Low Hall Park NR

acherontia · #1 (**permalink**) 12-07-2009, 10:43 AM

Saw this in the news last week

Wigan News :: wiganworld

The likes of Pam have probably been going there before the 'official' opening but we're paying a visit to see what it's like. We've been to Wigan Flashes but nowhere else in this area.
It sounds as though all the old coal mining/industry is now being reclaimed by nature.
Round here it's a lot of old mills/mill ponds/weirs/railways/brickwork claypits and artificially created 'seaside' that's being given back.

Hope it doesn't rain as badly as last night!

Acher

acherontia · #2 (**permalink**) 13-07-2009, 09:36 PM

Well - it was excellent for damsel flies and other insects. I've never seen so many.
Unfortunately (as with Wigan flashes) there was a problem with 3 motorbike scramblers razzing about all over.
I upset OH because I stood in their 'path' , made them slow down and pointed to the 'No Motorcycling' sign . He said I was being rash .... I suppose I was but they did leave soon after.

Acher

grahamo · #3 (**permalink**) 13-07-2009, 09:57 PM

Was thinking of visiting this place but the bike bit has put me off a bit. We went to try and find bickerstaff nature reserve near Wigan, about six weeks ago but couldn't find it so this could be a good alternative. There is a place called amberwood somewhere nearby, have you heard of this?, not much info on the web.

Graham (another wildie from Blackpool)

acherontia · #4 (**permalink**) 16-07-2009, 08:58 PM

Hiya Graham! Fancy meeting another wildie here

I didn't know about a reserve at Bickerstaffe - Wigan way is not really in our area.
It was a Sunday when the bikers were there so you could take advantage of the summer hols to go during the week when it'd be even quieter

It's very good for macro work.

Acher

PMG · #5 (**permalink**) 17-07-2009, 08:40 AM

Hello archer and graham - I've sort of lost touch with what is happening in my own area since I gave up work in march and its a long long time since Low Hall was one of 'my' ranger sites to patrol and litterpick! Amberswood is literally across the road from Low Hall and another excellent place for insects - particularly damsel and dragons. Off road biking is still a problem in a lot of areas around Leigh and Wigan as there is still so much of what the bikers see as rough land not in use: the police and the ranger service do their best to control the problem but while parents continue to buy off road bikes for their kids then there doesn't seem much hope of stamping it out.

I'm puzzled by the Bickerstaffe nature reserve? There is Diggles Flash which is a fishing place in the Bickerstaffe area and clearing work has begun at Plank/Slag Lane for the new country park, golf course and housing development which will extend Pennington Flash. Local folk have been recording the natural life over these abandoned 'rucks' areas known as Bickershaw for some years now and finding a rich array of stuff particularly plants, but to my knowledge despite a lot of attention they have failed to have the area designated a nature reserve. I'm sorry I'm a bit hazy about it - but while wearing my 'rangers' hat I could not get involved in this business and since 'retiring' to take on the care of my mother I haven't the time to devote ......... but hope this posting helps a bit?

Pauline

acherontia · #6 (**permalink**) 18-07-2009, 02:14 AM

Pauline - cheers for that.

I'm sure Graham will appreciate it too?

I think it must be hard when locals look at 'newly designated areas' that they used to 'razz ab'aat wi't bikes in'. The lads weren't that unreasonable and I didn't treat them as such . As you say - while the parents pay for the bikes it may be a problem - especially as there are no licence plates.
Besides this - local knowledge must always be listened to.
We saw one other person who was a wealth of information and the insect life there was quite amazing.

I was very happy to be treated with respect (at the end of the day) by the bikers. I'd like to hear that you approve of the 'rucks' being managed as I sometimes worry about over manipulation by over keen recipients of government grants....

Can Of Worms alert.........

Acher

PMG · #7 (**permalink**) 18-07-2009, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acherontia

Pauline - cheers for that.

I'm sure Graham will appreciate it too?

I think it must be hard when locals look at 'newly designated areas' that they used to 'razz ab'aat wi't bikes in'. The lads weren't that unreasonable and I didn't treat them as such . As you say - while the parents pay for the bikes it may be a problem - especially as there are no licence plates.
Besides this - local knowledge must always be listened to.
We saw one other person who was a wealth of information and the insect life there was quite amazing.

I was very happy to be treated with respect (at the end of the day) by the bikers. I'd like to hear that you approve of the 'rucks' being managed as I sometimes worry about over manipulation by over keen recipients of government grants....

Can Of Worms alert.........

Acher

can of worms indeed

Weeeelllll ............. I'm in two minds about grants and 'improvements' ......... the problem with 'chuck money at it - whatever it maybe - and it will improve it - is seldom true (unless recipients really know what they are doing - another can of worms here!). Time + left to own devices leads to a changing growth anyway (and some interesting growth and species move in and out) ....... grants lead to immediate and radical changes and different stuff moves in and out .........

When the 'rucks' at Pennington where removed/reduced lorry-load at a time a couple of years ago and put through a new procedure to extract the last remnants of coal from them, of course it destroyed the plant life. One of the things to go was Yellowwort - Blackstonia perfoliata which is quite rare in our area (but it would prob have gone in time as birch growth gets going).

The area at Bickerstaffe that local folk have tried to stop being developed is at the min covered in orchids - 20 or 30 are bee orchids and also has farmland birds breeding such as linnet etc and jack snipe in winter.......

In some ways its less destructive to build over land like rucks that has an industrial past than take 'green land' that maybe has been farmland or mossland for hundreds or thousands of years ........ The real problem is property developers develop places - not to make housing and offices cos we need them - but cos its how they earn their money. And lets face it most folk would like to live in a 'nice' place or move to the 'country' and if we do and enough do it then its no longer a nice place or country! Its like putting a 'new by-pass' in that takes you from A to B faster and then stringing buildings along it (new supermarket, MacDonalds etc) and before long its all built up and new roundabouts in it - its no longer a fast route and worse the fields it ran thro are now concreted over ......... its this creeping encroachment I really object to and the attitude of 'what's wrong with boosting the economy with a little bit of progress'........ When what they really mean is - somebody wants to make a disgusting amount of money .........

And before I get any further up on my soap box I'm going to climb off and go and make a coffee

Pauline

grahamo · #8 (**permalink**) 18-07-2009, 12:38 PM

Hi Acher and PMG

Think i've made a bit of a mistake in the name of the non existant reserve, it was Bickershaw not bickerstaff. Bickershaw nature reserve-all we found was a car park by a bus stop and a planning notice on a gate on Smiths Lane (B5237) which is off the A578 (Leigh rd). Pages on google said it was due to open in July 2009 but even they seem to have gone now. Maybe it's a ghost reserve

or maybe her navigation skills are not as good as I thought and we were just in the wrong place, we will probably never know.

The Low hall site sounds interesting and may be of use to my colleage on future projects. will have to go and check it out.

We did find an alternative place a bit further down the M6 which is well worth a visit called Rixton Claypits. It's an SSSI on former clay pits, well worth a visit, I will definitely be returning.-

acherontia · #9 (**permalink**) 20-07-2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PMG

In some ways its less destructive to build over land like rucks that has an industrial past than take 'green land' that maybe has been farmland or mossland for hundreds or thousands of years ........ The real problem is property developers develop places - not to make housing and offices cos we need them - but cos its how they earn their money. And lets face it most folk would like to live in a 'nice' place or move to the 'country' and if we do and enough do it then its no longer a nice place or country! Its like putting a 'new by-pass' in that takes you from A to B faster and then stringing buildings along it (new supermarket, MacDonalds etc) and before long its all built up and new roundabouts in it - its no longer a fast route and worse the fields it ran thro are now concreted over ......... its this creeping encroachment I really object to and the attitude of 'what's wrong with boosting the economy with a little bit of progress'........ When what they really mean is - somebody wants to make a disgusting amount of money .........

And before I get any further up on my soap box I'm going to climb off and go and make a coffeePauline

Probably for the best Pauline - if I think about it too much I'm sure I could have an apoplectic fit and die early!
The best one ('developement') around here was what they 'classed' as ex industrial.
Owned by the MOD the local Royal Ordinance factory was, in fact underground - so the fields on top were host to a wild array of undisturbed wildlife. Then the government (no problem there passing it and bulldozing it all then) sold it on and there has been built a truly massive housing/industrial site that is now stultifying because of the recession. 1/2 the housing is up for sale/resale and units lie empty.

Last time we visited there was a big drained pond in a messy field that the remaining sky larks were clinging on to - surrounded by builders pegs...
Grrrrrrr indeed. I hope they've lost millions..............

Time for a cuppa I think

Acher

Plonkloner · #10 (**permalink**) 26-07-2009, 11:31 PM

Hi guys

Just a bit of info about this Bickershaw Nature Reserve mystery.

Being local to the site i have kept uptodate with its progress

There Where\Are plans to open a new country park 'The Rushes Country Park' in Leigh.

The main enterance to the park will be from smiths lane (as mentioned by grahamo) :-
Bickershaw nature reserve-all we found was a car park by a bus stop and a planning notice on a gate on Smiths Lane (B5237) which is off the A578 (Leigh rd). Pages on google said it was due to open in July 2009 but even they seem to have gone now

Things where due to open this year but the credit crunch,Newts,breeding birds and a last minute issue with a wind turbine by the LAA last year put most of the project on hold.

They did start work last year on the actual park and a number of paths where built. (and actually provide a nice walk around the area.)
And a new wetland area was even created!

Even though its a bit of a wasteland at the moment after all the years of coal mining there are still many interesting Mushrooms, Orchids and flowers etcto be found growing around the site ( many i have yet to identify)
oh and the site is just over 200hectares in size!