~Autumn in Burnley~
25th October 2010
One fine day forecast this week and it's Monday. So at lunch time, I wandered out of the office with my camera and went to see what the local landscape had to offer.
Pendle Hill
Scroll down for photos and a description of the walk....
Stanley Mill
Our business is within Stanley Mill. Built in 1891, it is the best example of a Victorian weaving mill in Burnley. Here you see the windows of the "Tape Room" - ironically the tennant who uses this part of the building stores clothing made in the Far East. We use the chimney and a close look will show lightly coloured fumes leaving the stack. Good, the lads are back at work; I'm out of here for an hour or two.
Bank Hall
Once the site of a big coal mine and pit head. Closed in 1970, the tarmac closest to the camera was the route of the rail line to Burnley Central. Little exercise machines have appeared. Spot the mill chimney.
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Rail Route to Burnley |
River Brun |
In the left-hand photo, I am looking towards Burnley and the route the coal would have taken under the canal aqueduct. I am wondering if the locomotives were special ones with a low height, there doesn't seem to be much clearance. On the right, the river is flowing towards Burnley and I am looking the other way. The canal came before the railway and the mine (1869), but not the river - this suggests that the aqueduct over the railway was excavated after the canal was built.
Thompson Park
Arguably Burnley's finest park. William Thompson was a generous benefactor to the people of Burnley and funds left by him helped to build this park. Contained therein is a boating lake, an Italian garden, children's play areas and a miniature railway.
The Railway
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Images from Thompson Park
From a quiet park, it was up on to the towpath of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
The Canal
Just around the corner (behind me) is the longest straight section of the LL canal, "the mile straight". You might assume two things about the "mile straight", however - straight it is, a mile it is not, but it's not far short of the that distance, so the name stands.
The Mile Straight - looking South (SSW, actually)
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Halfway, looking NNE.
Thieveley Pike above the terraced houses of Burnley
Pendle Hill from the Mile Straight
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The Mile Straight from the south end
And now for some of the mills that were built by the side of the canal:
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It's a great walk along the straight and then around the contoured curve on the south side of town. The Wharf is still in place and the area is / was earmarked for redevelopment. The "cuts" may fall here as the quango responsible has been disolved. I got as far as Burnley Barracks and then dropped down across a corner of the town, in search of something to eat.
Gill Street, Burnley
Station Hotel, Burnley (closed)
Sainsbury's in Burnley
I rang Karen, who doesn't work Mondays, to see where she was and she said she was in Sainsbury's Cafe with her mum. So I thought I would surprise her. But it didn't work out.... What Happened Next??? see RRR.
Cobden Street, Burnley
Heath Street, Burnley
Stanley Mill is just visible on the right of the view. How many of you could spend your dinner hour this way? Or would actually want to??
Walkers: Just Me
Time taken: 1hr 50 minutes, distance undetermined.
Route: Stanley Mill, Bank Hall, Thompson Park, The Mile Straight, canal to Burnley Barracks, down to the new college, Sainsbury's and back up Colne Road to work.
Weather and conditions: Sunny!
Greetings Count: A few retired folk about and some half-termers. One chap and I agreed that it didn't fell like we were in Burnley today.
Richard's Refreshment Review: A coffee and a cake in Sainsbury's, on my own. It turned out Karen had lost her bearings and was actually in Tesco's cafe, or is there something more to it!
All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2010 ©
Take me back to the start ....