New signs at Clarendon Square Shopping Centre

Recently the signage at the Clarendon Square Shopping Centre, commonly known as "The Mall", has undergone a facelift.

This is the entrance from Market Place/Clarendon Place.

Compare this with how it looked in February 2012.

Take a look at the entrance from the market ground (or Civic Square as it is now designated) on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: G is for Gibraltar Lane

At the top of Gibraltar Lane is Haughton Green Village Post Office.

Compare it now with the one I published in March 2010.

That post generated some comments, especially regarding Burley Keys who lived lower down Gibraltar Lane. You can read about him and see a photograph of the sundial he made on Old Hyde.

Find more G posts on ABC Wednesday.

Ruby Tuesday: Hay Will Animal Rescue

The charity stall on Hyde Market last Saturday was taken over by the Hay Will Animal Rescue Centre.

The lady in the red coat is carrying a wire-haired terrier called "Piglet" - he doesn't bark - he grunts.

The rescue centre has been operating in a low key way for 23 years but now have new premises in Glossop where they look after horses, ponies and ex-battery hens as well as dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. More details can be found their website.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Cottages at Pole Bank

These old cottages on Stockport Road at Pole Bank retain lovely paned or leaded windows.

One of them is named "Old Fearn Cottage".

A contribution to Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors.

Shadow Shot Sunday: Bench at Pole Bank

On Thursday I showed you the sign to the pond at Pole Bank.

Yesterday I showed you reflections in the pond.

Today I bring you a pondside bench and its shadow.

For information about Pole Bank and four photographs of the pond see Hyde DP Xtra.

Want to see more shadows from bloggers around the world? - visit Shadow Shot Sunday.

Weekend Reflections in Pole Bank Pond

For information about Pole Bank and four more photographs of the pond see Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Skywatch Friday: Contrails at sunrise

One morning last week, just as the sun was rising, there were dozens of vapour trails criss-crossing the morning sky.

By the time I'd had breakfast they'd mostly disappeared.

There is another view of them on Hyde DP Xtra.

For Skywatch Friday.

Sign to The Pond

The sign to the pond at Pole Bank.

See four photographs of the pond on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: F is for Freshfield Road

Freshfield Road leads from Gower Road to Grosvenor Road. This was taken during the spell of snow that fell four weeks ago in January.

For ABC Wednesday.

Red car outside iFood

There is a mix of takeaways and terraced housing on Stockport Road. The Indian takeaway has recently changed its name to "iFood" but the Chinese takeaway has been known as "Happy Family" for at least the last fifteen years. On the other side of Lumn Road is the Clarkes Arms.

For Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Zooming down Market Street

For this photograph I used a zoom lens to focus towards the lower end of the road and cropped off the bottom of the picture. The result is a foreshortening of the perspective which gives a heightened sense of how busy Market Street can be on a Saturday afternoon.

A contribution to Mellow Yellow Monday and Blue Monday.

M67 from Clark Way

Viewed from Clark Way looking west towards Manchester. The M67 was conceived as a motorway link from Manchester to Sheffield but the only parts that were built were the Hyde and Denton bypasses opened in the late 1970s. Prior to the motorway the view here would have been of George Street with terraced housing, several pubs and two churches.

A contribution to Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

The Weekend in Black & White: A Glimpse of the Godley Brook

A rare glimpse from Newton Street, through leafless winter trees, of the Godley Brook before it is culverted under Dukinfield Road.

Visit other contributions to The Weekend in Black and White.

Friday Fences: A sneaky look at the end of the Christy Outlet Shop

A sneaky look (I stuck my camera through the gate and pointed it at right angles) at the last remnants of the Christy Outlet Shop at Carrfield Mill before it was finally demolished a day or two later.

For more photos of the demolition and a brief history of the site see Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Friday Fences.

Sign for the Clarkes Arms

Sign for the Clarkes Arms on the corner of Stockport Road and Lumn Road.

See the pub itself on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: E is for Equestrians

Three equestrians on the Trans Pennine Trail are approaching Stockport road.

After several weeks of wet weather the bridlepath is a quagmire as you can see in my post Cyclists on the Trans Pennine Trail.

At this point the riders decided to divert onto the tarmac.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Jamia Mosque

The original mosque is the smaller building on the left on the corner of Greenfield Street and Jackson Street. A large extension has been built behind it with an entrance on Corporation Street. Building work commenced in 2010 but is not fully completed.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

Through Lady Lavender's Window

Last week I showed you the entrance to Lady Lavender a new café and cup-cake shop that opened recently.

This week I'm showing the view through the window from inside the shop.

Me, I like a nice cup of tea and a toasted teacake and I'm not into cupcakes, but for those of you who are, the window provides a delightful display of her wares.

Beyond there is also a clear view of the market stalls outside.

A contribution to Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors.

Low February Shadows

Back at the beginning of Feburay I posted signs on the pavement that council workmen had scrawled over an area in need of repair.

Well here is how it looks two month's later and with the shadows at a different angle.

The sign for the Spa Car Wash is actually pointing across the road towards Kirkley Street rather than the hand car wash.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Cyclists on the Trans Pennine Trail

Two cyclists on the National Cyclist Network Route #62 approach Stockport Road bridge and the turn off to Osborne Road.

This section is along the line of the former Apethorn to Godley Junction railway.

Following persistant wet weather, the bridlepath on the left, part of the Trans Pennine trail, is like a quagmire and filled with deep puddles that reflect the winter trees.

For The Weekend in Black and White, Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo and Weekend Reflections.

Skywatch Friday: The Clock & The Bells

The B6468 through Gee Cross used to just bend right at its junction with Smithy Lane. In 2006 a roundabout was built to accommodate the James North Clock which had previously stood in the grounds of the Slack Mill which had closed in 1998 and was subsequently demolished.

The Ring o' Bells pub in the background has recently closed and is now boarded up.

See the view from further down Market Street on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Sign of the Ring o' Bells

Take a last look at the sign for the Ring o' Bells on Stockport Road. The pub is the latest in the area to shut up shop and the sign probably won't remain here much longer.

See how the pub looks now on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: D is for Driving Test Centre

UK driving tests are the responsibility of the DSA (Driving Standards Agency), one of the executive agencies of the Motoring and Freight Services group, part of the Department for Transport.

First you have to take a theory test for which, in these parts, you'll have to go to Stockport, Manchester or Oldham. Then you have to pass a practical test which you can take here at the Hyde Driving Test Centre on the corner of Henry Street and Perrin Street.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Kirkley House

A map from 1874 shows Kirkley House as a rather grand detached house in its own grounds roughly where Higher Henry Street is now. On an 1897 map, Kirkley Hat Works is shown between Higher Henry Street, Thornley Street and Swain Street (now Dowson Road). McKenzie's auto repairs is now at the end of Kirkley Street. This used to be Norwood's wood yard and one could walk through it onto Church View but that is now blocked off by the garage. More information can be found on the Hyde, Cheshire blog.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Lady Lavender

There is a new café by the market ground entrance to Clarendon Mall. The premises have been previously been occupied by a jewellers, a money-exchange office and a pawnbrokers.

A contribution to Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors.

Shadow Shot Sunday: Bench on a cold Saturday

Last week I showed you the shadow of a bench in the snow. This Saturday there was no snow but in spite of a strong sun it was bitterly cold and the shadows were sharp.

More shadows at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Weekend Reflections on a path through the slush

A photograph from last Saturday when a blanket of snow had fallen overnight leaving the market ground very icy. Someone had swept a path through the slush but by mid-morning the sun was melting the snow and the cleared path was a river that reflected the buildings behind.

See a wider view of the scene on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Need an Umbrella?

The CDPB theme for February 1st is "Umbrellas". I took this photograph on the last Saturday before Christmas 2012 from the shelter of the entrance to Clarendon Mall.

Regular readers will have seen this stall before, in June 2010 and more recently in December 2012 where you can see that the stall-holder's main business is key-cutting. He also engraves pet discs and sells batteries and cigarette lighters.

For more umbrellas visit the CDPB Theme page.