The Tragic Loss and Living History of Copley Toll Bridge

 Nestled deep within the steep, wooded folds of the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire lies a quiet corner of heritage that stands as both a monument to Victorian engineering and a sobering reminder of nature’s raw power. For nearly two centuries, the historic Copley River Bridge (frequently remembered as the Copley Toll Bridge) and its accompanying, fairy-tale Toll Booth served as an idyllic, postcard-perfect gateway across the River Calder.

However, local history was altered forever during the catastrophic 2015 Boxing Day floods. Swept away by the raging torrents brought on by Storm Eva, the 184-year-old stone bridge collapsed, leaving an irreplaceable void in the landscape.

This post takes a nostalgic journey back to a crisp autumn morning in October 2013—two years before the waters claimed the crossing—to explore the deep-rooted history, architectural beauty, and enduring spirit of this lost Calderdale landmark.

A Glimpse of Autumnal Magic: October 2013

Before looking at its dramatic destruction, let us first step back in time. The images accompanying this article capture a serene, damp, and vibrant morning on 27th October 2013. Shot on location using a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, these photographs preserve a fleeting moment in history. They capture the brilliant autumn canopy turning to rust and gold, heavy morning dew on moss-covered stone, and an unmistakable sense of historical permanence that no one knew was on borrowed time.

At this point in time, the bridge and toll house existed in perfect, rustic harmony, hidden away on North Dean Road between Sowerby Bridge and Halifax.

The History of the Copley Bridge Bar and Toll House

The story of this crossing begins in 1831, when it was constructed under the instruction of Richard Kennett-Dawson, the last Lord of the Manor of Copley. Built as a graceful, two-arch stone structure, it carried travellers over the temperamental River Calder, connecting local routes and serving the nearby communities.

To fund its maintenance, a toll was levied on anyone wishing to cross. To enforce this, an enchanting, elongated octagonal Toll Booth (officially listed as Grade II by Historic England) was erected at the southern bank of the river.

The Famous 1833 Toll Board

On the side of the octagonal toll house facing the track hangs a striking, black-and-white informational plaque detailing the historic "Copley Bridge Bar." The sign reads with a beautiful, archaic charm:

"This building is to be preserved as... BWRD 1833. Restored to a Private domestic dwelling 1991–2003."

The plaque explicitly lays out the old tariffs, providing a wonderful window into the nineteenth-century agricultural and industrial economy of West Yorkshire. It documents the costs for passing carriages, horses, and various livestock. While the collection of tolls officially ended in 1856, the booth itself stood proud, eventually transitioning from a derelict workshop into a beautifully restored, privately owned octagonal cottage.

2015 Boxing Day Floods: The Night the Calder Reclaimed the Bridge

For 184 years, the stone bridge weathered industrial revolutions, the rise and fall of the massive Akroyd worsted mills, and countless Yorkshire winters. But on 26th December 2015, Storm Eva pushed the Calderdale valley to its absolute limit.

Unprecedented rainfall caused the River Calder to swell to historic, violent heights. The river became a churning engine of destruction, carrying heavy debris, uprooted trees, and thousands of tons of fast-moving water. The structural integrity of the two-arch stone bridge was fatally compromised. Unable to withstand the sheer hydraulic pressure, the historic stonework buckled and collapsed into the foaming waters.

While the surrounding valley suffered millions of pounds in infrastructure damage—including nearby Elland Bridge—the loss of Copley Bridge felt like a deeply personal blow to the community’s shared heritage.

What Survives Today?

Miraculously, the octagonal Copley Bridge Toll Booth survived. Situated just high enough on the bank, its thick stone walls, scalloped eaves, and moss-blanketed hipped roof withstood the deluge. Today, it stands as a solitary sentinel, looking out over a river that looks vastly different than it did for most of its life.

In 2017, a modern, single-span steel footbridge was constructed to reconnect the severed community. Showing the true strength of Calderdale’s community spirit, local schoolchildren from Copley Primary School helped name the new structure Wilson Bridge—a touching tribute to Graham Wilson, a beloved, long-time resident of the toll house who sadly passed away the same year the new crossing was built.

Final Thoughts: The Resilient Spirit of Calderdale

The story of the Copley Toll Bridge is a bittersweet reminder of the transience of our built environment. While the stone arches that stood for nearly two centuries are gone, they are far from forgotten. Through the preservation of photography from those peaceful autumn days in 2013, and through the enduring presence of the whimsical octagonal toll house, the spirit of the Copley Bridge Bar lives on.

It stands as a testament to a community that remembers its past, honours its neighbours, and rebuilds stronger in the face of adversity.

Liquid Fire and Black Earth: The Surreal Volcanic Vineyards of Lanzarote

Imagine standing on a landscape so stark, so utterly alien, that you might mistake it for the surface of Mars or a distant moon. To your left and right, massive, sun-scorched volcanic cones rise out of the earth, their slopes painted in deep ochres, rusts, and charcoal blacks. Yet, look closer at the valley floors, and you will see something truly miraculous: thousands of vibrant, emerald-green vines bursting forth from deep, asymmetric craters in the dark ash.

This is La Geria, Lanzarote’s legendary wine region. It is a place where viticulture isn't just an agricultural practice—it is an act of sheer human stubbornness against nature.

Recently, a stunning set of photographs I captured in July 2013 was brought into the modern era. Utilizing cutting-edge, contemporary digital darkroom techniques, these images have been painstakingly re-edited to restore the true brilliance of Lanzarote's light. The modern re-edit breathes new life into the scene, balancing high-dynamic-range contrasts, revealing hidden textures in the dark volcanic rock, and enriching the golden hour hues. They offer a breathtaking window into what the wine industry calls "heroic viticulture."

The Day the Earth Burned: A History of Survival

To understand the visual marvel of Lanzarote’s vineyards, one must look back to September 1, 1730. On that day, the earth split open in the Timanfaya region. For six continuous years, cataclysmic volcanic eruptions tore across the island, burying nearly a third of Lanzarote’s most fertile, grain-producing farmland under a thick, apocalyptic blanket of lava and black volcanic ash, locally known as picón or lapilli.

Many islanders fled to the Americas. Those who stayed faced what looked like starvation. Yet, out of disaster came an astonishing discovery. The farmers—known as Conejeros—realized that while traditional crops like wheat could no longer survive, the newly deposited layer of volcanic ash possessed miraculous properties.

Instead of suffocating life, the porous picón acted as a natural thermo-regulator. It absorbed the scarce humidity from the Atlantic trade winds overnight, funnelled it down into the nutrient-rich topsoil below, locked it in, and prevented evaporation during the scorching daylight hours.

The stage was set for a viticultural revolution.

The Anatomy of a Lanzarote Vineyard: Hoyos and Zocos

The newly re-edited photographs beautifully capture the ingenious, labour-intensive architectural systems invented by Lanzarote's vintners to protect their crops.

1. The Hoyos (Volcanic Craters)

Because the layer of volcanic ash can be several feet deep, farmers cannot simply plant a vine on the surface. They must dig deep, inverted cones—called hoyos—directly through the black gravel to reach the prehistoric, fertile soil underneath. As seen in the panoramic vistas, these craters can span up to three meters wide and two meters deep. From a high vantage point, the terrain looks as if it has been pelted by a dense meteor shower, with a single green vine cradled at the centre of each impact zone.

2. The Zocos (Basalt Stone Walls)

Lanzarote is fiercely windy, subjected to relentless, punishing Atlantic trade winds. To prevent the delicate vines from being shredded by the wind or suffocated by drifting ash, the farmers built zocos.

As highlighted in the crisp, modern details of the second image, zocos are semicircular or horseshoe-shaped dry-stone walls made from heavy, local blocks of black basalt rock. Every single stone is placed precisely by hand without a drop of mortar. These walls act as miniature shields, buffering the plants from the wind and trapping pockets of warm air.

A Visual Journey Through the Re-Edited Images

The power of modern photo editing lies in its ability to match what the camera captured with what the human soul actually felt in the moment. Let’s dive into the three newly enhanced scenes from July 2013:

Frame A: Golden Solitude at the Gates of La Geria

The first image captures the cinematic magic of a Lanzarote sunset. Positioned behind a clean, white-lined asphalt road that cuts through the wilderness, the camera looks past a traditional volcanic stone entrance gate.

The sun sinks directly behind a large, rustic wine barrel standing sentinel at the entrance, generating a magnificent, piercing sunstar. Thanks to modern editing techniques, the deep shadows of the foreground road and the dark volcanic stone walls are no longer muddy or lost. Instead, we can distinctly see the texture of the asphalt and the individual stones of the wall, contrasting beautifully against the vibrant, gradient sky turning from deep violet to a brilliant amber gold. In the background, the smooth, imposing silhouette of a volcanic mountain anchors the horizon.

Frame B: Walking Among the Emerald Craters

The second photograph drops the viewer right into the heart of the vineyard rows during the golden hour. The re-edited colour palette perfectly balances the warm, sepia-toned light of late afternoon with the brilliant, almost-glowing green of the grape leaves.

Here, the sheer scale of the human effort becomes clear. The perspective leads your eyes down a cleared path of dark volcanic soil, flanked on both sides by beautifully structured, curving zocos. The leaves of the vines cascade over the dark rocks, thirsty for light. In the distance, white-washed Canarian farmhouses, structural cacti, and isolated palm trees break up the horizon, framed by the distant, soft-focus peaks of ancient volcanoes. The enhanced dynamic range allows us to feel the rough, sharp edges of the volcanic stone in the foreground, creating an incredibly immersive experience.

Frame C: The Majesty of the Volcano

The final image shifts focus to the grand architect of this landscape: a massive, dormant volcanic dome bathed in the warm, reddish-orange glow of the setting sun. The erosion lines raking down the side of the crater are tack-sharp, brought to life by modern clarity and sharpening algorithms that avoid looking artificial.

Below the volcano, a vast tapestry of hoyos stretches across the valley floor like a giant, geometric grid. In the foreground, hardy native flora—including a massive prickly pear cactus (Opuntia)—stands resiliently in the rocky, uncultivated terrain. This frame perfectly juxtaposes the wild, untamed power of the volcano with the meticulous, orderly geometry of human agriculture.

The Taste of Fire: What Makes Volcanic Wine Unique

You cannot talk about the visual beauty of La Geria without mentioning the liquid poetry produced within it. Because of the extreme environment, these vineyards cannot be mechanized. Tractors are useless here; everything from digging the craters, pruning the branches, and harvesting the grapes must be done entirely by hand.

Because the volcanic sand naturally keeps away phylloxera (a destructive insect pest that devastated European vineyards in the 19th century), Lanzarote's vines are completely ungrafted, with some vines being over a century old.

The star variety of the island is Malvasía Volcánica.

Wine Type	Flavor Profile	Distinctive Characteristic
Dry Malvasía	Crisp, bright, high acidity, notes of citrus and white flowers.	A distinct, unmistakable saline minerality driven by volcanic soils and ocean winds.
Sweet Malvasía	Rich, honeyed, notes of dried fruits, amber hue.	A historic favourite across royal European courts, reminiscent of a fine Madeira.

When you sip a glass of cold Malvasía Seco while overlooking the very craters shown in these photographs, you aren't just tasting wine. You are tasting the ocean breeze, the intense Atlantic sun, the mineral wealth of the earth's core, and three centuries of human resilience.

Preserving the Impossible Landscape

The restoration of these 2013 photographs reminds us of the delicate balance required to keep La Geria alive. Today, the region is protected as a Protected Landscape and is a key pillar of Lanzarote’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status.

However, heroic viticulture faces modern challenges. Maintaining thousands of stone walls by hand under a blazing sun is exhausting work, and many of the island’s traditional vintners are reaching retirement age. By celebrating the breathtaking, surreal beauty of these landscapes through modern photography and sustainable wine tourism, we help ensure that future generations will continue to tend to these emerald nests in the black earth.

If you ever find yourself wandering the Canary Islands, leave the beach behind for a day. Rent a car, take the LZ-30 highway, and drive slowly through the heart of La Geria. Pull over at a local bodega, look out over the endless sea of stone crescents, and toast to the farmers who looked at an apocalyptic wasteland and decided to plant a garden.

The Salvage Archive: Rediscovering the Hidden Beauty of 35mm Vintage Butterfly Slides

 There is a specific kind of magic buried in a box of old 35mm slides. When you hold them up to the light, they look like tiny, glowing jewels, but it isn’t until you scan them—revealing the glory hidden in that small frame—that the true story begins to unfold.

Today, I’m diving into my personal collection to share two stunning captures that have bridged the gap between the analogue past and the digital present. These aren't just photos of insects; they are time capsules of light, colour, and a delicate ecosystem that remains as mesmerizing today as it was the moment the shutter clicked decades ago.

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The Art of the Macro Slide

For many modern photographers, "macro" means expensive mirrorless lenses and focus-stacking software. But for the original photographer of these slides, it meant patience and precision. Shooting butterflies on 35mm film—specifically slide film—was a high-stakes game. You didn't have a screen to check your exposure. You didn't have 1,000 shots on a memory card. You had 36 frames, a steady hand, and the hope that the wind wouldn't blow the moment you squeezed the trigger.

The results, as you can see in these scans, possess a "soul" that is often missing from clinical digital photography. There’s a certain grain, a specific warmth to the oranges, and a creamy texture to the out-of-focus highlights (the bokeh) that only vintage glass and chemical film can produce.

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The Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) in a Dreamscape

The first slide reveals a stunning Small Copper butterfly. This specimen is a masterclass in nature’s colour palette.

The Composition

What strikes me most about this shot is the contrast. The butterfly is perched atop a soft, ethereal bed of what looks like thistle down or dandelion seeds. The chaotic, wispy white texture of the plant material creates a "halo" effect around the subject.

The Details

• The Wings: Look at the vibrant, fiery orange of the forewings, punctuated by those bold, black geometric spots. The Small Copper is famous for this "shimmering" effect, which is captured perfectly here.

• The Underside: You can see the darker, more cryptic hindwings peeking through, showing how these creatures camouflage themselves when they close up.

• The Antennae: Even in an old slide, the delicate, white-ringed antennae are sharp, guiding our eye toward the butterfly’s head as it rests amidst the silk.

This image reminds us that beauty doesn't always require a grand landscape. Sometimes, it’s found in a square inch of a meadow, caught in the late afternoon sun.

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The Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) at the Feast

The second slide takes us from a soft dreamscape to a vibrant, high-contrast feeding session. Here, we see a Meadow Brown (or a similar member of the Satyrinae subfamily) perched on a purple wildflower, likely a knapweed or thistle.

The Macro Perspective

In this profile shot, the slide reveals the intricate "eye spot" on the forewing. In the wild, this spot acts as a decoy, tricking predators into attacking the wing's edge rather than the butterfly's body.

Texture and Tone

• The Proboscis: If you look closely at the scan, you can see the butterfly’s proboscis extended deep into the purple florets. This is nature’s straw, perfectly adapted for drinking nectar.

• The Fur: One of the joys of high-resolution scanning is seeing the "fur" on the butterfly's thorax and legs. It gives the creature a tactile, almost mammalian quality that we often miss with the naked eye.

• The Background: The lush, blurred green background (likely out-of-focus grass) makes the subject pop, a testament to the shallow depth of field achieved by the photographer's macro setup.

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Why 35mm Slides Still Matter

You might wonder why I bother scanning these old slides instead of just going out and taking new photos with a modern DSLR. The answer lies in the history of the gaze.

Every slide in this collection represents a moment where a person stood still in a field, held their breath, and waited for a butterfly to land. There is a sense of "the hunt" and "the craft" embedded in the emulsion. When we digitize these, we aren't just making a copy; we are rescuing a moment from the degradation of time.

Slides are prone to colour shifting, dust, and mold. By bringing them into a 6000 x 4000 digital format, we can appreciate the technical mastery of the past while ensuring these beauties "fly" forever in the digital cloud.

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Tips for Identifying Your Own Garden Visitors

Looking at these slides has inspired me to look closer at my own backyard. If you’re looking to identify butterflies in your area, here are three things to watch for:

1. Wing Shape and Margin: Is the edge of the wing smooth or "scalloped"? The Small Copper has a relatively smooth edge, while others like the Comma have ragged edges for camouflage.

2. The Eye Spots: Are there spots on the top, the bottom, or both? Are they "blind" (just a black dot) or "pupilled" (with a white centre)?

3. The Flight Pattern: This doesn't help with photos, but in the field, it’s a giveaway. Meadow Browns have a "jerky," low-to-the-ground flight, while others soar high in the canopy.

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The Legacy of the Unknown Photographer

I don't have the names or dates for these specific slides, and in a way, that adds to the mystery. They are "found art." They belong to an era when photography was a slower, more deliberate process.

Through these scans, we get to see what they saw—the delicate veins in a wing, the dust of scales on a petal, and the vibrant life that exists right beneath our feet. These butterflies may have lived and died decades ago, but thanks to the magic of 35mm film, they are still vibrant, still colourful, and still breathtaking.

Do you have a collection of old slides gathering dust in the attic? I highly encourage you to get them scanned. You never know what tiny, winged wonders are waiting to be rediscovered.

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Where Industry Meets the Wild: A Journey to Blackstone Edge Reservoir

 The Pennines have long been the rugged backbone of England, a place where the elements command respect and the landscape tells a story of both natural endurance and human ambition. On a moody, overcast day on June 16th, 2015, I found myself standing on the banks of Blackstone Edge Reservoir, a high-altitude water body that perfectly captures the desolate beauty of the West Yorkshire moors.

The Haunting Beauty of the High Moors

Located near Littleborough and straddling the boundary between Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, Blackstone Edge is perhaps most famous for its dramatic gritstone escarpment and the ancient "Roman Road" that carves through the peat. However, the reservoir itself offers a different kind of aesthetic—one that balances the organic textures of the moorland with the stark, skeletal lines of industrial infrastructure.

On this particular June day, the sky was a heavy tapestry of grey and white clouds, casting a soft, diffused light over the water. There is a specific kind of silence you find at this elevation. It is rarely a true silence; instead, it is a symphony of wind whistling through the grass, the distant cry of a curlew, and the faint hum of the power lines that march across the horizon.

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The Intersection of Nature and Infrastructure

One cannot ignore the striking presence of the electricity pylons that dominate the skyline around Blackstone Edge. To some, these are scars on the landscape, but through a lens, they provide a fascinating geometric contrast to the rolling hills.

The Industrial Sentinels

The pylons stand like giant iron sentinels, their cables cutting sharp, horizontal lines across the soft curves of the moorland. In the photographs from this trip, you can see how the vast scale of the Pennines dwarfs even these massive structures. There is a certain "industrial sublime" at work here—a reminder of how we have harnessed these wild spaces to power the world below.

Water and Stone

The reservoir's edge is a rugged mix of mossy banks and weathered stone. In the shallower reaches, scattered rocks break the surface of the dark, peat-stained water. These stones, worn by decades of waves and wind, provide a resting place for the local waterfowl. On this visit, a small flock of Canada geese could be seen drifting across the ripples, seemingly indifferent to the looming steel towers behind them.

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Architectural Details: The Spillway and Masonry

Moving away from the open water, the engineering of the reservoir becomes more apparent. The Pennine reservoirs are masterpieces of Victorian and early 20th-century water management, and Blackstone Edge is no exception.

The Stone Spillways

One of the most captivating features to photograph was the stone-lined spillway and the drainage channels. Built from local gritstone, these structures have weathered into a dark, atmospheric hue. I chose to process some of these images in high-contrast monochrome to emphasize the textures:

• The Masonry: The precision of the hand-cut stones in the arched outlets.

• The Flow: The way the water channels create leading lines that draw the eye toward the dam wall.

• The Valve Gear: Rusting iron wheels and mechanical components that look like relics of a steam-punk era, still standing guard over the water levels.

The black-and-white treatment brings out the "grit" of the North. It highlights the moss growing in the cracks of the stone and the silver sheen of the water as it trickles down the paved channels.

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Flora and Fauna of the 16th June

Mid-June in the Pennines is a brief window of vibrancy before the harshness of late summer or the deep damp of autumn sets in.

• Cotton Grass: The bogs surrounding the reservoir were dotted with the white, fluffy heads of cotton grass, swaying violently in the upland breeze.

• The Moorland Grasses: The slopes are covered in a mix of purple moor grass and heather, which, while not yet in full purple bloom in mid-June, provides a rich palette of ochre, olive, and deep green.

• Birdlife: Aside from the geese, the area is a haven for ground-nesting birds. The "bubble" call of the curlew is the definitive soundtrack to a walk at Blackstone Edge.

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Why Visit Blackstone Edge Reservoir?

If you are a photographer, a hiker, or someone who simply finds peace in "the middle of nowhere," this spot is a hidden gem. While many hikers head straight for the trig point at the top of the "Edge," the reservoir circuit offers a more level, reflective experience.

Photography Tips for Moody Days

Don't be discouraged by a flat, grey sky. As seen in the 2015 gallery, an overcast day is perfect for:

1. Capturing Texture: Without harsh shadows, the details in the moss, rocks, and grass pop.

2. Long Exposures: The wind at this height creates beautiful movement in the water, which can be smoothed out with an ND filter for a minimalist look.

3. Industrial Portraits: The pylons look more imposing and "monumental" against a backdrop of brooding clouds than they do against a bright blue sky.

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The Long Road Home

Walking back toward the road, with the wind at your back and the sight of the A6033 winding through the valley, you feel a sense of perspective. Blackstone Edge Reservoir is a place where the modern world and the ancient earth sit uncomfortably close to one another. It is a landscape of utility, but also one of profound, lonely beauty.

As I looked back at the water one last time on that June afternoon, the pylons seemed less like intrusions and more like a part of the local ecology—the modern trees of the Yorkshire moors.

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Trip Details

• Location: Blackstone Edge Reservoir, Near Littleborough/Ripponden.

• Date: 16th June 2015.

• Weather: Overcast, 14°C, moderate winds.

• Terrain: Peat moorland, rocky paths, and gravel tracks.

I took these pictures on the16th June 2015 with a Polaroid is2132. Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Walking the Calder & Hebble Navigation from Elland to Cromwell Bottom

 There is a specific kind of magic found in the post-industrial landscapes of West Yorkshire. It’s a place where the echoes of the "Workshop of the World" meet the relentless, quiet reclamation of nature. On a late spring day—specifically the 11th of June, 2016—the stretch of the Calder & Hebble Navigation between the town of Elland and the nature reserve at Cromwell Bottom offered a masterclass in this atmospheric duality.

Whether you are a seasoned "gongoozler" (a lover of canals), a weekend rambler, or a history buff, this particular stretch of water provides a level of peace that feels far removed from the nearby bustle of Halifax and Huddersfield.

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The Industrial Gateway: Departing Elland

The journey begins under the monumental concrete spans of the Elland Road Viaduct. It is a striking starting point; the modern engineering of the road bridge creates a vast, shadowed cathedral over the water. Looking at the reflections of the massive support pillars in the still canal surface, you’re reminded that this is a working landscape. The graffiti on the weathered stone walls adds a layer of urban grit, a signature of the canal's proximity to the heart of Elland.

As you move away from the viaduct, the scenery shifts rapidly. The towpath leads you past the remnants of the area’s textile heritage. Sturdy, golden-hued York stone warehouses line the banks, their architectural dignity intact even as their purposes have shifted from wool storage to modern apartments or offices.

The Architecture of the Waterway

One of the most charming aspects of the Calder & Hebble is its unique "handspike" locks. Unlike the standard rack-and-pinion gearing found on most English canals, many locks here require a wooden handspike to operate the paddle gear—a nod to the 18th-century origins of this navigation.

Passing through Elland, the canal is flanked by high stone walls that feel like the corridor of history. Small, arched windows in the masonry once allowed workers to peer out at the passing barges; today, they are framed by moss and ferns, slowly being absorbed back into the earth.

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Nature Reclaims the Banks: Heading Toward Lowfields

As the buildings of Elland begin to thin, the "Navigation" truly begins to earn its name. Unlike a pure canal, a navigation often uses sections of the original river—in this case, the River Calder.

By the time you reach the Lowfields area, the "Green Corridor" effect takes full hold. On this June day in 2016, the hedgerows were in full riot. The towpath is a ribbon of dark asphalt and gravel, bordered by:

• Queen Anne’s Lace (Cow Parsley): Its white, frothy flowers create a lace-like border against the water.

• Buttercups: Splashes of bright yellow that seem to catch the filtered sunlight.

• Wild Ferns: Clinging to the damp stone edges of the canal.

The water here changes character. It becomes darker, reflecting the overhanging canopy of Sycamore, Alder, and Willow trees. The sound of distant traffic fades, replaced by the rhythmic "plop" of a water vole or the sudden, electric-blue flash of a Kingfisher darting between the reeds.

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Cromwell Bottom: From Ash to Emerald

The destination of this walk is Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve, and the approach via the canal is the most scenic way to arrive. It is hard to believe, looking at the lush greenery today, that this site was once used for gravel extraction and later as a disposal site for pulverized fuel ash from the nearby power stations.

Nature's resilience is the theme here. As you approach Cromwell Bottom, the canal widens, and the views open up to reveal the hills of the Calder Valley. On the opposite bank, modern timber-clad homes sit nestled into the hillside, showing how the valley continues to evolve as a place where people want to live and breathe.

Wildlife Highlights at Cromwell Bottom

In June, the reserve is a cacophony of birdsong. The mix of wetlands, woodlands, and grasslands makes it one of the richest sites for biodiversity in the region.

• Dragonflies and Damselflies: Look for the Banded Demoiselle fluttering near the water’s edge.

• Waterfowl: Mallards and Moorhens are staples, but keep an eye out for the more elusive Grebe.

• Orchids: If you step off the towpath into the reserve meadows, June is the peak time to spot Northern Marsh Orchids.

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Why This Walk Matters

Walking the Calder & Hebble isn't just about exercise; it's about perspective.

In the span of just a few miles, you travel from the heavy, brutalist concrete of the bypass to the delicate, ancient-feeling woods of the nature reserve. You see the transition from the 1770s (when the canal was built) to the Victorian industrial peak, and finally to the 21st-century's focus on ecology and leisure.

The 11th of June 2016 was a day of soft light and heavy greens—a reminder that even in our most developed valleys, there is a vein of wildness that continues to flow, if only we take the time to walk beside it.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the link below. Your support means a lot!

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.