Stamford Park in Autumn

Stamford Park is an enjoyable place for a stroll or a quiet sit down at any time of the year, but in the Autumn there is the added pleasure of the rich colours of the leaves on the trees and on the ground.

Stamford Park was originally the grounds of mill owner's home Highfield House. It lies on the boundary of Ashton and Stalybridge and became a park for the two towns in 1873.

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King George Playing Fields in Autumn

King George V Playing Fields in Ashton not only has playing fields but is also a park. This tree-lined walk leading from the Alexander Road entrance makes a splendid sight at this time of year as the leaves fall to the ground.

I should have brought you this photo last week, shortly after it was taken, but this is one of the photos that I had to rescue from my old computer after it blew up!

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Sky Watch: Autumn Cloudscape

Beneath a swirling cloudscape, the trees of the Tame Valley in Mossley turn to browns and golds. The colours are always wonderful in Autumn (Fall) and I shall be posting a lot more Autumnal images here in the next couple of weeks.

On top of the steep hill in the centre of the photo, you can just make out the earthworks of Buckton Castle, seen from a different angle in last week's Sky Watch. Mossley is only 4 miles from the middle of Ashton, but quite different in character.

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!

Cricketer

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

The Cricketer is well-placed because, if he could whack the ball hard enough over his shoulder, it would land on Ashton Cricket Club's pitch!

Damp Day in Ashton

A view of Ashton's Market Hall after a short downpour of rain. The dampness on the ground is now sparkling after the sun emerges between the clouds.

Some people have commented that all the photos on the blog seem to show sunny days. Well, of course, the sunshine is normal for Sunny Ashton and the rainy days are few and far apart, oh yes....

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


By the way... Sorry for the lack of pictures since Thursday but I have had a bit of a computer disaster, Luckily it was all backed up apart from the last few days, but I can't get to all the lovely autumn photos I took last week. I am hoping to be able to retrieve them from the hard drive soon but I might have to go out and take some more...

Sky Watch: Carrbrook

For today's Sky Watch image, we take a short trip to Carrbrook, nestling below the steep Pennine hillside on the border of Stalybridge and Mossley.

The photo is looking up Carr Rise from outside Buckton Vale Institute. On the hilltop to the left can be seen the outline of the earthworks of the 12th-century Buckton Castle. To the right of that is the scar that shows the location of Buckton Quarry.

Autumn has arrived and the trees to the right have started to shed their leaves.

Although the sun is shining, the sky over the hill tells a story as the blue sky starts to be edged out by the looming grey clouds that were to bring rain a little later.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

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!

Jogger

The Jogger is another of the seven sculptures sited along Lord Sheldon Way depicting local leisure pastimes.

I think the figure may have looked better jogging towards the green verge in the background rather than towards the busy road!

The yellow block in the distance is part of the IKEA store in Ashton.

Market Street Clock

As part of the "My World" feature, we take another look today at the clock that stands in Market Street, Ashton under Lyne, last seen here in June.

Behind it is the Market Hall, re-opened last year after the disastrous fire of 2004.

Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.

Mossley on Monday: Mossley Hall

Mossley Hall was seen here last year.

Built in 1864 as the home of mill owner George Mayall, it was originally called Whitehall after the farm that had occupied the area. It later became Mossley's Town Hall until local government re-organisation in 1974. It is now known as Mossley Hall and is being restored by its present owners.

Mossley's war memorial stands across the drive from the entrance porch, looking out across the town.

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Stalybridge Saturday: Ivy Cottage

At first glance this pair of cottages could be from a pretty village somewhere. However, a closer look shows you that they are in the centre of Stalybridge. They are on Waterloo Road and are so central that they face the bus station.

The cottages appeared here previously in March. The date stone on the left hand cottage says AD1920.

To the left of the photograph is Stalybridge's old Fire Station which also seen in March.

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Update (21st Oct):
Would you believe it? I went past here today and all the ivy has been taken down! That's what happens when you don't post a photo immediately! I'll post a photo of the bald house soon!

Sky Watch - Sky Walkers

What better time of day for a walk along the ridge at Hartshead Pike than when there's a glorious sunset to see?

If you think the two walkers silhouetted against the sky look familiar, they are the same two who appeared here a few weeks ago. This photo was taken shortly after that one, the pair having walked a little further along the skyline. I thought it was worth sharing both images with you!

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!

Cyclist

The Cyclist is one of seven sculptures sited along Lord Sheldon Way depicting local leisure pastimes. Lord Sheldon Way is the new western approach to Ashton from Manchester and will be the route of the Metrolink tram.

According to Tameside Council, the statues are designed to "enhance the visual environment" and "boost the first impressions of people visiting Ashton and create a lasting and positive image of the town".

Children's Roundabout

For many years there has been a corner of Ashton Market where there are children's roundabouts. These colourful rides keep up to date with modern-looking vehicles for the youngsters to ride on.

I suppose it is a sort of bargain between parents and children - I'll let you trail me around all the shops if you indulge me with a ride on the roundabout!

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Mossley on Monday: Mill Girl

This sculpture of a mill girl stands outside the George Lawton Hall in Top Mossley. A variety of public sculptures have been commissioned by Tameside Council and have been positioned throughout the borough. Many of them have appeared on this blog. As Mossley was famous for its mills it was decided that the character to be depicted would be a mill girl, with baskets full of cotton bobbins. The George Lawton Hall stands on the site of the former Albion Mill.

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Saturday in Saddleworth - Saddleworth Church

We take a trip back to Saddleworth today, as we haven't been for a few weeks. Today's photo is another look at Saddleworth Church, high on the hillside above Uppermill. In front of the church is the appropriately-named Church Inn.

The church was there long before the village of Uppermill was, and was built to serve the widespread parish of small weaving hamlets that were dotted around the area. The church was built right alongside the ancient pre-Roman trackway that skirted the sides of the Tame Valley and led up over Standedge.

The turnpike road, canal and railway were all built along the valley bottom, and Uppermill grew up around them, leaving the church in the same rural setiing that it has been in for centuries.

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7 Miles to ?

In yesterday's photo of cottages on Currier Lane, you might just have noticed this stone against the wall of one cottage. It is in fact a mile stone, for this was once the main highway eastwards from Ashton.

The wording originally read "7 Miles to Manchester" but the word Manchester was removed, apparently in a misguided attempt to confuse any invading Germans who might have wandered onto Currier Lane.

This wasn't the first official vandalism that this historic stone had suffered as it had previously had a surveying bench mark carved into it!

The plaque attached tells that the mile stone was probably erected in 1732 when Currier Lane became a turnpike road and explains that the word Manchester was removed as part of wartime security.

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Currier Lane (2)

A further visit to Currier Lane, after our look two weeks ago. These cottages are roughly half way along the lane, opposite the junction with Grafton Street.

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Stalybridge Saturday: Armentieres Square

In busy Armentieres Square in Stalybridge is this quiet corner. Behind the flower bed and the benches is an acknowledgement of Stalybridge's town twinning with Arementieres in France.

This corner is seen looking from the Lock Gates Sundial sculpture seen here a month ago.

In the background is Rose Terrace and to the left is Holy Trinity Church.

Anyone in this area today (3rd October) should pop into the old Market Hall to see the History Fair that will be taking place between 10 am and 4 pm.

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York House

York House Hotel was a feature of Richmond Street, Ashton, for many years. In recent years it has stood empty and boarded up. At one time it would have been an impressive and attractive building.

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