All about the Natural History and History of the Northwest of England
The Northwest of England is home to some remarkably beautiful landscapes, shaped over millennia by traditional farming practices.
It is a part of the world famous for its ancient drystone walls and barns, built from the bones of the land and woven seamlessly into its very fabric in such a way that manmade and natural complement each other.
At the moment you might be lucky enough to see Salmon running on the streams and rivers of the Northwest as they make their arduous and risky journey upstream to their spawning grounds. Where to watch Weirs such as at those at Abbeystead and Waddow hall near Clitheroe and waterfalls such as Stainforth where theyContinue reading “The Salmon Run”
Otherwise known as the lady of the stream, the Grayling, Thymalus thymalus, is a freshwater fish native to the British isles and here in the northwest we’re lucky enough to have many rivers this beautiful fish deems pleasant enough to call home; In Cumbria the rivers Eden and Derwent, the latter known as ‘the queenContinue reading “The Lady of the Stream”
Bashall Eaves is a small village about 5 miles from Clitheroe on the road to Whitewell and a mile away from Browsholme estate. It’s a very small and cosy place, composed of a handful of pretty cottages, a post-office which is only open from 10 til 2 on a Tuesday, the village hall and, justContinue reading “Bashall Eaves”
Knowlmere Manor is an 18th century calendar house near Dunsop Bridge, calendar houses being an architectural style whereas features of the building correspond to numbers on a calendar, i.e: 52 windows, 12 gable-ends or 7 chimneys etc. The manor has two private access roads one of which crosses over the river Hodder, called Knowlmere ManorContinue reading “Bridges over the River Hodder; the bridge to Knowlmere Manor”
Mitton Hall stands just outside the village of Mitton near the confluence of the Ribble and Hodder, it is a grade 2 listed Tudor manor, famously painted by William Turner and built in the late 14th century by the Catterall family. The Catterall family are originally from Goosnargh and married into the de Mitton family,Continue reading “Mitton Hall”
Red breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator, can be seen on Stocks reservoir at the moment from the bird hides, and on streams and rivers in the area too. This unusual diver is a partial migrant in the British isles, heading inland from the coast when bad weather arrives to find more sheltered places to fish. TheContinue reading “Red breasted Merganser”
Lancashire isn’t exactly well known for its caves, with neighbouring Yorkshire enjoying all the potholing fun, but the edge of the Limestone reefs that underlie the North Yorkshire moors, which are famous for their extensive cave systems, do show their face again one last time in Lancashire before disappearing beneath the shale and gritstone ofContinue reading “Unnatural Histories, The Fairy hole Caves at Whitewell”
Northwest Nature and History