Sky Watch

Monday's sky on the way back from my walk.

Shown now for

Sky Watch Friday

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Hill Top Horse

3 Of - 5 For Sky Watch

This was the sky on Monday morning when I had a walk to a local park... I did take the more scenic route through the fields above Matley. To see more Sky Watch posts visit
Sky Watch Friday

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Small natural spring, that I have never known to completely dry up.



Which trickles down the hillside onto the track below.



Which is now piped under the field and helps to keep a new pond filled. The field was alway wet and boggy, but as been sold along with others to the local golf club.

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These are the last few pictures I will show you of my walk around and through the fields of Matley.

This is one of the last few herds of dairy cattle in Hyde, most farms now seem to make their living from horses. When I first moved around here over 20 years ago I would often stand and watch the farmer walking his herd back to and from the farm at milking time. All the traffic would be held up on Matley lane.... which at that time had a 60mph speed limit on most parts... that as now dropped to 40mph. The field he would walk them from he sold for housing, and as his fields on this side of the road are all connected it is rare to see them on the road now.

Autumn was showing all around, the trees are all changing colour now and some like this Holly were baring fruit.

By the time I had done this walk around Matley I was tired, it used to take me no time at all. I walked down this pathway heading home past the Rising Moon public house.... at one time I would have stopped off here for a pint or two, but now my thoughts were on my aching knees and hips, and an erratic heart beat. I got home realising how unfit I am at the moment, my illness stops me from exercising each day, which in turn as led me to pile on the pounds... I really need to do a little each and everyday, even if I have to sit down on a chair whilst doing so. ha!

Thanks for dropping by and seeing and reading about my walk, hopefully the next one will not be to long.

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Matley

In Black & White

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Have you got a good eye sight?

In the above picture you can see smoke coming from a factory chimney, just to the right is a church steple. In between those two points and slightly above are the landing lights at Manchester Internationaltaionl Airport... Now for how good are your eyes.... there's a plane coming in to land from the left... can you see it?

Click to enlarge this one

The plane is now above the smoke from the chimney and a little lower to the lights. I watched it land, as I have watched many others land and take off from this high ground. When Concord was flying it was a sight to behold as it came in... and taking off was sight and sound not to be missed. I think the airport is about 6 miles maybe less from here but on certain days plane engines can be heard roaring when landing... I think it is called 'reverse thrust'... any how I hope your eyes managed to pick the plane out. :O)

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Working The Fields

Of Matley

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Ploughed Fields, Pylons and Hartshead Pike.

The ploughed fields and pylons speak for themself but Hartshead Pike on yonder hill warrents a few words...

The Pike is built on a beacon point for the local area and as such is visible for many miles around. Long before the Romans came stomping about our land, the local tribes would have lit fires here to celebrate the cycle of the seasons, there were many ancient sites close by, including a stone circle at Buckton Castle, once visible from the pike it is now sadly lost. It is highly probable that the druids worshiped at Hartshead Pike during the Iron Age, and sacrifices may have been held to appease their gods. In 1588 warning beacons like the one on Hartshead were lit all over the country to warn of the coming Spanish Armada.

The tower that can be seen there now is the third to be built in the area. The previous monument was rebuilt in 1758, but after developing a crack, it collapsed in 1820. A further forty three years passed before another attempt was made to rebuldit. The result is the Pike of today, which was built to commemorate the marriage of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward the Seventh) and Princess Alexandra of Denmark. The tower had to be paid for by public subscriptions and is three hundred metres above sea level. It was declared open in November 1928. Although now it is bricked up, it was once possible to inside the Pike for a small charge. Druids still worship and celebrate the summer solstice here.... and the last few years as seen many people gathering to watch the sunset. Click Here to see a short video of pictures taken at one such Summer Solstice.

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Rust & Hair

I always look for beauty in the most unlikeliest places

Like a mirror ;O)

Walk Around Matley

Once you've smelt a fox you will never mistake that smell again..... their really is not another smell like it.

Here's the tree lined pathway that I had not walked before. It was dark and muddy but held a nice surprise which I smelt before I saw it..

This is a typical fox den, and one that I think as just recently started to be used as it was still relatively clean outside. A foxes den is usually a single entrance hole that may originally have been made by a rabbit or badger. I was sure the fox was at home as the smell around the entrance hole was overpowering. I had seen scats from a fox in one or two spots on my walk..... most had been near to openings in the hedgerows and like the den the smell was a giveaway what had done them... I was still surprised to see this den where it was.... as a number of cottages were a stone throws away. Horses were stabled nearby... and chickens were pecking away. I'm sure as soon as the owners realise this fox is there it's days are numbered. The path where I found this is a public footpath... very muddy in places and didn't show much signs of use.... on the other side of the trees the field is a few feet higher, with a path along the field that I'm sure the folks from the cottages use... as it is well trodden, dry and leads directly to the end cottage.

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Matley's Hedgerows

Most of the hedgerows around Matley seem to be made up of Holly, Hawthorn, Oak, and Elder. All these trees work well as a way of keeping stock in the fields.. and each tree would also have been useful to the farmer...

This was a new footpath for me, and I was pleased with this avenue of tree.... it was dark and muddy but a very interesting pathway. At one time a track of some sort had been here... I had past by a small quarry dug out of the hillside and now overgrown. As there's a number of cottages at the end of this track in seem a far guess the stone for the cottages came from there.

A few more picture yet to show you from around here, so join me again tomorrow and I'll show you an interesting and smelly find.

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More Sights To See

Old Gate

I am always on the look out for these, more so for the gate posts. Some are very well carved and I'm sure different areas had different designs.

View Towards Hyde

This clearly shows how near to the town we are, and the blue sign in the middle right of the above shot is a traffic sign on the M67 motorway which cuts its way through the center of the town.

Old Farm Buildings..

These buildings are down a pathway I have not walked before and is somthing I know nothing about.... it will however be getting a visit as soon as I can make this walk again. It looks lived in but I can't think of any roads or lanes that lead that way...

Waymarker & Stile

These are something else I keep taking pictures of.... more as a reminder to check the paths out... and another reason is I come across them damaged at times and it helps to have a picture when reporting them.

Dry Stone Wall

As you nearly all know now I show these whenever I can... this one is well past its best and will be lost for ever in time. It is an old stretch of walling but most as gone and the gapes have been replaced with barbed wire.

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Views From Upper Matley

Hyde, Haughton, Stockport and beyond

Over the fields to Harrop Edge

Harrop Edge Again

When I took this walk the weather was touch and go... the clouds broke now and then and blue skies could be seen, but mostly it was overcast and grey. What was nice was when the sun did poke through the clouds it would throw light on certain fields for a short while like the picture above shows. More tomorrow..

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Stuck For Choice

With all the different footpath to take round Matley I was stuck for choice as to which I was going to take. I was happy to find that most of the stiles I could squeese my belly through. These paths all criss-cross the local farms and as one of the farmers was working in certain fields that day I kept to the quieter ones. The farmer in question is a nice friendly chap, always gives a wave to those he knows and will stop for a chat as well at times. I will show him working and his herd of dairy cows next week.