Sunday Stroll: Stamford Park

You don't have to go far to enjoy a pleasant stroll. Stamford Park is a favourite for many people. It is sandwiched between the houses of Ashton and Stalybridge but provides a tranquil oasis where you can slow down from the world outside!

This leafy path runs up the east side of the park, alongside Astley Road, leading towards the play park.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sky Watch: Zebra Sky

This week's photo shows a zebra-effect cloud pattern over Mossley.

The view is looking south from the steep hillside above Mossley railway station. One of the station's platforms can be seen. The other is hidden behind the vegetation. Manchester Road is on the left of the picture and Stamford Road on the right.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sky Watch is a regular weekly 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!

500th Post: Trumpeter

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

Actually, the Trumpeter is probably a Cornetist, since Ashton has close associations with the world of Brass Band music, and brass bands use cornets, rather than trumpets, for their treble instruments.

I notice that this is the 500th post since I started this photo blog! Let's hope the Trumpeter isn't performing The Last Post!

Ashton Moss North Junction

This is a view of Ashton Moss North Junction, seen from Richmond Street, on the western edge of Ashton. The photo is looking westwards, with the high-rise buildings in the centre of Manchester visible in the distance. The train is heading from Ashton towards Victoria Station in Manchester.

The signal box stands in the middle of the junction, with one of the tracks branching off to the left in front of the box and the other line passing behind it. The line to the left goes to Stockport and is used by freight trains.

To the right of the picture is a corner of Richmond Street Playing Fields. Ashton Cricket Club's ground is out of sight to the left.

"Ashton Moss North Junction" 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: 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.

Stalybridge Saturday - Astley Cheetham Public Library

This is the frontage of the Astley Cheetham Public Library on Trinity Street in Stalybridge. The name appears in carved lettering in the stonework above the doorway.

The lettering fashioned into the gates says "Read Mark Learn and Inwardly Digest". Unfortunately, you couldn't do that on a Thursday, which was when I went there, as the library is closed on Thursdays.

The building also houses the Astley Cheetham Art Gallery. The building was opened in 1901 and was a gift to the town from local mill owner and MP John Frederick Cheetham and his wife Beatrice Astley. The upper floor was originally a lecture room but was made into a gallery in 1932 to house the Astley Cheetham Art Collection, which has been expanded over the years.

This was my runner-up for last week's Doorways theme day, but I though that the fact that the building is shut in the photograph counted against it!

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sky Watch: Waterlogged

This week's Sky Watch has a little more sky than normal - it includes a reflection in a giant puddle that appeared on Richmond Street Playing Fields, on the western edge of Ashton, following heavy rain earlier this week.

Let's hope that the crowds flocking here this evening to see the organised firework display are careful where they walk in the dark!

The fireworks start at 8.00 pm. Park at CineWorld if arriving by car. If it rains much more this week they may have to change the musical track from Handel's Fireworks Music to Handel's Water Music!

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

Sky Watch is a regular weekly 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!

Gardener

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

The Gardener is taking a break from digging or hoeing and is sweeping up the autumn leaves!

In spite of being an industrial town, Ashton under Lyne has a long association with gardening. Not far from this statue was the market garden run by Bill Sowerbutts, a regular panellist for many years on BBC radio's "Gardeners' Question Time" programme.

Indeed, the very first edition of the programme was broadcast from the Broadoak Hotel in 1947, with Bill as one of the panellists. The programme was broadcast under its original, less-catchy name of "How Does Your Garden Grow? - A Gardeners' Question Time".

Behind the statue can be seen some of the few market garden plots remaining on Ashton Moss.

Autumn Leaves

Another photo showing the Autumn colours to be found in or around Ashton at this time of year.

You don't even need to go into King George's Playing Fields or Stamford Park to see a good display of Autumn Leaves, for there are many places in Ashton where you can enjoy the colourful display.

Today's scene is on the small triangular area of grass and trees surrounded by the three busy highways of Mossley Road, Penny Meadow and Crickett's Lane, sometimes called the Cats' Park. There are a lot more leaves in today's photo than in last year's photo of the same location.

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


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

Mossley on Monday: River Tame

This is the view looking upstream along the River Tame, north-eastwards from Waggon Road Bridge, Bottoms, in Mossley. To the left, an old mill has been converted into apartments. Ahead, the former Croft Mill has been replaced by modern houses. In the background are the Pennine moors rising above the trees in their Autumn colours.

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