Lancashire

A trip to the local beauty spot of Healy Dell Nature Reserve in Rochdale brought us to this lone 340 year old bridge. This was one of a pair here called ‘The Thrutch Bridges’ but known locally as the Fairy bridges. The other was washed away in a severe storm in December 2015. The two bridges were never foot bridges at all though, but supported an external wall of the Fulling Mill built in 1676, long since gone. Enjoy full screen.

Join me by the River Spodden underneath this splendid viaduct. Situated in the scenic Healey Dell Nature reserve this old railway viaduct used to carry the ‘Rochdale to Bacup Railway Line’. It was built in 1867 to carry passengers and operated until the late 60s with coal trains only. It is only single track wide and is 105ft (32m) high above the river, with eight arches, each with a 30 ft (9.1m) span. A footpath now runs along the top. See PiP Enjoy full screen.

Another look at the high Healey Dell Viaduct but this time from the top, where a foot/cycle path runs. We are almost at the end here but the drop from the sides is still considerable at 105ft. PiPs (adjacent photo) for full story. Enjoy the weekend.

I imagine the makers of this nice bench with the metal backrest and motifs had not thought about the English youth obsession to leave their mark on everything they can. Such are our times. Can’t say I approve, but who am I to say! Seen on our recent walk around Healey Dell. This was near the Fairies Chapel, but I cannot find any more info about it Enjoy full screen. Have a great day.

Within a narrow gorge known as “The Thrutch” within Healey Dell nature reserve and now overshadowed by the viaduct hides a pool and waterfall, before the flood of 1838 which destroyed it, it also contained a cavern in the rock which had a pulpit, reading desk and seats, formed by the action of the water. This is still known as the Fairies Chapel. In local folklore the Chapel was formed when the King of the Fairies, aiding Robert of Huntingdon to overcome a curse, turned a local coven of witches to stone. “There” the King said, “practice your unholy rites. There you have a chapel for your evil worship. And long may it be ere any mortal be so foolish as to seek you out in your wicked den.” In overcoming the witches, Robert was forced to sacrifice his uncle’s ring which was the only proof of his claim to the title of Huntingdon and thus took his first step towards his destiny as the outlaw Robin Hood. The Fairies Chapel enters folklore once more during the reign of Edward IV (1461-1470) when Ralph the Miller enticed Eleanor Byron (the betrothed of Oliver Chadwyke) to the Fairies Chapel in return for his own soul. Having himself been tricked into entering the Chapel whilst poaching, Ralph agreed to the exchange and set about a plan to convince Eleanor that he could make her “true love” appear to her. Eleanor having been betrothed to Oliver since childhood questioned whether her future husband was the man for her, so agreed to go fortune hunting with the miller. Having (at Ralph’s instruction) cast a token into the River Beal to carry her summons to her “one true love” she went to the Fairies Chapel at the appointed time, only to be confronted by the evil fairies intent on capturing her soul in exchange for immortality. With her soul in mortal danger, her true love was indeed summoned to her and Oliver came to her rescue, breaking the spell which bound her. The tale of Eleanor and Oliver was not to end happily, however. It was fortold that Eleanor would be “Maid, wife and widow, in one day!” and this came to pass when on return from their wedding the Traffords with whom the Chadwykes had a feud attacked slaying Oliver during the battle. Enjoy full screen.

A view of our Hudderfield Canal at the small town of Mossley. A canal path that my wife and I often walk as it is quite wonderful and mostly dry too. Love the light and reflections here. A good place to sit and ponder on that bench but I don’t think we ever have sat there. The PiP shows an Autumn view of the same scene. Enjoy full screen. Have a great day.

A fitting start to my photo outings of 2024 and a rare touch of sunshine along with a cold frosty morning brings us back to this local reservoir. I have been here many times but not in this weather. I like the soft tones here and even the power-lines look exactly right, almost touching the roof of that building. The PiP shows another view taken just over three years ago. Enjoy full screen

Dec 21 2010 As Winter took hold of this spot just to the north of Pendle Hill one can see and understand the real beauty of snow and light. Taken thirteen years ago whilst visiting a nearby hostelry for a birthday celebration. It was one of our coldest days for many years at -8C in the middle of the day but this short walk to what to us was a familiar spot was well worth the frosty fingers. Enjoy full screen Have a good weekend

We think we know where we live and then suddenly we discover an area of beauty that we had no idea existed until a day or so back. That is the case for today’s winter walk in an area called ‘Crompton Moor’. Only a 20 minute drive from my door, it incorporates an old coal and sandstone quarry, wonderful paths though wooded and moorland scenery and a pleasant small reservoir. Here is the Pingot Quarry scene. I believe this is most spectacular after heavy rains but at the moment I am enjoying the iced grass cascades. Best at full screen. Enjoy the day.

After exploring a completely new place just the day before this, I decided to re-visit a small area just a 15 minutes’ walk from my door called Glodwick Lowes. Snow had fallen overnight and so I was in a winter wonderland. Here is one of my favourite types of trees, the Silver Birch with a still autumn leaved beech tree at its side. Just before seeing this, I saw a couple of very shy Roe Deer that eluded my camera. Best at full screen. Enjoy the day

A frosty fence provides a nice foundation for this Piethorne reservoir reflection taken just a week or so back. We walked around the perimeter of this reservoir. Our rather stark hills often take on this colour in the low sun of the day. Enjoy full screen Have a good weekend.

I had a shock on the morning of December 23, for as I looked out of my window I saw two parakeets on our feeder. I had never seen them in the wilds of our country before. Apparently they are indigenous to Australia but they have made a nice home for themselves in parts of the Manchester area and even further north. It is supposed that they were originally pets that escaped from captivity around 1970 in the London area and have slowly moved north. They are a colourful bird and a little noisy at times but I fear that they might drive away our native far smaller garden birds. (They also eat a lot!) After seeing them for a few days running, I have not seen them here since. Have a good day.

The first time on this country park path and the views were un-expectantly good with this cold blue sky. The skyscrapers in the distance belong to the Lancashire town of Rochdale. PiP of waterfall within this Common. Enjoy the day.

A view of the trig point on the highest hill on Crompton Moor. We see here the door and window on the side of this large trig point structure---- or do we? HBM, enjoy the week.

Not far from my house, I am blessed by quite a few lanes like this. I was returning from a higher walk and noticed this almost invisible fence in the light snow. The low sun adds a little warm colour here as I snapped this and hurried of to a warm chair and coffee. Enjoy full screen Have a good weekend.

A walk over Cromptom Moor can be most rewarding. Frost still adorns this bench so we had better keep moving! Have a great day.

Whilst out exploring this area that I knew as a teenager, I came across a few new benches. Far too cold and wet to sit and relax on but this shot gives a general impression of the area. It was not far from here that I saw deer and a nice silver birch tree. In the distance you can see our Hartshead Pike monument. – The snow has all gone now! PiP's Best full screen. Enjoy the day.

The date: April 5 2009, almost 25 years back to the day, at the edge of the Lancashire town of Clitheroe. A chance capture as I was taking photos of the mist and birds on the nearby River Ribble when I heard a rumble. I looked towards the cement works across the river and saw the chimney starting to topple. As the camera was in my hands and already in fast shoot mode (I was trying also to get some flying herons) I managed to catch this before it disappeared in a cloud of dust behind the buildings. It was made of concrete and 460 feet high (140m). A moment never to be relived here. BBC News: “One of the tallest industrial chimneys in Lancashire has been demolished. The chimney was part of the Hanson cement plant in Clitheroe and was connected to two kilns that were decommissioned two years ago. The fall of the chimney at the cement works, formerly called Castle Cement, was witnessed by onlookers as it dropped at 1000 BST on Sunday.” It was built in the 1960's out of reinforced concrete and was much hated by the local residents of Clitheroe because of smells and fumes (refuted). It was in fact surrounded in most parts by beautiful rural countryside. Enjoy full screen HAPPY EASTER