Lift Bridge

This week's Sky Watch shows the lift bridge at the new Frenches Marina in Greenfield, around 6 miles from Ashton.

The bridge, which carries the canal towpath, lifts up to allow boats to move between the marina and the Huddersfield Canal. The Structure of the bridge, along with the retro lamp post, make interesting shapes against the sky, set above the outline of Alphin Pike and Noon Sun Hill in the background.

Behind the marina are Greenfield's new Tesco store on the left and the Kingfisher pub on the right. This photo continues the canal theme from Monday!

See Aerial View of this location.

Sky Watch is a regular weekly feature on this photo blog. It links 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!

Greenfield

For today's photo we open the world of Ashton a little wider with a visit to nearby Greenfield in Saddleworth.

If you take a train eastwards from Ashton, towards Huddersfield, the third stop (after Stalybridge and Mossley) is Greenfield. The railway here is winding along the side of the valley as it clims into the Pennines, so it is not surprising that this view, from just across the road from Greenfield Station, is looking down over the village of Greenfield itself.

The photo is looking along Chew Valley Road, running towards the distant steeple of St Mary's Church, with the steep hills surrounding Dovestones Reservoir in the background.

To the right, the modern building facing this way is The House That Isn't, featured on this blog three years ago..

See Bird's Eye View of this location.

(Click photo for larger version. Press Back button to return here.)

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

Sky Watch: Seasonal Weather

To start of the New Year with a truly seasonal photo, here is a view looking down across Greenfield from Quick Edge, Mossley, about 5 miles from the centre of Ashton.

The whispy whiteness of the streaky sky is almost a continuation of the whiteness of the ground! What you can't see is that was a bitterly cold wind blowing!

See Birds Eye View of this location.

A  Happy New Year  to all readers of this photo blog - today's post marks the end of the blog's second year!

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!

Dusting of Snow over Greenfield

The area around Ashton woke up to a light dusting of snow on Friday, which quickly started to disappear at lower levels, so I took a walk over Quick Edge, near Mossley, to survey the surrounding landscape.

This view looks eastwards, over one of the many dry stone walls in the area, across the Tame Valley towards Greenfield and the Pennine moors beyond.

The snow wasn't deep enough to hide the grass completely. In spite of the winter sunshine there was a penetrating cold wind blowing! The forecasters are suggesting that we may see some more snow over the weekend.

See Birds Eye 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.

The House That Isn't (2)

Yesterday's photo was of what seemed to be a house in Greenfield. Today's photo is a close-up of that building and straight away you can see what was odd about it - the windows are just pretend! The doors look rather utilitarian and the garden isn't up to much, either! The yellow warning signs on the doors are the clue here, warning of high voltages, for this is no house, but the Greenfield Electricity Substation. It was built as part of the small housing estate off Chew Valley Road in 2003 at a cost of around £300,000.

I hope the current neighbours aren't too shocked. At least it has its ohm entrance! As you can see from the tree, the photo was taken earlier in the year. I'm sorry I couldn't bring you live images... Oh, what revolting puns!

The House That Isn't

Situated on a small estate in the village of Greenfield, around 6 miles from Ashton, and a few yards from the banks of the River Tame, is this building, with the delightful backdrop of Pots and Pans. To the casual passer-by it appears to be a fairly normal 4 or 5 bedroomed house, similar to others nearby. But looking closer, there is something odd about it. All is not what is appears to be!

The mystery will be solved tomorrow!

Chew Valley

Time to get out on the hills again! Following the popularity of the moorland views seen in February, I thought I would share this photo looking down Chew Valley towards Dovestones Reservoir, Greenfield. This scene is only around 7 miles from Ashton but you would hardly think so!
behind the walkers you can see the narrow roadway that winds up to valley to Chew Reservoir, at the head of the valley, 470 metres above sea level.

A little touch of Winter returns

We haven't had much in the way of Winter Weather this year, but we got a quick touch yesterday. Snow overnight produced a very thin coating on the hills around Greenfield. It had all melted away an hour or so after this photo was taken!
The photo is looking across the Royal George Mills, Friezland (now housing) towards Greenfield and Chew Valley. Dovestones Reservoir is just visible in the V of the hills (above right of centre). The Huddersfield Narrow Canal can be seen behind the line of trees to the right in the foreground. The War Memorial at Pots and Pans is visible on the skyline on the extreme left. Click on photo to see a larger version.

Bog Trotting

By request - a photo of the moorland above Dovestones Reservoir, Greenfield.
This scene is a mere half dozen miles from Ashton but is so different that you might as well be walking on the moon! The walkers are crossing an area of bare peat at Wimberry Moss. The rocks in the background are Wimberry Stones, known as "Indian's Head" because, when seen on the skyline from the valley below, they resemble the profile of a "red indian chief" if you turn your head to one side and use a little imagination!