills" and today's photo shows a group of walkers heading up into the hills at Dobcross in Saddleworth. They are on a walk that will follow old packhorse tracks and early turnpike roads to Bleak Hey Nook and over the moors at Standedge to the village of Marsden.

Those with an interest in slightly newer forms of transport may notice, running across the middle of the photo, the Huddersfield Narrow canal as it climbs Diggle Locks and the Manchester to Huddersfield railway line, just behind the canal.

On the skyline above the walkers, you can just see (on the larger version of the image) the obelisk at Pots and Pans, on the edge of Saddleworth Moor.

This splendid Pennine countryside is just 7 miles from Ashton and provides an excellent excuse to go out and get a bit of exercise.

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See Birds Eye View of this location.

"Footpath to the Hills" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "F" posts from around the world please follow this link.
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Sunday Stroll: Winterford Woods

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Suddenly Autumn is upon us with a vengeance, and the winds have removed many of the browning leaves from the trees over the last week or so.

You don't have to go far to find colourful autumn scenes, and this delightful stroll was through Winterford Woods, between Micklehurst and Woodend in Mossley. The path runs down from the former Micklehurst Loop railway line to Winterford Lock on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. The water of the canal can be seen through the trees on the right, at the foot of a steep slope.

The name Winterford comes from the old track that crossed the valley long before the canal and turnpike road were built, which found a suitable place to ford the river, even in the winter when other crossings were too boggy. The route of the old track crosses the canal next to the lock and can still be followed up across Manchester Road, although there is a convenient bridge for getting across the river these days!

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Whit Walks

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"W" is for "Whit Walks" and today's photo shows a scene from Sunday's What Walk in Ashton. Another photo of the Walks was shown here on Sunday.

The period around Whit Sunday, the seventh Sunday after Easter, is known as Whitsuntide. One of the traditions in the area around Manchester is the practice of "Whit Walks".

Historically, Ashton's Walks were originally on Whit Friday, the Friday after Whit Sunday, but then moved to the following Sunday (Trinity Sunday). In recent years the event has moved to the fixed time of the third Sunday of June.

Most of the churches in Ashton take part in the Whit Walks. A Procession from each church, accompanied by a band, makes its way to the centre of Ashton, where a united service is held.

The church groups then process along a route around the town centre before walking back to their own starting points.

One of the traditions of the Whit Walks is for those taking part to wear new clothes for the occasion. In harder times this was something to look forward to as children would rarely get new clothes, more often receiving handed-down clothes from older siblings or relations.

The origin of wearing new clothes would seem to be based in the practice at one time of newly baptised members being received into the church at Whitsun (being a celebration of the birth of the Christian Church at Pentecost). The new clothes, often white, were symbolic of a new start.

Another custom, still in practice, is for people watching the walk from the pavement to look out for people they know taking part in the walk and to run forward and give them money.

Today's photo shows the walkers from Christ Church making their way along Stamford Street. For anyone who is interested, more photos of Sunday's event can be seen here:
Small photos - large photos.

"Whit Walks" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "V" posts from around the world please follow this link.

Whit Walks in Ashton

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The third Sunday in June is the date of the belated Whit Walks in Ashton. This tradition is of an annual walk of witness by members of churches from around the town, who mean for a united service then process around the town centre to the accompaniment of brass bands.

(Whit Walks in nearby Mossley and Saddleworth take place on Whit Friday, as seen here.)

More photos of today's event can be seen here:
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Sunday Stroll: Hollinwood Canal

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A very popular stroll to the north of Ashton is along the towpath of the old Hollinwood Canal as it passes through Daisy Nook Country Park.

This photo looks from the junction with the Fairbottom Branch of the canal towards Crime Lake. The spillway carries surplus water away down to the River Medlock.

Two walkers are crossing the bridge over the spillway, hotly pursued by a group of eight ducks who think that a plastic carrier bag means feeding time.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sunday Stroll: Chaddy Dams

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One of the most popular short strolls on the outskirts of Ashton is the picturesque walk around Chadwick's Dams, between Ashton and Stalybridge. Commonly known as "Chaddy Dams", these two reservoirs in the shallow valley of the Cock Brook were built to supply Chadwick's factory at Park Hall Mill.

The land containing these two reservoirs passed into the ownership of Ashton and Stalybridge Corporations in 1891. The lower reservoir became Stamford Park boating lake while the higher one (the one in today's photograph) was stocked as a fishing lake.

119 years later, the land remains in local council ownership. The boating lake still exists although it has suffered a drop in its popularity. The upper reservoir remains pretty much the same other than the valley sides have become wooded.

Beyond the trees can be seen the buildings of the appropriately called Lakes Hospital, now part of Tameside Hospital.

A photo of "Chaddy Dams" appeared on this blog two years ago.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Waterhouses Locks

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Waterhouses Locks are a feature of the old canal remains in Daisy Nook Country Park, between Ashton and Oldham.

The derelict locks have been filled in but their mysterious shapes add interest to the area for the many visitors who come here for a walk.

Yesterday was a glorious sunny day in Ashton, sandwiched between two damp days, and people flocked to the area to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.

Waterhouses was the original name for Daisy Nook, which was an invention of local writer Ben Brierley. The four locks and the big aqueduct that carried the Hollinwood Branch Canal through the area all bore the name of Waterhouses. The name has been largely forgotten these days.

"Waterhouses Locks" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.


See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sunday Stroll: Delph Donkey

The Delph Donkey was the nickname of the branch railway that ran from Uppermill to Delph. The line was closed in 1963 and the track has since been made into a cycle track and walkway. It can be accessed from Uppermill or from Brownhill Visitor Centre around 7 miles from Ashton and, once the short climb to the track has been made, provides a level walk right through to the old Delph Station.

The walk is particularly suitable on a weekend like this, when there has been a lot of rain recently, as the track does not become as muddy as many field paths do. Yet there are views of the fields and hills between the trees that line the track.

Trains ran from Delph to Greenfield, then through Lees to Oldham. One of the stations on the line, not far from the location of the photograph, was called Measurements Halt, named after the factory it was built to serve.

Some have suggested that the line was so-named because the carriage was originally pulled by a horse. However, this was not the case, as this would not have been allowed because the track joins on to the busy main line.

The photo shows the bridge where Wall Hill Road crosses the track. This bridge was built on a skew, with interesting angled stonework forming the arch.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Sunday Stroll: Quick Edge

Today's photo is a view of Quick Edge rather than a view from it. The photo is taken from Brown Edge, the highest part of the hill behind Hartshead Pike. It is looking eastwards across Quick Edge towards the mass of Alphin Pike. Brown Edge is a fairly easy walk along grassy paths from the centre of Mossley. Good views are also to be had from Quick Edge, although the walk from Mossley is up a surfaced lane.

To the left of Alphin Pike can be seen Dovestones Reservoir which is beyond Greenfield.

Brown Edge is 308 metres (1010ft) above sea level, the part of Quickedge in the photo around 280 metres (918 ft) and the summit of Alphin Pike is 469 metres (1538 ft).

It may seem surprising that such a dramatic highland view can be found from a viewpoint less than 4 miles from the centre of Ashton.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Sunday Stroll: Dry Stone Walls

Taking a stroll in the hills near Ashton, you are quite likely to see dry stone walls.

Dry stone walls are a common feature of the upland farming areas of the North of England. Miles and miles of these walls stretch across the hills, marking the boundaries of fields, many of which were created following the 18th century Enclosures Acts.

There is great skill in making these walls which, as you can see, are made of carefully placed stones using no cement or mortar. The walls are able to withstand strong winds and the extremes of temperature that are found in the Pennines.

These particular walls are close to my favourite photographic location of Hartshead Pike, on the hill between Ashton and Mossley, looking northwards towards Lees.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Walkers

The Walkers is one of seven sculptures sited along Lord Sheldon Way depicting local leisure pastimes.

Walking is a popular hobby with local countryside on the doorstep and the Pennine moors only a bus ride away.

It's tempting to wonder whether the walkers depicted here are contemplating hopping onto the next bus!

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: Woodland Waterway

A stroll along the canal towpath is a nice easy way of getting a bit of fresh air and there are plenty of places to walk by a canal within easy reach of Ashton.

Today's photo shows the wooded section of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal between Stalybridge and Mossley. Locks 9w and 10w are close together, so the short pound between sometimes gets a bit shallow.

There was at one time a lock keeper's cottage on the right next to this lock, but that has long since gone, along with lock keepers.

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See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sunday Stroll: Heather Hills

This is always a lovely time of the year for a walk in the hills near Ashton, with the heather in flower coating the hillsides with purple. This picture was taken on the slopes of Brown Edge, looking towards Mossley.

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See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sunday Stroll: Lily Lanes

Today's photo shows Lily Lanes at Hartshead, one of the popular routes up to Hartshead Pike, as it passes Lane End Farm.

The road becomes unsuitable for most motor vehicles beyond this point, although I drove an old car of mine all the way up many years ago!

The last time we took a stroll up Lily Lanes there was a coating of snow!

I don't know whether anyone can offer an explanation as to why, like Knott Lanes in Bardsley, Lily Lanes has a plural name? A local oddity, perhaps?

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

2009 Whit Walks

Today, being the third Sunday of June, saw Ashton's united Walk of Witness, usually called the Whit Walks. The threat of drizzle that was forecast proved incorrect and it was dry and at times sunny during the afternoon.

Contingents from most of Ashton's churches converged on Cowhill Lane to take part in a united service. After that it was St Michael's and St Gabriel's turn to lead the united walk around the town.

The route took them up Penny Meadow, down Old Cross Street, along Stamford Street and Booth Street, after which each church went its separate way back to its own parish.

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More photos from this year's Whit Walks can be seen here on the Ashton website.

Saturday in Saddleworth - Whit Walks

Yesterday was Whit Friday and in Saddleworth that means Whit Walks and Band contests!

Whit Walks, in one form or another, were fairly common in many areas but have now died out in some places and in other places are much smaller affairs than they once were. In Saddleworth and Mossley, however, not only are the Whit Walks still a big thing, but they still take place on Whit Friday.

Traditionally schools and factories in the area close for the day. Some high school pupils still have to go in to take GCSE exams, though!

Saddleworth is an area made up of a number of individual villages and the churchgoers walk in procession from their own church down into the centre of Uppermill for a joint service of witness in the park. They then all process through the centre of Uppermill before continuing back to their own villages. The main A670 road through Uppermill is closed for several hours while all this is going on.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Sunday Stroll: Knott Hill Reservoir (2)

For this week's Sunday Stroll picture we pay a return visit to Knott Hill Reservoir.

Of course, looking at this photo, you may well wonder where the water is! Knott Hill is a reservoir that is no longer in use. Much of the reservoir bed has gone back to nature, with bushes and trees growing, with a much smaller area of water in the lowest part of the reservoir bed. The path you see in the photo runs right around the old reservoir and originally was at the water's edge! The tree-filled valley was originally where the water was!

This is the point where the footpath that starts from Gorsey Lane, Hazelhurst, meets the path around the reservoir. It is a pleasant and popular short walk.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Sunday Stroll: Scout Green Lock

Today we see another photo from the walk around the Scout area between Mossley and Stalybridge. In fact this photo was taken from almost the same spot as the photo two weeks ago showing Kershaw Hey.

The photo is looking down onto the Huddersfield Narrow Canal that has just emerged from Scout Tunnel. In the centre of the picture is Scout Green Lock, which is also called Whitehead's Lock.

The walker can descend to the canal towpath, cross over the footbridge at the lock and then walk through pleasant woodland at Scout Green through to Egmont Street in Mossley.

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