please recommend me place in the North West

[hammock monkey]

Hi,
I'm looking for a place to go walking with my wife this week somewhere around Manchester, say within 75miles?
We often go to places like the moors the other side of Lyme park, which is great.
Wildlife is my main interest when out, scenery and somewhere to get some great food is also very good!

I've been scanning tinternet for hrs this morning, any suggestions gratefully received!!
cheers,

[Lancashire Lad]

The Peak District would be the obvious choice, but what about a walk around a reservoir?

Stocks Reservoir in Gisburn Forest (Near Slaidburn) is probably within your mileage radius.

There is a great circular walk of about 9 - 10 miles, which starts from a small forest car parking area (This also has an information post, where free leaflets showing the various walks can always be picked up).

If you Google for "Stocks Reservoir", and click on the United Utilities website, a copy of the information leaflet can be viewed and downloaded (PDF)

There are several shorter walks, but the circular route gives you ample opportunity to look out for the bird life (which the reservoir is renowned for) and wild flowers, fungi, etc. etc.

Depending on when you are considering visiting, make sure that you have appropriate clothing, and a good map - and are competent in reading it . Note also that some of these paths get quite muddy in wet weather, so good boots are advised.

Though it has very nice scenery, this area is fairly remote, and needs to be respected.

The nearby hamlets such a Slaidburn should be able to provide you with a good pub meal.

Regards
Mike.

[ChrisJB]

Take a walk up Blackstone Edge from Hollingworth Lake, or take you passport and nip over the border into Yorkshire and do a nice Saddleworth walk, say the 'edges' above Dovestones Res', you have a good chance of Mountain Hares up there. Saddleworth has some decent alehouses too with good beer and food. Try The Royal Oak above Delph (fabulous place), or The Cross Keys and The Church Inn, above Uppermill. Another possibility is the talismanic Pendle Hill from Barley, you get Snow Buntings up there in winter.
Being so close to the Pennines, the possibilities are boundless.

Regards, Chris

[Phoebe]

Hi ChrisJB, have you ever done the Tissington Trail in Staffordshire? Or Dovedale in Derbyshire? I'm not sure if they are within your 75 miles but don't think they would be far off. They are very beautiful with lots of wildlife. but then I am biased because they are near me lol Rudyard Lake is not far away either.

[hammock monkey]

Hi,
thanks very much for the advice - mountain hares sounds especially good! I havent lived in Mcr for long and i'm trying to build a good list of places to spend some time out as i improve my compact camera (moving into dslr) photography as well as getting some good excersise.

I'll hopefully work my way through all these places over time, thanks again!
cheers

[PMG]

Originally Posted by hammock monkey

Hi,
thanks very much for the advice - mountain hares sounds especially good! I havent lived in Mcr for long and i'm trying to build a good list of places to spend some time out as i improve my compact camera (moving into dslr) photography as well as getting some good excersise.

I'll hopefully work my way through all these places over time, thanks again!
cheers

Can;t miss a chance like this to 'shout about' the place where I work Pennington Flash Country Park, Leigh!! Some of the hides are very good for photography - the feeding station'Bunting Hide for one with all the bullfinches out front - I counted over two dozen on Mon am just gone! The walk around the flash is easy - about 3 miles - tho there are a lot of footpaths to take or double back on as well as the straight forward yomp around the water ...... Drive-wise depends from where in Manchester and what time of day but prob anything from 20 mins to an hour or just over depending where you're coming from..........

Pauline

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by Phoebe

Hi ChrisJB, have you ever done the Tissington Trail in Staffordshire? Or Dovedale in Derbyshire? I'm not sure if they are within your 75 miles but don't think they would be far off. They are very beautiful with lots of wildlife. but then I am biased because they are near me lol Rudyard Lake is not far away either.

Hi Phoebe, I have walked a bit of the Tissington Trail and have been to Dovedale a few times. These are good places too Hammock, though Dovedale can get very busy.

Originally Posted by hammock monkey

Hi,
thanks very much for the advice - mountain hares sounds especially good! I havent lived in Mcr for long and i'm trying to build a good list of places to spend some time out as i improve my compact camera (moving into dslr) photography as well as getting some good excersise.

I'll hopefully work my way through all these places over time, thanks again!
cheers

Another good place for Mountain Hares is Bleaklow in the Dark Peak. You can do a good (if tough) moorland slog over Bleaklow from old Glossop. This time of year will be good for spotting Mountain Hares as they are clad in white. If you want more detailed sites for the hares in the Southern Pennines, PM me.

Regards, Chris

[birding dave]

Originally Posted by Phoebe

Hi ChrisJB, have you ever done the Tissington Trail in Staffordshire? Or Dovedale in Derbyshire? I'm not sure if they are within your 75 miles but don't think they would be far off. They are very beautiful with lots of wildlife. but then I am biased because they are near me lol Rudyard Lake is not far away either.

The Tissington Trail has obviously moved since I last walked it! It goes from just south of Buxton to Ashbourne, both in Derbyshire.

There are some good walks to be had around the Goyt Valley to the west of Buxton. There's also Marbury Country Park in Cheshire, where there's currently a bittern. Carsington reservoir is good, with many different birds, including a couple of great northern divers at present.

[hammock monkey]

wow!
getting really excited about it now - its looking fantastic
Mountain Hare (especially now available in white) sounds most appealing to me, Bittern comes a very close second...

plenty of great days out - thanks everyone!!

from my days in somerset and cambridge i'm building up a decent little file of wildlife hotspots, the peaks and pennines look like they'll become a huge part of that over the years. I'm all for a good slog of a walk to grab glimpse of something special, although the last yomp was close to my (currently) unfit limit, apparently on the phone i sounded like i'd spent the afternoon in the pub...it was a good 15 miles of pretty good hill and boggy moors.

great stuff - looking fwd to burning off the Christmas excesses and re-charging the soul

cheers!

[Phoebe]

Originally Posted by birding dave

The Tissington Trail has obviously moved since I last walked it! It goes from just south of Buxton to Ashbourne, both in Derbyshire.

There are some good walks to be had around the Goyt Valley to the west of Buxton. There's also Marbury Country Park in Cheshire, where there's currently a bittern. Carsington reservoir is good, with many different birds, including a couple of great northern divers at present.

LOL Dave, my geographical inertia was playing up