The Roaches

Dismal Day

(Panasonic Lumix TZ10)
The weather is very poor. Rain and mist for most of the day. This photo taken from the Morridge Road looking towards the Roaches and Ramshaw Rocks. Just about the best view I've got for today!

White Nancy

White Nancy

(Canon EOS 60D, Tamron 10-24mm @ 17mm, 1/1600s @ f/7.1)
After very poor weather over the past week today is an improvement with sunshine and showers. This striking monument on the top of Kerridge near Macclesfield is called White Nancy. It was built in 1817 by local land owner John Gaskell to commemorate the victory at Waterloo. It is not clear where the name came from though it may be called after Gaskell's daughter "Nancy". The 5 mtr tall conical structure was built as a summer house and had a door and benches inside but the door has been blocked up for many years. About 35 years ago I lived nearby and could see the monument and the ridge on which it stands from the bedroom window.

Boat on the Caldon Canal

Working boat converted for leisure use on the Caldon Canal

(Canon EOS 60D, Tamron 10-24mm @ 24mm, 1/320s @ f/7.1)
A pleasant but cool spring day today after a wild and snowy day yesterday. This traditional working boat has been converted to leisure use by adding windows (and presumably reinforcing the walls) to the oilskin and rope cover of the cargo area. In its working days the boatman and his family would have lived in the painted section at the rear of the boat. Sometimes the family had six or even more children, all eating and sleeping in the 6 foot by 10 foot cabin. This photo taken near Cheddleton.

Quarry Bank Mill

Quarry Bank Mill (from the River Bollin side)

(Canon EOS 60D, Tamron 10-24mm @ 10mm, 1/640s @ f/7.1)
Quarry Bank Mill at Styal in Cheshire is a cotton mill founded in the 1784 century by Samuel Greg. The mill, together with its gardens and Styal Country Park, is now in the care of the National Trust. The machinery in the mill was powered by a waterwheel. This was eventually replaced by steam engines but now a replacement of the original wheel is operational and is the most powerful in Europe delivering up to 100 HP. At weekends demonstrations of mill machinery used in spinning and weaving cotton are given by NT staff and volunteers. Below is a photo of water powered weaving looms in action. A visit is highly recommended.