Photo-a-Day  (Saturday, 30th April, 2022)

Aspullers used to call this view the valley of the big match

England's Green and pleasant land, beautiful Dennis.

Rigby Hill behind and then Blackrod church

Lovely photo but I wouldn't have had a clue where it was but for Ken's description and the word "Haigh" in Dennis's title. What lovely places we have around us.

That's lovely!

Great Hill on the horizon . A grand walk along the ridge from Belmont to Brinscall or White Coppice . There's really no need to drive up to the lakes .

Edna you took the words right out of my mouth !

Poet, during my bike riding days I spent many, many hours all around the area you mention.
White Coppice then was something special and I dare say it still is.
When this old world starts getting you down (I’m sure that’s from an old song?) just grab yourself a pair of boots and get up around there. I’m sure you will come back refreshed and fit to face the world again.

Jupiter and Venus , will meet tonight,
Below down here we gift this sight ,
On this Earth ,
we hold our green ,
Work with hand the pastures seen ,
Hope to heaven that worth can mean ,
To leave our planet
with both left clean .
We came from star dust , to build our home ,
This tiny dot in a vast space dome ,
yet we see just one place own ,
not the place , to us came blown ...

I remember White Coppice years ago with the tiny row of very small stone cottages and a stream running through the gardens. Nearby was a grassy village green where cricket was played in the summer months. All in the shadow of the hills, walking up there and never seeming to get to the top. I hope it’s still the same, I must go up there again one of these days.

Lovely photo of a great scene.Last went to White Coppice a couple of years ago and it was idyllic,hopefully it still is.

We used to go to White Coppice a few times..it's a bit of heaven really..although one of the ladies that lived in one of those lovely cottages said that they had to keep replacing Windows or putting bars up to the Windows during a cricket match.

I think the other Cyril is remarking about the gas pipeline pole marker middle front of photo. I wouldn't have known where this was taken from except for other folks description. I do remember around twenty four years ago being on one of those medically prescribed exercise classes combined with Steps To Health and Wigan & Leigh College and doing a walk each week for for two weeks around around different parts of Rivington and the reservoirs, the week or so after was a walk around White Coppice but I missed out because of a medical appointment, sadly I don't think they do these classes now, they were very good and did walks around places such as Worden Park Leyland, Formby beaches and as far as Silverside.

Brought back some good memories for folks with your photo Dennis.

It's hangs , for a moment , in it's apogee
And the hush of space is on the field .

A man carrying beer on a tray halts and stares upwards .
The batsmen , deceived by the leg break have stopped running .

Everyone is watching the trajectory of the claret ball ,
Sunlight glinting off it as it begins its long decent .

Then from the drowsy deckchairs cries of
" Catch it , catch it "

Third Man runs without looking where ,
Concentration etched into his eyes .

Looking up through lifted fingers
Watching , judging , adjusting ,

His world is only cork and cloud .
Then cheers and claps as the ball slaps into the palms .

The man with the tray smiles
And brings the tawny ale to us in the shade of the boughs .


Poet

Cyril, If you put Better Health in Google, it will give you walks in your area.I get messages in my Gmail, what's happening quite often.

I can close my eyes and still hear the sound of bat hitting the ball, the polite cheers, the stream rushing by and the laughter of children and birds singing. “Oh! to be in England now that Spring is here”….. soon be Summer!

At this time of year it is the best in Blackrod Parish Church is decorated with a carpet of artificial flowers are the trees Spring is so much better than Summer