Thursday, 22 October 2015

Brookfoot, Southowram, Cromwell Bottom and canal walk.

We had a short walk with friends today; there was not a lot of time for birding unfortunately.

It was wild and very windy at Bradshaw but quite mild and very pleasant here, especially in the woods at Brookfoot.

We parked at Brookfoot, Brighouse near the ski lake (the old Elland Gravel Pits area I believe).

After crossing the Elland / Brighouse road we took the bridleway opposite and climbed steadily uphill keeping left (where a path leads off to the right).
Our path arrives at a gate with a stile on the left. Through this gate the path drops down some stone steps before dropping again, more steeply, through a gate and entering an enclosed way to arrive at farm buildings.
Here our path turns right to rise up on a lovely green way through the Brookfoot woods.

I’ve seen Woodpecker and Nuthatch here on previous visits but all was unexpectedly quiet today.

The path turns left at the first opportunity following a Calderdale Way sign to descend a few cobbles before turning left and rising to a track.
 Here the path turns left to leave the Calderdale Way and to pass in front of a house. The path goes through a stile next to a rusty old gate and drops down to bend left and rise to a lane.

A left turn takes us past Ashday House, we continue along this pretty lane with the views opening up on our left, soon reaching and passing Bogart House.
Soon a Brighouse Boundary walk sign is seen on the left. We follow the direction of the sign to drop down, with a steep gully and shallow stream on our right, to cross the Elland / Brighouse road.

Across the road we turn right into the Cromwell Bottom Nature reserve car park.
At the end of the car park area we turn left just after the new feeding station to cross the bridge and turn left along the canal back to the starting point.
It was a very pleasant couple of hours walk  giving us an appetite for lunch at the Armytage Arms.

Birds:-
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Pied Wagtail, 3 Moorhen, Dipper.



Plenty of Fungi in this field - to risky for me to pick any though.


Looking towards Elland


Ramsbottom? -
We must have taken a wrong turn somewhere.
Did you not know that's Ramsbottom's in Lancashire 


Lots of berries on the Holly & others trees.
Hope they bring Waxwing in great numbers like 2 years ago


Just managed to get a picture of a Great Spotted Woodpecker before it left.
Still haven't managed to see a Lesser Pecker in my lifetime.





There is a Pied Wagtail here

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