The Area we live in is Whitworth Parish which consists of the communities of  Healey, Whitworth, Facit and Shawforth that are linked by the A671, part of the great turnpike road built in the 18th century.  The railway ran alongside the road and the gradient was so steep it took two engines to pull the train 

Spring views in Townley Hall.  Ten minutes ride from our home.  Ransom s Garlic grows in abundance.  The scent is amazing.

Whitworth is a former Lancashire  cotton town and its moorland is wild and extensive.  Tree planting schemes and landscaping are bringing many species of  birds and wildlife into the area and hiding the scars caused by stone quarrying.  These quarries provided the stone for Trafalgar Square in London.  

In the 1950's badgers were brought from Cheshire and released into the  area where they thrived.

Healey Dell Nature Reserve sits on the border of Whitworth and Rochdale.   An ammunitions factory was based there during the war.  The Rochdale to  Bacup railway ran through Healey Dell over a 100 ft viaduct which can be seen in the first photo of the reserve. Whitworth is part of the South Pennines North of  Rochdale rising to 1,460 ft at higher hogshead with reservoirs and quarries.  

Cowm Park  Reservoir is now used by the Disabled Water Skiers Association and behind the reservoir is Doctors Wood.  There are very few trees there now, but it was where the local Doctors got their herbs.  200 years  ago the Whitworth Taylor Doctors had their practice in Whitworth Square. John  Taylor was formerly a blacksmith and horse doctor.  The doctors were local bone setters and also treated people from overseas and the then Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Rossendale Way comes along the disused railway and passes close to our house, this is 47 miles long.  It covers Haslingden, Rawtenstall, Bacup and Whitworth.  

  Hardcastle Crags, 30 mins from our house.  Covered with English Bluebells