Steps out of Gower Hey Woods

The steps leading out of Gower Hey Woods to the Trans Pennine Trail at Swain's Valley have recently been filled with fresh sand to make them more stable.

See how it looked in June 2009.

Take a walk into the woods on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Friday Fences.

The Breakfast Bar

Formerly known simply as "B's", the café opposite the Queens has changed its name to "The Breakfast Bar".

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: T is for Township Boundary Stone

In the middle of Gee Cross village is a stone marking the boundary between the townships of Hyde and Werneth.

I am not certain when it was erected nor whether this is its original location.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Places of Worship

The Asda store in Hyde viewed through the fence on Cross Street. The supermarket was built on the site of the former Greenfield Street School. Behind the trolley-park is the Jamia Mosque, whilst visible under the tree on the left is St George's church.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

It's been raining on my pansies

A happy Spring Bank Holiday to everyone.

A contribution to Monday Mellow Yellows and Blue Monday.

Horse under Dowson Road Bridge

A horse under Dowson Road Bridge on the former Godley to Apethorn railway line, now part of the Trans Pennine Trail and National Cycle Network Route #62. The bridlepath changes sides here and the horserider has crossed from the right-hand side.

It isn't the horse in the photograph that has dropped a deposit under the bridge.

In wet weather there is usually a large puddle here - see Another day - another dog.

See the horse approaching the bridge on Hyde DP Xtra.

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

Weekend Reflections in a shop for rent

A couple of weeks ago I took a photo of the reflection in a shop for rent on Clarendon Place. The reflection shows the Queens and the discount furniture shop across the road that back in January had been using the shop for extra storage - see Shop signs in Clarendon Place.

Last week I took a shot of another reflection in the same shop which you can see on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Friday Fences: Woodend Allotments

When I posted a photograph of the allotments on Woodend Lane in April 2012 it was looking rather derelict in parts.

Since then some new fences have been erected and the area is beginning to look a bit less unkempt.

A contribution to Friday Fences.

No more Sweet Treats

Sweet Treats, a confectionary kiosk in Clarendon Shopping Centre is closing down on June 1st 2013.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: S is for Spouthouse Farm

Spouthouse Farm dates from the 17th century and was originally an isolated farmhouse. It was a stagecoach stop on the main Stockport to Sheffield Stage Coach route. The three-storey property on the right was originally weavers cottages.

The adjacent barn on the corner of Tatton Street, piggeries and hayloft were converted in the 1970s into residential accommodation.

For ABC Wednesday.

Greenfield Street

The Wilkinson's store on Greenfield Street was previously KwikSave and originally the Hyde Equitable Cooperative Society.

The trees in containers on the street were installed in 2009.

For Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Stop Smoking Bus

The "First Stop Health Bus" was parked on the Asda supermarket car park last week.

According to The First Stop Health Bus website it is a NHS Greater Manchester initiative which takes NHS services out of traditional settings and in to the heart of the community. It offers stop smoking advice and support via a range of methods as well as a range of health checks.

A contribution to Blue Monday.

Shadows around the Duke of Sussex

It was a sunny day a few weeks ago when I was passing the Duke of Sussex on the corner of Ashton Road and Victoria Street.

The traffic lights on the corner were spreading a shadow across the road and the white building showed off several more shadows.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Weekend Reflections in Black & White on the Peak Forest Canal

A reflection in the Peak Forest Canal.

For a wider, coloured view, see Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White and Weekend Reflections.

Kite-flying on Werneth Low

A couple of evenings ago we had a thunderstorm coupled with hailstones.

An hour later though and the sky had brightened up. I looked out and saw something in the air near the Hare and Hounds on Werneth Low about two kilometres away.

I leaned out of the window and zoomed in on the scene. I only saw this clearly after I'd uploaded the photograph to the computer.

The houses in the foreground are at the top of Lord Derby Road about a kilometre distant.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Roadsign at the end of Dowson Road

The roadsign at the end of Dowson Road, the A627 from Stockport, directs all but local traffic left.

The factory on the left had its roof and insides refurbished in 2011 - see Factory refurbishment, but still remains empty and unused.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: R is for Roofs

The roofs of textile factories viewed from the Clarendon viaduct.

I believe these were originally dye works but what work still goes on here, I'm not at all sure.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

A pair of semis on Thornley Street

A pair of semi-detached houses on Thornley Street. I don't know for certain but I suspect these may originally have been in the middle of a terrace, the houses either side having been demolished.

One has had the red brickwork rendered with white plaster whilst the other has had a front porch fitted.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Jump and Smile

There was a bouncy castle on Hyde Civic Square last Saturday. The weather was more like November than May and unlike the market stalls it had no customers.

See another view of it from the side on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Monday Mellow Yellows and Blue Monday.

Bill and Coo

I was walking down the TransPennine Trail last week and saw a woodpigeon in a tree below Brooks Avenue.

See the tree on Hyde DP Xtra.

A few moments later and its mate arrived.

A contribution to Camera Critters.

Weekend Reflections on a Black Car

Reflected in the side of the black car is the entrance to the Clarendon Shopping Centre. Not only is the car parked on double-yellow lines it is blocking the dropped kerb crossing which it seems often appears invisible to drivers who believe it is acceptable to park directly in front of it preventing access for wheelchair users.

Perhaps their drivers don't reflect about it but think that they won't be there for long (being quick shoppers or only visiting the hole-in-the-wall - ATM - for cash) and that their own needs come before those of others.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Friday Fences: Near Thistley Fields

The brambles growing through the fence by the railway near Thistley Fields are so strong they are bending it.

The railway line is the one running from Manchester Piccadilly via Hyde Central and Woodley to Rose Hill (Marple) and is the one crossed by the Private Bridge I posted yesterday.

The house in the background is on Apethorn Lane. Just a bit further on there is a footbridge under the railway line where paths lead either to Apethorn Lane and a bridge over the Peak Forest Canal or to a tunnel under the canal and a path to Gibralter Bridge over the River Tame and a steep climb up to Haughton Green.

This is one of a set of photographs I took on a Sunday afternoon walk on 21st April. You can see all the photographs and a map showing their location on the Geotrip website.

A contribution to Friday Fences.

Private Bridge

"Private No Road" - it says on the gate to the bridge over the railway line from Manchester via Hyde Central and Woodley to Romiley and Rose Hill (Marple).

"Please keep this access clear at all times" - it says on the gate to the road leading from the bottom of Grosvenor Crescent to the bridge.

To see what is on the other side - see Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: Q is for Queens

The sign for The Queens on Clarendon Place features the six wives of Henry VIII.

See current photographs of the Queens on Hyde DP Xtra.

See a photo of the Queens when it served "Threlfall's Ales" on Old Hyde.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Geraghty's Traditional Market Butchers

A regular sight on Hyde Civic Square (market ground) is this mobile butcher. Although based in Solihull, West Midlands, the butcher trades at various markets around Manchester. He used to have a stall on the New Smithfield Market until driven out by continual rent rises.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

Monday Mellow Yellow: The Magpie and the Squirrel

There are patches of yellow dandelions on the grassy area at Swain's Valley where a squirrel and a magpie were both foraging. As I crept closer with my camera they continued to ignore each other but then they turned and looked at each other before heading towards the trees in opposite directions.

See a closer view of the creatures on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Mellow Yellow Monday.

Shadow Shot Sunday: Garden Street Recreation Ground

Following on from Thursday's photograph Sign at Garden Street Recreation Ground looking east from the Garden Street entrance and Friday's Skywatch photograph looking west from the Ashley Street entrance towards Garden Street and Ashton Road, this view is looking east from Ashley Street.

A view (with another shadow and a crow) looking east from Ashton Road can be found on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Weekend Reflections: Jolly Carter in a puddle

A sharp heavy shower last Saturday allowed a puddle to form in the Market Place.

Reflected in the puddle is the Jolly Carter pub.

For a wider view see Geograph.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Skywatch Friday: Garden Street Recreation Ground

Yesterday's photo of Garden Street Recreation Ground was taken from the middle of Garden Street looking east over one of the football pitches towards Newton.

This view is from the opposite side at Ashley Street looking west across the other football pitch towards Garden Street and Ashton Road.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Sign at Garden Street Recreation Ground

The recreation ground off Garden Street, Newton consists mainly of two football pitches.

Here dog-walkers are unwelcome.

For signs, signs.

The creative artisan and her coconut pyramid

Clare Booth creates cupcakes and other gorgeous goodies.

When we visited her Lady Lavender tearoom last week, there was just one coconut pyramid left on the display counter.

Needless to say we ordered a pot of tea and a toasted teacake to go with it.

See a closer view of them on Hyde DP Xtra.

See more creative artisans on the CDPB May theme page.

See more "P" posts on ABC Wednesday.