England
England has so many areas of natural beauty, and some great places to walk. I have travelled quite a bit round England, whether it was for work or recreation, I have more or less been to all four corners of England. While doing this you get to see the wonders that this country holds, even today I keep finding something new.
Like I have mentioned in the About Me section of this web site, I have lived in different parts of England.
Although it was the shortest time I have lived anywhere, I find myself being drawn back towards Hartlepool, the place of my birth. It is where industry meets the sea, I find it has a beauty that is hard to describe in words. I know my family who still live in Hartlepool would possibly disagree with me on that point, but each and every one of them would always stand up for Hartlepool. I think being born there is why I have a love for the coast. I have not managed to do any walking near to Hartlepool, but I hope to rectify that one day.
The Map of Sutton Park
Walsall in the heart of The Black Country, some might think, what will that have to offer? But I lived there for 20 years, and there are areas you can go for some relaxation and some lovely walks, or in my case at that time fishing. There are miles and miles of canals, there are some quite big parks and areas of natural beauty. Walsall Arboretum is a lovely park with some lovely gardens to walk round.
Sutton Park near Sutton Coldfield is the seventh largest urban park in Europe and the second largest outside a capital city. It is also a National Nature Reserve and it is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It has a number of lakes of which a friend of mine (Paul) and I used to cycle the 6 miles or so to Sutton Park with our bikes overloaded with fishing tackle to fish one of the large lakes within the park. The one time we went to Sutton Park on our bikes without fishing tackle, only to find that the English leg of the RAC Rally had a stage through the park, this was my introduction into the world of rally cars, which I still love to watch to this day.
Between Walsall and Sutton Park there is a place called Barr Beacon, as the name suggests is was a place for lighting beacons. This is another place to visit; it offers you 360° views of the surrounding area.
Another area of outstanding natural beauty is Cannock Chase. If you are into your water sports then near to Cannock Chase is Chasewater Country Park, with its reservoir, which use to feed the canals, there are loads of water sports to keep you amused.
Here in Leeds, there are plenty of walks to undertake if you know where to look.
There is the Meanwood Valley Trail, a 7 mile linear walk starting off at Woodhouse Moor near the city centre of Leeds going through Meanwood Park and ending at Golden Acre Park.
Meanwood Park is a small park with rolling grass slopes with a play area and Meanwood Beck runs through the park. If you follow the Meanwood Valley Trail, Meanwood Beck becomes Adel Beck, somewhere in Scotland Woods.
Golden Acre Park is in North Leeds, and is a lovely park with well kept gardens, a tea room, a large lake and a mixture of woodland and grassland. There is also Adel Dam Nature Reserve, with a few hides for anyone who likes to get close to nature. There are loads of walks to be undertaken in and around the park.
Near to Meanwood Park is some woodland and public gardens known as The Hollies. This is quite steep woodland in places. But it is a nice area to have a short walk round.
The Slabbering Baby
The Severn Arches Aquaduct Scotland Woods
Scotland Wood is steeped in history, it has the ruins of Scotland Mill, a former flax spinning mill in the late 1780s, was the first factory in the world to successfully use water power to spin flax (or linseed as its otherwise known). It is also home to the Seven Arches Aqueduct. The ‘Seven Arches’ - Leeds’ first aqueduct, was built in 1840 to carry clean water from Eccup Reservoir to the rapidly growing city. Around this point it becomes Adel Woods. Look out for The ‘Slabbering Baby’ a stone carving around a spring at the junction of paths. Its origins are unknown but we do know that there was once a flax mill here which later became a popular Victorian teahouse.
Another park to visit in Leeds is Roundhay Park, which is regarded as one of the biggest urban parks in the world. The park has a number of walks to follow. The park has 2 lakes, the largest, Waterloo Lake, has a café at one end of it, and at the other end there is the ruins of a castle folly. There is also The Manor House in the park grounds, this is now used for functions, there is also a tea room attached. Across the road from the park is Tropical World, this is worth a look round especially if the weather is not too good, it has some amazing butterflies along with some other animals. Next to Tropical World is Canal Gardens, although not very big, still worth a stroll round. Behind Canal Gardens is a very small garden called the Friends Garden. There is also another garden area next to Roundhay Park called the Monet Garden and the Alhambra Garden, well worth a stroll around.
A Bullfinch taken from one of the hides at
Adel Dam Nature Reserve
I suppose what I am trying to get across, is that no matter how built up an area you live in, there is always somewhere within easy reach to get out and have a walk in a more relaxing environment than the normal streets we trudge around on a daily basis. Even if it is only for an hour or so.
That being said, on 08th May 2016, I was at a bit of a loose end. I had an errand to run over in Pudsey, near to where I work. On my way back I drove past a place called Bramley Fall. I pass this place every day on my way home from work, and have never known anything about it, so on this day I decided to pay it a visit. Bramley is a notoriously ruff area of Leeds, but to see that there was this area to go for a walk just proves my point above. So I went for a walk in the woods, taking along my camera equipment. I started to take a few photos of the bluebells, I then arrived at the canal at the bottom of the hill. As it was one of the hottest days of the year so far (we had snow the week before) the local teenagers where hanging around the three locks of the canal, I think some of them had been swimming in the canal. I took some more photos and ventured along the towpath a little way, I then decided to head for the car and return home. Once back across the canal, I noticed a little wear where there is a run off for the canal, I thought that might make a decent photo, so I started to focus the camera, when over my music I heard a teenage girl ask me what was I taking photos of? I said whatever I think might make a nice photo, to which she replied "but it's Bramley!" that will keep me amused for years. My reply was, if you take the time to look around you, you will find something interesting to photograph.
Bluebells in Bramley Fall
For all my travelling around England for one reason or another, I have to my shame done very little in the way of climbing the mountains that England has to offer, the Lake district is the best known for anything close to mountains, I have only climbed a couple of peaks in this area, same for the Peak district. I have just not really had the opportunity to go to these areas on a regular basis.
As I have mentioned on other pages, I was born in Hartlepool, which was in the County of Durham! I say was, as it now seems to be in the county of Cleveland. Or does it? I have looked into this, but I have not been able to find a definite answer! From what I have seen not many people from Hartlepool are happy about the change of the county name.
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I know I only lived in Hartlepool for the first few years of my life, but I still have family who live there, so I have visited it over the years, and see it as my hometown! I think I will always believe it to be in the County of Durham! Although like I have said I have been to Hartlepool over the years, I have never visited much of the County of Durham.
Looking towards Mickleton from a layby on the B6282