Y is for Yew Tree Maze

I first blogged about the yew tree maze in Veronon Park, Stockport six years ago on Ackworth born, gone West. I recently took another look to see its progress.

It still has a long way to go before it will become much of a puzzle. One can still walk through between many of the trees and indeed directly from the entrance to the middle. None of this takes anything away from the magnificence of the central tree.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday and NF Trees and Bushes.

Flora and fauna in Vernon Park

The fountain at the ornamental pond in Vernon Park may not be playing but the ducks are.

A female mallard and one of her ducklings can be seen here swimming around the blue flag iris.

Three mallard drakes watch from the perimeter wall.

Meanwhile moorhens try to hide amongst the water lilies.

A contribution to
Floral Fridays;
Weekend Reflections;
Scenic Weekends;
Saturday Critters;
Camera Critters.

Orchard, Pyramid and Sky

Looking from Hollywood Park over the Community Orchard towards Kings Reach and the "Pyramid".

The Community Orchard is one of 12 in Stockport - see Stockport.gov.uk for more details - established around 2011. I was told by a passing dog-walker that it was originally a bowling green. Aerial views would seem to indicate that it was once a football pitch. It looks rather neglected but that may be just the time of year.

For more information about the pyramid see my post from 1st April 2013.

You can view all 20 photographs from my recent walk through Hollywood Park as a Geotrip plotted on a map and available as a slide-show.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Lamppost art in Hollywood Park

Yesterday when I posted Shadows at Hollywood Park I promised to show you a closer view of the old photograph on the lampless lamppost.

Around 2014 as part of the Stockport Arts Trail, an independent group of young people, working towards an Arts Award Qualification at Stockport Central Library, created the images for one face of the artworks, located on lampposts in and around Edgeley. Historic photographs from the libraries archives are on the other face, giving people an idea of how the area looked in times gone by.

The text on the reverse of this piece of lamppost art reads:
"In the winter there was this fog, caused by all the
coal fires and mills, it was
terrible, it was like walking through pea soup,
you had to fight your way through it."

There are eleven lampposts in total along the trail. More information is at Healthy Stockport.

I featured another example of lamppost artwork on 8th October 2014

A contribution to Monday Murals and signs, signs.

Shadows at Hollywood Park

Another photograph from my recent (and for me first) visit to Hollywood Park.

On Wednesday I posted The Edge of Edgeley taken from a path near the eastern edge of the park.

Yesterday I posted a photo of part of the Steps out of Hollywood Park.

Today's photograph is from nearby looking out over the park past the high-rise Hollywood Towers towards the railway viaduct. The lampless lamppost on the right carries an old photograph of this view - but you'll have to wait until tomorrow for a closer view and explanation.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Steps out of Hollywood Park

On Wednesday when I posted a photograph of the Edge of Edgeley some people thought it had been post-processed to create a painterly effect but in fact is hardly enhanced at all.

This one however has been turned into a charcoal composition. It shows a set of steep steps out of Hollywood Park which lead to Roscoe Street, Edgeley.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White.

E is for the Edge of Edgeley

A contribution to ABC Wednesday and Wordless Wednesday.

Great Moor Park Mural

In my post last Thursday I showed you Woodsmoor Station and Great Moor.

On my way there I passed by Great Moor Park which is off Norwood Road and backs onto Stepping Hill Hospital. On a wall I spotted this mural. It was at the far end so I had to zoom in to get this photograph. Maybe one day I will take a closer look but don't hold your breath.

A contribution to Monday Murals.

Sykes Reservoir, Edgeley

Syke's #2 Reservoir is the middle of three reservoirs originally providing water for the Sykes Bleaching Works. It is now part of Alexandra Park, Edgeley and used for fishing.

I posted a 2009 view of it in September 2013.

A contribution to
Good Fences;
Weekend Reflections;
Scenic Weekends.

G is for Gate posts

Gate posts at the entrance from New Bridge Lane to Vernon Park.

The lions on the top of the gateposts were donated by Douglas Firken-Flood of Bredbury Hall Hotel in 2001.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

F is for Fred Perry

The Fred Perry Way is a 14 mile walking route starting here at North Reddish Park.

  © Copyright Keith Williamson and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Its southern end is here at Woodford.

The route which was officially opened in 2002 combines rural footpaths, quiet lanes and river valleys with urban landscapes and parklands as here in Vernon Park.

Fred Perry was born at this house in Portwood in 1909.

He won the men's singles in 1934, 1935 and 1936 and was the last English men's tennis player to win Wimbledon. He was also a member of Britain's winning Davis Cup team from 1933 to 1936. and was made a freeman of Stockport in 1934.

More information can be found on the Stockport MBC website.

A contribution to
Our World Tuesday
ABC Wednesday;
signs, signs.
Good Fences.

London Square

London Square was originally the site of the Stockport Sunday School - see our post of 13th April for more information.

On one side now are modern flats and a children's adventure play area. On the other side (out of sight on the right) is a car park.

The square manhole cover in the middle of the road is a ductile Stanton PLC Chieftain 600 grade A.

A contribution to the City Daily Photo theme Squares.

Meadow Mill from Penny Lane Fields

Meadow Mill was built in the late 1870s for T & J Leigh, cotton and wool spinning. It had 120,000 spindles in 1914. It is grade II listed.

The little building in the foreground is the Grimesbottom Stormwater Overflow.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Across the fields to St Mary's

Looking across Penny Lane Fields towards St Mary's Parish Church.

This is looking in the opposite direction to the view posted on Sunday.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

Penny Lane Fields

Lying between Portwood and Lancashire Hill, Penny Lane Fields is a 10 hectare area which is going to be made part of the Reddish Vale Country Park in compensation for the loss to the park of 1.3 hectares earmarked in Brinnington for new housing and a leisure centre.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

V is for Vernon Park

The original bandstand in Vernon Park was built in 1888 at a cost of £309. By 1968 it had fallen into disrepair and was demolished. The new bandstand dates from 2000.

This photograph is from June 2009.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday.

Heaton Norris Park

The land for Heaton Norris park was acquired by public subscription and as a gift from Lord Egerton. Work on laying out the site as a public park began in May 1873, and it was formally opened on June 5th 1875. The total area of the park at the time was 16 acres, 2 rods & 38 poles. During the Munich crisis of 1938 large trenches were dug in the park in preparation for possible air raids. More recently the park has become the venue for the annual Stockport Civic Bonfire.

Behind the fence is a multi-use games area and beyond are bowling greens.

A contribution to Friday Fences.

Four Views from the corner of Heaton Norris Park

East towards Heaton Towers and Norris Towers at the top of Dodge Hill.

North towards Love Lane, Quantock Close and the bowling greens.

West along Church Road.

South over the football pitches with Stockport Plaza and the Town Hall visible through the trees.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday and to Outdoor Wednesday.

Sykes' #2 Reservoir

Syke's #2 Reservoir is the middle of three reservoirs originally providing water for the Sykes Bleaching Works. It is now part of Alexandra Park, Edgeley and used for fishing.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections
as well as Scenic Weekends.
and Shadow Shot Sunday.

View from Heaton Norris Park

Looking across the town from Heaton Norris Park.

The land for this park was acquired by public subscription and as a gift from Lord Egerton. Work on laying out the site as a public park began in May 1873, and it was formally opened on June 5th 1875. The total area of the park at the time was 16 acres, 2 rods & 38 poles. During the Munich crisis of 1938 large trenches were dug in the park in preparation for possible air raids. Construction of the motorway in the 1970s took several acres away from the park. More recently the park has become the venue for the annual Stockport Civic Bonfire. Information from Stockport MBC.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.