LOCAL NATURE RESERVE

Wildlife flourishes where once there was a railway, mills and collieries…

You can see Bluebells and Wild Garlic in the woodland and Wild Cherry, Hawthorn and Dog-rose blossoms in the hedge-rows and scrub. You may hear Great Spotted Woodpecker and see Dipper along Woodnook Water.

Meadow Brown and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies feed along the embankments in the sunny grassland; Speckled Wood butterflies bask in the woodland edge sunshine. You will see the invasive Himalayan Balsam flowering and Pipist-relle bats flying in the tree canopy at dusk and dawn.

The golden leaves of Beech and the red brown of Oak provide autumn colour. Look out for fungi on dead wood and amongst the leaf litter and acorns underneath oak trees.

Watch Redwing and Fieldfare feeding on the bushes. Follow the tracks of Roe Deer and birds such as Blackbird and Robin in the snow.

Surviving mature Beech trees in Priestley Clough can be seen in old postcards (above). Where Beech creates a continuous canopy, trees are thinned out to bring sunlight to the floor and encourage young trees to grow.

For Further info contact:- Lancashire County Council 0845 053 0000 Hyndburn Borough Council 01254 388111

Priestley Clough 1920s and today

Priestley Clough mature Beech trees

Woodnook Vale Local Nature Reserve offers local residents and visitors 51 hectares of woodland, heathland and wetland either side of the steep-sided river valley of Woodnook Water.

Industrial LegacyThe wildlife is interwoven with an industrial legacy that includes demolished mill buildings, former mill lodges and the Accrington to Manchester railway line. The disused railway line stretching from Platts Lodge in Accrington to the Kearns Allens lodges at Baxenden is now a 2.8km multi-user trackway.

RailwayThe Accrington to Bury section of railway line was opened in 1848 and was notorious for its steep 1:40 gradient. The line was also unusual for crossing a mill lodge (Platts Lodge). The original railway bridge over Nuttall St was widened in 1936 to allow lorries through to the industrial area. A datestone has been incorporated on the wall at the Nuttall St entrance to commemorate the rebuild. The line closed in December 1966.

The Five Arches Bridge at Shoe Mill remained until 1981 when it was demolished and replaced by the current bridge in 1992.

WildlifeAt least 61 species of birds, 291 plants, 13 fish, 108 invertebrates, 12 mammals and 3 species of bats have been recorded in Woodnook Vale.

Priestley CloughPriestley Clough is ancient woodland which means it has been wooded since AD 1600. The woodland gets its name from John Priestley, a cotton manufacturer who once ran Woodnook Mill. There was a mill pond (front cover picture) next to the Bath Street path which held the water to power the mill’s water wheel. Like the rest of the valley, the Clough has a long association with coal mining and its medieval name was Coal Pit Holme.

You can see Bluebells and Wild Garlic in the woodland and Wild Cherry, Hawthorn and Dog-rose blossoms in the hedge-rows and scrub. You may hear Great Spotted Woodpecker and see Dipper along Woodnook Water.

Meadow Brown and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies feed along the embankments in the sunny grassland; Speckled Wood butterflies bask in the woodland edge sunshine. You will see the invasive Himalayan Balsam flowering and Pipist-relle bats flying in the tree canopy at dusk and dawn.

The golden leaves of Beech and the red brown of Oak provide autumn colour. Look out for fungi on dead wood and amongst the leaf litter and acorns underneath oak trees.

Watch Redwing and Fieldfare feeding on the bushes. Follow the tracks of Roe Deer and birds such as Blackbird and Robin in the snow.

Woodnook ValeLOCAL NATURE RESERVE

Nuttall St after 1936

Nuttall St 1936

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Bluebells

Meadow Brown

Speckled Wood

Priestley Clough has been a popular area for local people for many gen-erations. It was perceived as a local beauty spot and several picture postcards of the area exist.Five Arches Bridge at Shoe Mill

Look out for Best time to see Notes

Ramsons April-May Also known as Wild Garlic

Wood Anemone April-May An indicator of ancient woodland

Silver BirchJuly-August for

leaves All year for white bark

Its sap can be used to make wine. Can be seen all the way up the line.

Hazel Anytime Look out for new shoots on coppiced stumps in Hollins Wood

Nuthatch All yearClimbs up the tree trunk then flies down to the base of another tree in search of insects

Dipper All year This bird has a white bib and walks along the river bed looking for food

Speckled Wood butterfly July-August Enjoys sunny, sheltered woodland

edges

DragonfliesSunny spells

throughout sum-mer

Common and Brown Hawker can be seen flying across the main line

BatsWarm evenings be-tween early Spring and late Autumn

Bats can be seen flying under the bridge at Five Arches Bridge/ Shoe Mill and skimming over Kearns Allen lodges

Railway bridges AnytimeSome stones have the signature marks of the masons that carved them which is called dressing

Pictures drawn by children from Baxenden St John’s CE Primary School

Archive photographs reproduced by permission Lancashire Library Service

Ormerod St

Tow

n C

entr

e &

Rai

lway

Sta

tion

Bath

St

Nuttall St

Miller Fold Avenue

N

Mill

St

Allia

nce

St

Shoe

Mill

Site

of

Smal

lpox

Hos

pita

l

Hol

lins

Woo

d

Allo

tmen

ts

Allotments

Allo

tmen

ts

Allo

tmen

ts

Kea

rns

Alle

n L

odge

s

Rai

lway

Bri

dge

Site

of C

ollie

ry

Rai

lway

Bri

dge

Site

of

form

erB

axen

den

Stat

ion

Prie

stle

yCl

ough

½ m

ile (a

ppro

x)

Man

ches

ter R

dM

anch

este

r Rd

Royd

s Ave

Hill St

Hol

lins L

nH

ollin

s Ln

Hollins Ln

Hurstead

St

Bellfield

R

d

cycle route

Rothw

ell

Ave

Riley

St

Hyn

dbur

n G

reen

way

NCN

Rou

te 6

Woo

dnoo

k W

ater

Woo

dn

ook

Water

Pert

h St

New

Pla

ntin

g 20

12

Broa

dlea

ved

woo

dlan

d

Con

ifero

us w

oodl

and

Wat

er

Ent

ranc

e po

ints

Cyc

le &

acc

essib

le ro

ute

Acce

ssib

le ro

ute

Benc

hes

Hea

ther

Mea

dow

Hyn

dbur

n

Gre

enw

ay N

CN R

oute

6

You

can

see

Blu

ebel

ls a

nd W

ild G

arlic

in t

he w

oodl

and

and

Wild

Che

rry,

Haw

thor

n an

d D

og-r

ose

blos

som

s in

the

hed

ge-

row

s an

d sc

rub.

You

may

hea

r G

reat

Spo

tted

Woo

dpec

ker

and

see

Dip

per

alon

g W

oodn

ook

Wat

er.

Mea

dow

Bro

wn

and

Smal

l To

rtoi

sesh

ell

butt

erfl

ies

feed

al

ong

the

emba

nkm

ents

in t

he s

unny

gra

ssla

nd; S

peck

led

Woo

d bu

tter

flie

s ba

sk in

the

woo

dlan

d ed

ge s

unsh

ine.

You

w

ill s

ee t

he in

vasi

ve H

imal

ayan

Bal

sam

flo

wer

ing

and

Pipi

st-

rell

e ba

ts f

lyin

g in

the

tre

e ca

nopy

at

dusk

and

daw

n.

The

gold

en l

eave

s of

Bee

ch a

nd t

he r

ed b

row

n of

Oak

pr

ovid

e au

tum

n co

lour

. Loo

k ou

t fo

r fu

ngi o

n de

ad w

ood

and

amon

gst

the

leaf

lit

ter

and

acor

ns u

nder

neat

h oa

k tr

ees.

Wat

ch R

edw

ing

and

Fiel

dfar

e fe

edin

g on

the

bus

hes.

Fol

low

th

e tr

acks

of

Roe

Dee

r an

d bi

rds

such

as

Blac

kbir

d an

d R

obin

in

the

sno

w.

Wood

nook

Vale

LOC

AL N

ATUR

E R

ESER

VE

Sess

ile O

ak (

no s

talk

)

Pedu

ncul

ate

Oak

(lo

ng s

talk

)

Bax

ende

n St

atio

n B

us S

top

Mea

dow

swee

t & W

illow

herb

Enc

hant

ers N

ight

shad

eSm

all S

kipp

er o

n Kn

apw

eed

Brac

ket F

ungi

Silv

er B

irch

betw

een

the

Rai

lway

Brid

ge a

nd H

urst

ead

St

Gla

de w

ith H

eath

er a

nd S

ilver

Birc

h

Roe

Dee

r

Silv

er B

irch

is e

asy

to r

ecog

nise

wit

h it

s de

lica

te le

aves

and

whi

te, p

aper

y ba

rk w

hich

pee

ls e

asil

y. T

hey

mak

e pr

etty

gla

des

and

youn

g tr

ees

are

ofte

n fo

und

inva

ding

pat

ches

of

Hea

ther

.

Both

type

s of n

ativ

e Br

itish

Oak

are

foun

d he

re: S

essil

e an

d Pe

dunc

ulat

e O

ak. T

he

oaks

can

hyb

ridise

com

bini

ng th

ese

two

char

acte

ristic

s and

exa

mpl

es o

f the

hyb

rids c

an

be fo

und

at W

oodn

ook.

Roe

Dee

r can

ofte

n be

seen

cro

ssin

g th

e lin

e in

the

early

mor

ning

s. Al

l yea

r rou

nd, y

ou c

an

see

the

Blue

Tits

, Gre

at T

its, B

ullfi

nche

s and

C

haffi

nche

s flyi

ng fr

om o

ne si

de o

f the

pat

h to

th

e ot

her l

ooki

ng fo

r foo

d.

Dea

dwoo

d is

impo

rtan

t for

wild

life

in

woo

dlan

d an

d an

y w

oodl

and

man

agem

ent

mus

t inc

lude

leav

ing

som

e tr

ees a

s sta

ndin

g de

adw

ood

for b

irds,

inse

cts a

nd fu

ngi.

Loo

k fo

r dea

d st

andi

ng tr

ees w

ith w

oodp

ecke

r hol

es

and

Brac

ket F

ungi

. You

may

also

see

pile

s of

woo

d le

ft af

ter c

oppi

cing

and

tree

felli

ng w

hich

ar

e ha

bita

t pile

s for

gro

und

beet

les a

nd o

ther

in

vert

ebra

tes.

The

Sho

e M

ill B

axen

den

Sign

al B

ox w

as

situa

ted

near

the

Five

Arc

hes

Brid

ge a

nd

oper

ated

from

187

5-19

62. I

n th

e va

lley

bott

om, y

ou c

an s

ee

the

rem

ains

of S

hoe

Mill

. The

cot

ton

mill

, th

ough

t to

have

bee

n bu

ilt in

179

0, w

as

pow

ered

by

wat

er

but c

lose

d fo

llow

ing

a se

riou

s fir

e. R

emna

nts

of th

e bu

ildin

gs a

re

clear

ly v

isibl

e. T

he fi

lled

circu

lar d

epre

ssio

n ne

ar

the

chim

ney

is pr

obab

ly a

n ol

d co

llier

y sh

aft.

Hol

lins

Woo

d is

broa

dlea

ved

plan

tatio

n of

H

azel

, Oak

, Nor

way

Map

le, S

ilver

Birc

h an

d Al

der

with

con

ifero

us tr

ees.

It w

as

also

the

site

of a

sm

all p

ox h

ospi

tal s

how

n by

ove

rgro

wn

bric

k fo

unda

tions

. Cop

pice

d tr

ees

such

as

Haz

el, c

reat

es s

unny

gla

des

for

butt

erfli

es li

ke S

peck

led

Woo

d. W

ood

from

cop

pici

ng a

nd fe

lling

is le

ft to

cre

ate

habi

tat p

iles

for

wild

life.

The

adj

oini

ng fi

eld

was

pla

nted

up

in 2

012

and

nam

ed J

ubile

e W

oodl

and.

Yel

low

Rat

tle c

an a

lso

be fo

und

in th

e fie

ld.

Knap

wee

d, v

etch

es a

nd th

istle

s ca

n be

see

n flo

wer

ing

in th

e m

eado

w in

Jul

y. E

very

yea

r, th

e m

eado

w is

cut

and

rak

ed to

mai

ntai

n its

w

ildflo

wer

s a

nd w

ill b

uzz

with

hov

erfli

es

and

bees

feed

ing

on th

e flo

wer

s. Sm

all S

kipp

er

butte

rflie

s will

rest

on

the

purp

le fl

ower

s in

the

suns

hine

. Lar

ge W

hite

an

d M

eado

w B

row

n bu

tterfl

ies c

an b

e se

en

flyin

g al

ong

the

disu

sed

railw

ay li

ne o

n w

arm

da

ys in

late

sum

mer

.

Patc

hes

of H

eath

er a

nd B

ilber

ry s

urvi

ve o

n th

e ba

nks

up th

e ra

ilway

line

. To

prot

ect

it, in

vasiv

e no

n na

tive

spec

ies

such

as

Him

alay

an B

alsa

m a

nd R

hodo

dend

ron

are

rem

oved

and

Silv

er B

irch

and

Ash

tree

s ar

e cu

t bac

k. H

eath

er is

eas

iest

to s

ee w

hen

the

pink

flow

ers

appe

ar in

Aug

ust a

nd is

a

part

icul

ar fa

vour

ite o

f bee

s.

Mea

dow

swee

t and

Will

owhe

rb a

re r

ich

sour

ces

of n

ecta

r fo

r be

es w

hich

will

also

vi

sit B

ram

ble,

D

og-r

ose

and

Hea

ther

flow

ers.

Del

icat

e flo

wer

s of

Enc

hant

ers

Nig

htsh

ade

occu

r in

pat

ches

on

the

path

edg

e up

the

line.

Bro

oklim

e ca

n be

se

en in

the

ditc

h th

at

follo

ws

the

line.

The

sout

hern

end

of

the

railw

ay h

as m

inin

g fe

atur

es. W

hile

mos

t tr

aces

of B

axen

den

Col

liery

hav

e go

ne, y

ou

can

still

see

drift

min

e en

tran

ces a

t the

Hur

stea

d St

reet

ent

ranc

e.

Wal

k pa

st Ke

arns

Alle

n Lo

dges

to se

e rem

nant

s of

Bax

ende

n St

atio

n in

cludi

ng th

e sou

thbo

und

plat

form

. An

engi

ne sh

ed a

nd a

noth

er p

latfo

rm

edge

can

be se

en in

the t

rans

port

yar

d of

Hol

land

s Pi

es. W

hile

Baxe

nden

Sta

tion

close

d to

pas

seng

ers

in 1

951

the n

eare

st bu

s sto

p on

Man

ches

ter R

oad

is sti

ll ca

lled

‘Bax

ende

n St

atio

n’.

Silv

er B

irch

Woo

dnoo

k Val

e Na

ture

Rese

rve

cont

ains

area

s of

Oak-

Birc

h wo

odla

nd w

hich

is

char

acte

ristic

of

Lanc

ashi

re

valle

ys or

clou

ghs