[B]THE RED ROSE COUNTY[/B]

Interesting though isn't it.


The Delph was eventually closed down to divers and swimmers, the years passed and it probably changed hands, the big security fences came down and I last visited there in the very early 1990's.

There were some young divers in there. I couldn't believe the equipment, dry suits, fancy life saving gimmicks built into them.

They had no idea what a Mk5 Fenzy was.

I felt alien to it, it had been many years since I had dived in any event.

I never went there again. Then last week I read that they had built an indoor swimming pool there, the Delph itself and pool was a form of leisure centre and training school for divers. There was a café there.

I couldn't believe it.
Heres one of St Mary's Church in Eccleston.





The Church is known to have been in existence as far back as 1094

It is a very attractive village.


Just down the road from Eccleston is the small hamlet of Mawdesely



The property in these particular areas is extremely picturesque and attractive.




They really are nice homes.

Mawdesley is considered to be one of the best kept and maintained villages in the area.

It has won the somewhat coveted 'Best Kept Village in Lancashire' award.

Mawdesely Hall was built in 1625 by William Mawdesely.


The village school dates back to around 1640






There are some nice pubs in the area, nice houses etc.

The 'old telephone boxes' are somewhat scarce today. Tom Jones has one in his home or garden area in Los Angeles.

There are many used as shower cubicles.

Some are ornamental in gardens etc.
It's rather nice to see one on a village green like this, in working order

The one above was between Mawdesley and Croston, more in Mawdesely.

Absolutely spectacular.


Talking about Croston, well that village is a top class act all on it's own.



It's difficult to believe that places as beautiful as this really exist.

Croston itself is a super little village.

A really good friend of mine lives there.



The River Yarrow runs through the village.


I suppose when you live in the area like me and Flobo do, these places of beauty are taken for granted.




There are some great pubs in the village as well.



They are all good. Flobo and myself like The Wheatsheaf.



Great a la carte menu but also a decent bar menu which includes a great Sunday roast at a very fair price.

They also bake their own bread here and give you a small/miniature type loaf with some best butter when you have one of the roast dinners.

Really nice, flag floors, great staff.

Highly recommended.

This bridge, which is in daily use by the way, runs across the River Yarrow, in Croston, it's another spectaculars work of brilliant construction with superb appeal.




I took this photograph, off the bridge the houses are the backs of the ones shown in the gorgeous little street as shown above.



The backs of these, that is, it's worth an additional photograph as well, this one shows the Stone Cross.



You will note the lack of 'For Sale' signs in the street or area.

This was great to see as well. The old windmill {used to grind corn} Flobo remembers going in here when she was a little girl, she saw the corn being ground and it used to come down a big chute as flour when it went through the big giant stones which were turned by the windmill sails.

That she tells me was in the early fifties.

Isn't that a fantastic building.



There is an educational type farm in operation here we noted today. Nicely set up for the kids too.

The lady in the picture appeared to be in charge of quite a few kids on the farm premises.



This was at Holmeswood.

The Leisure Lakes in this vicinity, personally I feel that the lakes in general have been greatly neglected over the last few years and have not used them to the benefit of Lancashire.

I hope they improve.

The Wetlands project is a totally different category, if we get the opportunity through the summer or autumn, we will visit there and place some beautiful photographs on these pages.

Some information from The Internet.


Google Martin Mere Wetlands and there is a hst of wildlife and bird information:-

Martin Mere

Martin Mere Wetland Centre is home to over 100 species of rare and endangered ducks, geese, swans and flamingos


Visitor Centre
In the Centre you will find a gift shop, coffee shop and key information points. The exhibition and conference space is also used for indoor events at the Centre.


After a 500 year absence from Lancashire, four European beavers, two males and two females, have taken up residence at Martin Mere. Beavers, the world's second largest rodent, are one of nature's engineers excavating canals and building dams and lodges of branch and earth. The display at Martin Mere will be the only attraction in the North West where visitors can watch beavers in their natural habitat. Entirely vegetarian, the beavers will be fed everyday on root vegetables, leaves and fruit allowing visitors the opportunity to see the creatures.



Pond House

This is the focus of Pond dipping activities with schools and during holidays. Catch pond creatures and take them into Ramsar's laboratory to study them under a microscope.


Waterfowl Nursery

From May to August you can enjoy the cute and cuddly sight of the downy ducklings in the nursery. Specialist tours will guide you through the outdoor nursery and an opportunity to see hatching waterfowl.

Children's Playground

Climb the wooden frames, slide down the slides or speed across the swan flyways. Everything your child needs for a fun adventure.

Harrier Hide
Opened in 2004, the Harrier Hide looks out onto the reedbeds on the south side of the reserve. Watch Marsh Harriers and Hobbies as they fly across the land.


The Mere
Covering 150 hectares, the Mere is home to thousands of wintering swans and geese as well as a range of summer wading birds that included Black-winged Stilts and Avocets in 2006.


Waterfowl Garden
Martin Mere's Waterfowl Garden is home to over 100 species of rare and endangered ducks, geese, swans and flamingos. Inquisitive Hawaiian Geese will nibble grain from the hand whilst you tour the world's wetlands through the carefully planned pathways.


Inquisitive Hawaiian Geese will nibble grain from the hand whilst you tour the world's wetlands through the carefully planned pathways.
In contrast, watch, from the comfort and choice of ten lookout hides, internationally important numbers of ducks, geese and swans gathering in winter to form spectacular feeding flocks on seasonally flooded wetlands which enjoy SSSI (Site of Scientific Interest)/SPA (Special Protection Area) and Ramsar status.

With a diversity of waterfowl exhibits and an adventure playground for children to enjoy, Martin Mere is a first class, year-round, wetland wildlife attraction for families, couples, teenagers and the retired.

Another bonny home in the locality.

Then below:-

This is quite a different theme for a village 'Smithy' to be doing I thought.

I know quite a few Blacksmiths or Farriers in Lancashire, they have to diversify to exist.

Normally it's making fancy gates, spiral staircases and security shutters, doors, and such like.

Some go into building trailers.

This guy has cracked off with a novlety type approach. It looked quite good too.

Fair play and good luck to him.



This was interesting:-


We went through Southport, Ainsdale, Formby, and Birkdale, they were getting it ready for the open..

I'm not a golfer myself, but of course there will be one hell of a crowd out here when it fires off.

It never ceases to amaze me how much information is manufactured with a few photographs and a word or two from others.

The subject, the area, town, county,country, people, events. It's a little like when the first man invented the wheel.

I wonder what on earth he would think if he could see everything that had been created from that marvellous bit of thought?


This is a nice and interesting little spot in Lancashire as well.

Formby point on what is known as Sefton's Natural Coast.

It's probably the largest sand dune system in the whole of the UK. Definitely in the top half dozen I would think.

Extremely important and beneficial for wildlife.

The National Trust have been looking after it for about forty years.

It's one of the only places left in Britain to see the remaining 'Red Squirrel'. They are really rare now. We used to have plenty of them around our home about thirty years ago. Now it's all the Grey.

Pity really, the 'Red' in my opinion looked far more attractive.




It's nice how you walk out of beautiful woodland and onto the beaches.



When you find the right path, that is..



Here we go again.



The dunes are constantly changing and alas moving inland at quite an alarming rate.

Every year approximately twelve feet of coast line are lost here (4 metres) from the front of the dunes at Formby.

The old timber Pinetree Café is long gone, washed into the sea never to be seen again.





It wasn't the best of days, but the rain kept off until late afternoon following a wet start.

Around this area though, the wind was quite strong, coming in from the Irish Sea.

The sand grains it was whipping up were like needles hitting us, especially around the face.

The two seagulls in the same don't look real either.



I did my best to portray the whirling sand in this photograph especially, it didn't really show it how it was though.

We walked back into the woods, hoping to catch sight of a 'Red Squirrel' or two as well.

No luck.



Then we came out on a different area of the beach, just as windy.

We hardly felt any wind at all in the woods.

It didn't feel a bad wind in the general sense of being powerful, it was just how the same threw the grains of sand at us.

Here we go again.




Then we noticed the wind turbines out at sea.

How much electricity were they going to be generating we wondered.

The ship, must have come out of Liverpool Docks or the Manchester Ship Canal, (I don't know enough about the shipping to really comment on that)

{Come on Mac, you should know the answer}

Obviously, you wonder what it is carrying and which ports will it be calling into.

I often think life at sea must be quite lonely. It wouldn't suit me, that's for sure.


Considering it was such a poor day, there were a few people out and about.

A few men were sea fishing from the beaches here and there.

Folk were taking walks along the beaches, through the woods and some were bird watching.

There were three or four enjoying the bridle paths in the area with their horses.

Wardens were working among the dunes, erecting barrier fences to protect against the erosion no doubt, all in all it was a busy spot.

It certainly appeared to be well run and efficient.

We had a further thirty minutes or so looking for Red Squirrel, but our luck wasn't in.

We decided to have lunch at The Toby Carvery in Ainsdale, we usually go there if we are in the Southport neck of the woods.



It's a nice place too.



Well laid out and prepared. Choice of three meats, All freshly cooked, as you would expect, Turkey, Beef, or Honey Glazed Roast Ham.

We had Ham and Turkey. Then you top up as usuual at a carvery with all the vegetables and boiled and roast potatoes you desire. You can go back for as much extra veg as you desire too, at no extra cost.

At £5..00 each, you can't go wrong.


We were rather late getting there, so it wasn't as busy as you would expect. Normally the place is heaving and you have to get in the queue for the food.

As it was, we were served straight away.

We had a large pot of tea between us and the total bill £12..00.

The bar is really nice as well.



I hardly drink at all nowadays. If I'm driving, I wouldn't dream of a gill even.

I knocked drinking on the head totally for a few years in January of 1995.

I have an odd drink whilst on holiday, or if in company. Apart from that hardly ever. Flobo has been virtually tea-total since just after we got married.

A couple of wine gums and a glass of sherry at Christmas or so and she's off her trolly.




To be honest with you, I think the pubs in general in The UK are going to the wall though.

The smoking ban and general cost of alcohol, well look at this, a beautiful pub like this and nobody there!
__________________

Strange as well, places like Formby Point and the sea is taking the land away, a few miles up the coast and the land is extending it's reach onto the beaches.

It's only a few years since all of this grassed area was sand.



I don't know what the old guy was gathering up, but he kept stopping and rummaging about in the grass.


The Pier in the distance is at Southport.

We took the back roads out of Southport, the countryside is beautiful in this particular area and we made our way towards Parbold.






The photograph below is taken from the top of Parbold Hill.

Again, a nice location.



The Wiggin Tree Hotel Restaurant and Pub, smack bang on the top of Parbold hill, nice location and a well patronised restaurant especially.



It kind of irks me when places like this go to the trouble of having a flash clock fitted to the front and it isn't working.

It was late afternoon when we pulled up at the view point across from the Wiggin Tree. The bloody clock is reading 10.10?

Bollocks!

I think Britain in general boasts some fabulous variations in property, I like to see the 'Old' as well as the new.





This property interested me, the ivy growth and the total manner in which it was surrounded by trees made it look good to me.

The brickwork I was able to see on the front of the apex appeared quite old, along with the type of brick in use.

The roof appeared slightly uneven, although the general slate condition looked good, the soldier type brick lintel construction labelled it quite old though.

Anybody have any idea?

Sometimes, you might just stop the car for any number of reasons and feel a liking for a certain scene as you see it. I know I do, I never used to be like that, couldn't get from A to B fast enough in my younger days.

This looked attractive to me.



This particular house, looked a recent build, it could have been a conversion, I'm not sure.

Whatever though, it looked very attractive.




It certainly was in keeping for the locality though.

This little old beauty was neatly tucked away as well, it looked 'cosy'




The divisional upright flags at the front looked a little on the dodgy side though.

This terrace of small cottages was tucked away in a little side road in Euxton.

Attractive I thought.






The road was extremely narrow too, no doubt reflecting the reason for the heavy stones he had placed on the road by his wall.

He obviously didn't want it catching with a wagon or van for instance.

Mathos, you have evidently missed your calling, as copywriter for the Lancashire Tourist Board.

I like Parbold and Parbold Hill, I used to go to meetings quite near there.

Cargo ships passing Formby northbound close inshore are probably coming from Bootle and could be going just about anywhere colder.

Here you go Mac:-

This was a very old Mill and ex work shop in Parbold. Converted for business use, but none of the character had been removed.

It looked nice and attractive.




There aren't too many of these type of places left either, I'm glad to see it retained it's Post Office status as well. Over 2500 have been closed down throughout the land this last twelve month or so.

The building vaunts a nice Tea and Coffee room with snacks, a village store and the Post Office.

Great.

This particular shop is in the tiny hamlet of Newburgh.



You can see by the banner of appreciation the locals must have presented a good case to keep the same in business.



We recently climbed the steps to the top of Clitheroe Castle.



It's not exactly a difficult climb at all, the town itself is in an elevated position in The Ribble valley, so I don't suppose they had to go much higher than was a requirement to see over the surrounding countryside.

These are the steps, they could do with a bit of sorting out and a spray with the old weedkiller, but considering their age, I shouldn't complain at all.



It's only a personal issue, but I can never understand why they never set about restoring these wonderful old castles to their original state. We seem to have a desire to maintain 'The Ruins'


Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness being such a wonderful ruin, would look superb were it to be restored to it's former glory.


The views from the top though are somewhat spoiled by the more modern buildings.

I can never understand why planning approval is given to houses being built with modern brick for instance in these localities, let alone Marley slate roofs and such like.

Stone and brick houses are apparent in this photograph, the brick look terrible.

Well, I think they do.

The quarries could supply enough stone to build cities, and slate is also available straight from Mother Earth.

It might make the cost of the buildings more expensive, The builders would simply have to reduce their profits in my book.

But there are some of these towns, villages and hamlets which do stick to the rules of adhering to the stonework and slate as existing buildings were built with, and the difference in appearance is amazing.

It looks like it belongs there.

I'm having a rant.





What a difference a tree makes.



I think when you see a beautiful town built out of natural resources and kept in keeping with traditional appearances, it makes a magnificent example.




Some of these streets are wonderful.



They blend superbly with the greenery.

I thought this building housing the Solicitors was fantastic as well



Atop the castle I noticed a Steeplejack climbing down the ladder, no doubt securely fastened to the Church Steeple in the distance.

By the time I opened the camera and pointed the same, he had vanished from view. I kept my eye on it for a while, but I reckon he had either gone for his dinner or he was a smoker who had to climb down and leave the place of employment premises whilst he enjoyed a Park Drive at the northern gate.




Would anybody agree with me as to the lack of commonsense in Planning authorities permitting those red roofs to be placed on buildings?

Sorry for moaning, but it really annoys me.

This was a superb view from the Castle as well.



Absolutely beautiful that.

This really could be Paradise Lane




But some stupid flea brained idiot in planning allowed them to stick a lamp-post right in the middle of it!

That was a really clever decision to make.

I think it's great to see the 'Old Coach Houses' like this one.

I reckon the occupants of those coaches would be more than ready for a nice glass of ale and a bed for the night too.


Most of the Old Inns in Lancashire are traditional Coach houses.


There are some nice old public houses in the old town..




I think their was a screech of brakes from a vehicle further up the road, as I took this photograph as well, look at their faces.

The levels of maintenance in these villages nowadays is brilliant, they are well looked after.



These Village Green areas are superb, especially when houses and or cottages like those in the background of this photograph simply blend into the landscape with such a natural warmth.




I think the two photographs of the same area above are really depictive of the landscape.

A picture paints a thousand words.

Spectacular country shots here, they are really nice photographs




There is every chance, you know like 100% of every chance that the photograph above and below might just have been taken across the border and they could be, no they are, Yorkshire.





This was a really interesting area as well, just across the border.



A small Hamlet called Pecket well, I've probably driven through it in the past, several times I would think on The A6033.

Sometimes you take notice of places more than others, or if you have a specific destination, you tend to simply pass through the en route towns, villages and hamlets without giving them enough attention.

I'm glad I have changed my outlook in that manner over the years.

There was a bonny looking pub up here as well.

The Robin Hood Inn.



It has accommodation facilities and advertises special rates for extended stays in the same. £25..00 per night. It sells real ale, including Timothy Taylors.

There was a nice menu on the board and it advertised 'Sunday Lunches' which i have since learned go down very well.

It's situated two miles from The Pennine way and about 100 yards from the Calderdale way. It's close to Bronte Country as well.

The Robin Hood inn was originally a coaching Inn and there are tales of St Thomas A-Becket drinking water from the well here.

The town of Pecket Well was originally called 'Becket Well'

The Mill you can see in the distance on the initial photograph is tastefully converted to beautiful Mews and Flats. From information I obtained the prices ranged from around Two to Three hundred thousand.



In general the town looked quite active, work was being carried out here and there on various properties.

There was a block of terraced properties shown on my photograph below taken from the rear. The reason I took this particular photograph being that I could not see a 'back door' on any of them.

I thought it unusual to say the least. It was obviously a well aged terrace, and I cannot say I have looked behind every such terrace I have come across in my life. But I have been behind many and cannot recollect ever having seen this rather strange lack of a back door before.

There was no real sign of any of them having an individual or private garden area either. No signs of a waste bin or garden shed? There appeared to be a pathway going through the un-cut grass though.

It made me think.

Can anybody shed light on the same?



There was an additional terrace of small cottages, which we thought looked attractive too. (Except for the integral garage on the end one)





This, I thought was a really spectacular view from just outside of the village.

This was a really interesting little area. Elslack and Broughton.



The Church here at Elslack took a bit of finding.

It's an early Norman Church with additions up to the 15th Century. It's actually stood on this spot for over Nine hundred years.

The parish actually had a larger population two hundred years ago than it does now. By all accounts it is a popular place for weddings and was reviewed in a very favourable manner by Alan Bennet in his diaries.

It was a spectacular building to see.




The graveyard had some really ancient graves and tombs within it's grounds.

It turned out to be quite an interesting little area did Elslack.

This public house dated back to 1786. From this side, which is how we came across the same, we had no idea it was going to be such a large or so popular hotel, restaurant, pub as it turned out to be.



It was really impressive from the 'New Front'



It had obviously been extended over the years, and had a very contemporary look to it, whilst retaining it's 'Old Worldly' Charm.


The following was taken from the Internet, I thought it quite a good appraisal and review.


CALM AND COMPETENCE REIGN AT THE INAPTLY NAMED TEMPEST. Paddy Burt article published in the Telegraph on Saturday 10th February 200710 February 2007CALM AND COMPETENCE REIGN AT THE INAPTLY NAMED TEMPEST.
On booking dinner, bed and breakfast at the Tempest Arms, I'm not asked for a deposit or even an address. I email confirmation and receive a reply saying the pub can only do dinner at six - much too early! Then I'm told that some unauthorised person took my original call. A few minutes later, a man phones to say that they can offer us dinner at 8.30pm. Curiouser and curiouser.

On arrival in the bar we're given a key and directed to a large stone building next door. We climb the stairs and open the door to one of the nicest hotel rooms ever. Not only is it large, but it has a small balcony and a view of a stream and Yorkshire stretching into the far yonder.

There's more: a large, wall-mounted flat television - with what look like all the digibox programmes - and a big squashy sofa from which to watch it. The furniture is dark wood and modern - could be Indian. Next to the sofa is a glass-fronted gas/coal stove and, like everything else, it's new and it works. Even better, we've arrived early enough to enjoy it. The bathroom has a powerful shower above the bath and a low-power spotlight that's always on, in case we need to use the loo in the dark. I was told this room costs £99. Perhaps I misheard and it's really £199.
When we go down to the bar, we realise that the Tempest is much bigger than it looks. Apart from a large bar area, there are two dining rooms and a large function room. We ask for glasses of wine, rather than a bottle, so he can have red while I stick to white.

Soon we're being offered menus. I ask for seafood pancake to start, followed by what they describe as "Lamb Thingy-me-Bob", with minted gravy and redcurrant. My husband decides on the game broth, because it's the season, then Moroccan lamb curry with rice, poppadums and dips. It's all very informal. By the time our table is ready, the bar has standing room only.

In the restaurant, we find ourselves sitting next to a family birthday party. We assume they are local. The food is on the hearty side, the pancake more like fish lasagne. The Lamb Thingy-me-Bob is a flavoursome but large shank, a bit too filling for me, and comes with new potatoes to which I have misguidedly added peas. My husband's game broth is, he says, fine. He was wondering whether the curry would be made in the kitchen or with ready-made sauces. As he finds a cardamom pod in his, he decides it must be kitchen-made.

From the "Puddings, Sweets and Lots of Treats" menu, he chooses rhubarb crumble "with lashings of custard" and I choose flapjack. It comes with raisin ice cream and clotted cream, which I can never resist.

Staggering back to our lovely room, we light the fire and watch a bit of television. In the bathroom, in front of a basket filled with bubbles, shampoos etc, is a notice: "Use them, leave them, take them home - but please don't pinch the bathrobes."

I have had a letter from a reader saying that some of the places I like are not hotels and are not suitable for "a celebratory weekend". Maybe, but readers must make up their own minds. The Tempest is a pub, with a bar, but if the rooms are all like ours, the lack of a residents' lounge may not matter.

At breakfast we find a menu that says: "Good Morning - start the day our way." On a big table are yogurt, grapefruit, muesli, fruit salad, pots of jam and a jar of home-made marmalade. In charge is Martin, who has the authority of a senior BA steward. "What about the Yorkshire platter?" my husband asks. "Go for it - you can always leave what you can't manage," Martin replies. "More coffee, anyone?" he asks as he strides around the room, making sure people are happy and, even better, making them laugh.

The Tempest Arms, Elslack, Skipton BD23 3AY (01282 842450, The Tempest Arms - a fine experience). Paddy Burt paid £99 for b & b; £16.77 for drinks; £43.97 for dinner. Total: £159.74

Looks like I have to take Flobo there for a night this autumn

Whilst I'm talking about this little spot, I should mention Broughton Hall.
It is now an amazing Business Park and private residence estate.

Set within 3000 acres of secure and extensive, beautifully landscaped grounds. The estate Heritage buildings have undergone total sympathetic restoration over the last twenty years or so and are now home to forty five companies at least, and vaunt sixty private residential homes.

In excess of six hundred people either work, play or reside at Broughton Hall.

I think I will make a future appointment to view the Park In the future. You can download a brilliant brochure from:-

Broughton Hall Business ParkProvides high quality business accommodation set amidst 3000 acres of parkland and countryside.
www.broughtonhall.co.uk/ - 2k -

It's well worth taking a look as well.

This photograph is taken from very close to the main gates of Broughton Hall.


This one also, it's in a brilliant location.

Beautiful in fact.



Check the brochure out though.

Very early on in this thread I took a photograph of a local Farm Shop at Brindle. The snap wasn't a good one at all, the sun spoiled the same.

Flobo recently wanted to call there, and as the weather here wasn't so brilliant, I thought I would put my work schedule on hold and take her.

I recalled not taking such a good photograph of the same and took my camera along.

This is The Farm Shop.

Note the Thai Chair, in the picture.




It's a really nice place and they have some first class products, especially with regards to the meat range, all of which is local beef.

Flobo bought some braising steak, a decent sized farm reared organic chicken some gammon, a packet of home made ginger biscuits,
some fresh garlic, and a few bits and pieces on the fruit and vegetable side.



Nice looking premises as you can see, they have a freezer section as well, a large selection of home made jams, marmalades, lemon curds,
lemon cheese, local honey, various other preserves, pickled onions and other various pickled foods.


There were some really attractive looking joints of pork, Flobo reckons she will be going in for one next week or so, as they were marked up 'Spotted Pig'

These particular pigs, {Gloucester Old Spots} have a fair old pedigree dating back in time to 1913.

It was widely believed that apples falling from the trees in the orchard and hitting the pigs, caused the spots to form on their backs.

The pigs were originally reared as domesticated animals, they almost all lived in gardens and small holdings.

They have a dairy produce section and a brilliant freshly baked bread, pies, cakes and other fancy pastry bits and pieces.

They had some fantastic looking sausages and black puddings, but Flobo wouldn't let me have any of those, she reckons they're bad for my health.

:wink:

I managed to get out to The Delph at Eccleston:-

I couldn't believe how this place had changed.




The road you can see on the left by the cliffs, wasn't there before.

They have actually changed the quarry and water holding quite a considerable amount.

Those cliffs went down into the water before.


It was on a ledge down below the water level of course that the body was found way back in the 1970's.

These cliffs mark the spot so to speak.






Where the café is here and The Dive Shop was just waste land with a pile of old rocks from the old quarry workings etc. We used to keep a bit of a fire going here back then, to warm up by when we came out of the water.

We only had wet suits and it was bloody cold, especially in winter.

We used to pour mugs of hot water down the backs of our suits, around the neck and it would run down and help keep you warm for all of two seconds.



I'm still amazed at how the old place has changed.

There were always a great number of fish in The Delph. They were inquisitive too, if you kept pretty still they would come and swim around you and even look into your face mask at times.

Trout, Koi Carp, Roach, Rudd, Perch and Gold fish and definitely a few Pike we came across from time to time, they were big as well.

You can see some fish on this photograph.




I was talking to one of the divers at The Delph. He told me they had cleared out all the 'crap' as he put it, the big girders, blown safes and old banger cars, and had indeed filled it with other specific crap, for the divers to have the same kind of fun with I suppose. I think it was better all those years ago, they do seem to make things so perfectly alright today, don't they.

They have actually put the following in the Delph. Down, under the water I am referring to.


Two speedboats.

An armoured personnel carrier.

A sports car.

Two twenty foot yellow containers.

Various other containers.

A Transit Van.

A man made cave and platform.

An aeroplane.

The photograph here of the same and some of the contents will give you an idea of how the same has been 'set up'




The map is three years old and various changes and additions have been made since that date.



You could only get one or two cars into the dry bit of quarry I seem to recall, you had to park up on Half-Penny Lane in the old days.


They had these platforms high up on the car park area, I wondered what they were for. Apparently golfers can come here and practice their distance shots, into the waters below. There are markers showing the distances in yards.

I was wondering if the divers collected the balls.



I suppose that thinking of contemorary standards and improvements it suits the theme as it is.




I have had a quick look around for some old photographs from my diving days, there will be some from The Delph, but I cannot put my hands on them at this moment in time.

If they turn up, I'll put them on show.

There's a bit here to show you how special England is.

Fish and Chips as they should look, and taste I might add.




They were good too.

It's really nice in the Peak District, the scenery changes dramatically, like I mentioned I'll put a good selection on here later.



We went into a fantastic Village as well, pristine condition, absolutely gorgeous.





Edensor near Chatsworth Hall.

It's pronounced "Ensor" though

This was good to see, we haven't been into Cheshire for a while, we called in The Whipping Stocks near Knutsford as well



It appears that Manchester University are running or are in charge of Jodrel Bank nowadays too. we didn't manage to gain admittance, it was about seven pm or later when we got there and it had closed at 5pm or so.



I honestly do not think you can get such photographs anywhere on the planet of this nature, they really are spectacular.

I called in Sale, it brought back some good memories. I'm an 'Old Salian' as a matter of fact.


Rugby was my game.



They knackered things up with the 'Old Boy's School' as it was when I was there, it used to be at the top of The Avenue.

Then probably in the 70's or 80's they knocked the place down for houses and combined the boy's with the girls school on Marsland Road Sale. Co education, they could have done that when I was there, not when I bloody left.

No wonder the rugby standards went through the window.




Nice view from The Peak District to leave you with.