Braddocks Hay

Two pubs, two shops (which between them form a Post Office, hairdresser, newsagent, video rental and two off-licences plus parking for the chip-van on Friday tea-time) and several churches. ie a 21st century self-sufficient village.

This 'well' is the start of the River Trent complete with a commemorative stone marked 1935.

Overall view of the source of the River Trent. The actual well is at the bottom right.

A commemorative gate and protective fence fitted by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council in 1996.

A lovely stone-built pub located in the heart of the village. There is a very worn bench mark on the nearest corner (SJ9058 : Bench mark on the Rose and Crown), for a close up of the sign see SJ9058 : Sign for the Rose and Crown. For another view see SJ9058 : Rose and Crown.

Seen from its junction with Woodhouse Lane, Over The Hill goes from here to join Hurst Road and Under The Hill. There is a benchmark just out of shot on the wall to the right of the bench (SJ9058 : Hydrant sign and bench mark).

Taken from close to the southern end of SJ8959 : The fishpool on the left, this view crosses two gridlines. The Long Walk starts as the Wellingtonia Walk in Biddulph Grange Gardens and carries in a dead straight line through the Grange Country Park, ending close to Biddulph Moor.

This path carries on from SJ9059 : Through the Beech trees and leads through Spring Wood towards the top end of the Long Walk. The woodland here will soon be a lot more open as the Rhododendron bushes are cleared to try and eradicate the Sudden Oak Death disease that has been discovered here. Phytophthora ramorum, or Sudden Oak Death, is a plant disease (or pathogen) that kills Oaks and many other species of trees that has caused devastation in a lot of forests in America. In 2002 it was found in the UK, specifically in container grown Rhododendron, Camellia and Viburnum plants being sold by nurseries, since when it has been found on Rhododendron plants (amongst other species) growing in the wild. It appears from research carried out that the pathogen produces a non-fatal disease in the leaves of Rhododendrons, called “ramorum dieback “, these infected plants seem to act as a host for the disease which then releases spores that are carried by wind and water plus on the footwear of humans and the coats of animals. Although research and development is in place to try and find a cure for this disease, at present the only way to control it is to try and contain it by eradicating the affected plants. Phytophthora ramorum was found to be existing amongst the many Rhododendrons growing on Biddulph Grange Country Park and the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council were served a Statutory Notice by DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) to remove all the Rhododendrons growing on the park by 2012. Unfortunately, this will mean the loss of a lot of colour in the Spring woodlands here as well as completely changing the look of an area known as the Himalayan Walk- named for the origins of the Rhododendron. For more information see DEFRA's website at Link and Wikipedia at Link .

This is approaching the top end of the Long Walk through Spring Wood, part of Biddulph Grange Country Park. This picture was taken just a little further along from SJ9059 : Walking through Spring Wood, and like that scene it too will change when the Rhododendron bushes are removed to try and contain the Sudden Oak Death disease found here. Phytophthora ramorum, or Sudden Oak Death, is a plant disease (or pathogen) that kills Oaks and many other species of trees that has caused devastation in a lot of forests in America. In 2002 it was found in the UK, specifically in container grown Rhododendron, Camellia and Viburnum plants being sold by nurseries, since when it has been found on Rhododendron plants (amongst other species) growing in the wild. It appears from research carried out that the pathogen produces a non-fatal disease in the leaves of Rhododendrons, called “ramorum dieback “, these infected plants seem to act as a host for the disease which then releases spores that are carried by wind and water plus on the footwear of humans and the coats of animals. Although research and development is in place to try and find a cure for this disease, at present the only way to control it is to try and contain it by eradicating the affected plants. Phytophthora ramorum was found to be existing amongst the many Rhododendrons growing on Biddulph Grange Country Park and the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council were served a Statutory Notice by DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) to remove all the Rhododendrons growing on the park by 2012. Unfortunately, this will mean the loss of a lot of colour in the Spring woodlands here as well as completely changing the look of an area known as the Himalayan Walk- named for the origins of the Rhododendron. For more information see DEFRA's website at Link and Wikipedia at Link .

Looking in a south-westerly direction from the upper end of the Long Walk (SJ8959 : Looking down the Long Walk) in Spring Wood at the top of Biddulph Grange Country Park, from here it goes towards the Round Stone and Sprink Side Farm. The woods here will become more open as the Rhododendron bushes are removed to try and contain the Sudden Oak Death disease that they are harbouring. Phytophthora ramorum, or Sudden Oak Death, is a plant disease (or pathogen) that kills Oaks and many other species of trees that has caused devastation in a lot of forests in America. In 2002 it was found in the UK, specifically in container grown Rhododendron, Camellia and Viburnum plants being sold by nurseries, since when it has been found on Rhododendron plants (amongst other species) growing in the wild. It appears from research carried out that the pathogen produces a non-fatal disease in the leaves of Rhododendrons, called “ramorum dieback “, these infected plants seem to act as a host for the disease which then releases spores that are carried by wind and water plus on the footwear of humans and the coats of animals. Although research and development is in place to try and find a cure for this disease, at present the only way to control it is to try and contain it by eradicating the affected plants. Phytophthora ramorum was found to be existing amongst the many Rhododendrons growing on Biddulph Grange Country Park and the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council were served a Statutory Notice by DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) to remove all the Rhododendrons growing on the park by 2012. Unfortunately, this will mean the loss of a lot of colour in the Spring woodlands here as well as completely changing the look of an area known as the Himalayan Walk- named for the origins of the Rhododendron. For more information see DEFRA's website at Link and Wikipedia at Link .

This cave-like hole is the start of a man-made tunnel that leads from the top of the Long Walk on Biddulph Grange Country Park to Hurst Road about 200 metres away. It has been blocked off at some point underground, I ventured in for quite a way but did not have a torch, so I am not sure how far it actually goes. The tunnel, apparently, was dug to allow staff from the Grange a shorter route home to Biddulph Moor.

Taken from just inside the SJ9058 : Entrance to the tunnel, there is a stone seat in an alcove just visible to the right of the picture and the tunnel leads on towards a corner ahead. The man-made tunnel is located at the top of the Long Walk on Biddulph Grange Country Park and, although now blocked up, it went approximately 200 metres to Hurst Road and was a short-cut for staff from the Grange to Biddulph Moor. The common type of stone in this area is Derbyshire gritstone, but the camera flash seems to pick out an amalgam of types here, including a piece of Quartz just above the seat.

These steps lead up to the Round Rock (SJ9058 : The Round Rock appears), a natural gritstone outcrop situated on the southernmost corner of Biddulph Grange Country Park. The old, now disused, gate on the right would probably have been the entrance to the park from Sprink Side Farm.

Turning the corner from where SJ9058 : Steps to the Round Rock was taken and the Round Rock looms above you. A natural gritstone outcrop it is situated on the southernmost boundary of Biddulph Grange Country Park and is well worth the effort in getting to.

These steps are partly laid slabs and partly cut out of the rock, and lead to the top the Round Rock (SJ9058 : The Round Rock appears). The Round Rock is a natural gritstone outcrop located at the southernmost boundary of Biddulph Grange Country Park.

Found not far from the top boundary of Biddulph Grange Country Park, the sun shining through this toadstool made it look like a little candle. It has been possibly identified as a Laccaria laccata, but unfortunately the picture isn't really clear enough for a proper identification (my thanks to Mike Richardson Link for the information). It was approximately 3-4 centimetres in height and about 1 centimetre in diameter. The habitat was near the edge of mixed woodland mainly of Oak, Beech and Pine, not far from some meadowland and it seemed to be solitary although there was another one growing about 3 metres away.

Looking along the path near the top of Biddulph Grange Country Park towards the top of the Long Walk.