...Stubshaw Cross and before Bryn Gates.
The paths, in the main are very clear, especially with the map I've plotted.
We headed to the footpath in the far corner of the car park and followed the track...
...taking the first two right turns at junctions. We paused to take some picture and to look at some wood carving on the way...
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| My Better-Half |
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| Carvings |
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| Me |
At the next junction we took a left turn...
...and continued along the path until a track joined the one we were on, from under the railway. Here we turned left...
...then almost immediately right along a much narrower path.
This, after a while, turned left to run parallel to Coffin Lane Brook.
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| Pussy Willow |
Crossing the Brook at the second bridge...
...we passed horses...
...before reaching the back of Beech Tree Houses. A left, right and left took us back onto Bolton Road (A58) heading back towards the Car Park.
Just past the houses, and the Bus Stop, we crossed the road and re-entered Viridor Wood and headed slightly to the left then turned right.
Stopped to take some pictures of the blossom using the macro-lens on my iPhone...
At the junction with the next path we went straight over.
When another path joins from the left we headed for the sign post, that could be seen across the field ahead.
Upon reaching the signpost we turned left, then right at the next sign post, heading up hill.
It was then left and onto a bird-hide that can be seen on the left.
Among the many birds that we saw here, and had seen already, we were especially lucky to get good views of...
- Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo), at the start of the walk in flight, with their breasts pale and finely barred as were the underside of their wings and tail. We also got close to see one perched...
...just before the hide, looking as though its head is hunched into its shoulders.
- Kestrels, roosting and with their "flappy" wing beat, hovering effortlessly for long periods of time over the open spaces within the woodland.
- Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) (male) of similar size and appearance to a House Sparrow, but the male Reed Bunting has a dark head and bib. A broad white collar was also evident.
- Long-tailed Tits (Aegithalos caudatus) which are adorable, small, fluffy pinkish bird...
The shoulders and underparts are pinkish. The head has a white crown with black marks above the eyes and into the nape. They have red eye rings and a very small black bill. The black and white tail is very long, over half the length of the bird and the longest tail of any British bird in proportion to its body. The legs are black-brown.
now for the surprise -
Long-tailed tits are not really members of the Tit family but of the Aegithalidae family.We had also heard, but didn't spot, woodpeckers at various points along the walk.
After enjoying the birds and the Grey Squirrel...
...that arrived during our stay, we headed back to the path and turned left.
At the next junction we took a right and followed the path around the fenced Three Sisters Race Circuit. We paused at the viewpoint to enjoy the scenery including Winter Hill and the Folley at Rivington.
We arrived at the entrance to the Three Sisters Race Circuit...
...where we turned right and headed towards the 3 Sisters recreation Area sign...
...and another footpath sign.
Here we turned left and followed the path, through the wooded area to emerge next to a lake.
Swans...
...Tuffted Ducks, Mallards, Gulls, Coots, the list goes on.
We purchased ice creams from the van in the car park and upon completion headed to a number of pools; we had fingers crossed that we would see frogs or at least some frog-spawn.
No such luck.It was then back towards the lake, taking the first turning right where I spotted "Sarcoscypha austriaca"...
...commonly referred to as Scarlet Elfcup which appears dead twigs in damp, shady places, usually partly buried in moss. Continuing along the path we took the next turning right, along the edge of a field with the first Daisies for 2015...
...the path veers off to the right and back onto Bolton Road, we turned left and back to the car.
This was our first visit to Viridor Wood and 3 Sisters recreation Area and, from our experience, I can see us revisiting in the not too distant future.
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