Photo-a-Day  (Wednesday, 2nd November, 2022)

Does this path over the bridge take you towards Haigh Hall? Many years ago when visiting the wife's relatives we crossed over a very rickety bridge and this new bridge could be its replacement

The last time I crossed the Yellow Brook it was a hop, skip and a jump affair.

Despite being born in the Wigan area, (if I say "In Wigan" the pedants will be out in force!),I've never been quite sure where Bottling Wood is and still only have a vague idea. The photo is lovely and reminds me of The Plantations which I always found to be quite mysterious when I was a child.

I bumped my way down the curving leaf covered steps and across this very same bridge yesterday afternoon.
I then turned right and made my way up to the hall dodging out of control dogs all the way.

Irene I bet you found the plantations more mischievous when you got older.

You can run but you can’t hide Mick. They’ll get you next time.

Irene
Bottling Wood is the site of a pre war Council Housing Estate in Whelley. If you left the main road towards Aspull at Bradshaw St. going towards Whelley hospital was once sited and carry on you will come into Bottling Wood.

I’m just glad I can help with a bit of inspiration crossing bridges and paths….

Ive had quite a few bumps and near missis, and the roads and paths are more dangerous at this time of the year with all the leaves on them.
I think it about time I started to slowed down.

Thankyou Derek B.

DerekB is correct.
Irene, I don't know which areas of Wigan you know well. But, here is one way to get to Bottling Wood which I know extremely well: Wigan Lane, where "The Bowling Green" pub is, across Wigan Lane there is "The Swinley" (Club). Then, go down Coppull Lane to the River Douglas - you then have two choices:
- cross the footbridge and up the path to the top
- take the road (I think, it is now known as Woodland Grove), which (I believe) leads to the small bridge (photograph above) and approximately half way along this road (Woodland Grove) there are steps on the right which lead up to Bottling Wood.

I remember crossing, as a kid, the Yellow Brook when the footbridge was just two planks - I think, they were railway sleepers. I am sure that the above photograph is the same place. Therefore, at the top of that slope (where the sky can be seen) is the road which leads to Coppull Lane.

I was told, one of my close friend's family once lived very close to this part (area of bridge) of the Yellow Brook.

Mick , the leaves , trees or logs didn’t bother you one year ago (your youtube ) at Haigh Plantations, when you very skilfully rode through . I also saw one of yours going down such a precarious hill even the best rider would have copped it! But you did it with absolute ease . So leaves , no way!

You can also go up Scholes to it Irene. Not sure which street it is on the left hand side. A few streets in that area would get to Bottling Wood and the woods/plantations where we used to ramble in the school holidays.

Irene it would be easier if you asked your husband.
But if he cant help Ill tell you three other ways, one is over the wooden bridge that's in today's photo and the other is by following the river Douglas up from Tesco and by taking the Ozymandias way down from Monument road.

Thankyou Ian. I know The Bowling Green and The Swinley Club and your directions are very clear...thankyou so much. I remember seeing buses with Bottling Wood on the destination board but was never very sure where it was. I had an extremely vague idea of its location but. had I been asked for directions there, I couldn't have been of help.

There are two places known as Bottling Wood. As has been said, the name is now associated with the housing estate built on the site of Bottling Wood on the edge of the Plantations, which is accessible by road from Whelley via Bradshaw Street. But the name was also applied to a small settlement of houses below the ridge the estate is built on. The houses are long gone, and the area altered completely by the construction of the flood relief dam in the Douglas valley. This area is accessible from Coppull Lane, off Wigan Lane, and from Bradshaw Street via cobbled steps - the two tracks meeting up at the bridge below the dam. You can also follow the path along the Douglas, below Tesco's - which will bring you to the bridge. You'll find pics of the houses which were there under Places - Bottling Wood - and there's an excellent Frank Orrell pic of the area after the houses had gone under Places - Bloody Mountains.

Tom, I don't see why it would have been easier to ask my husband where Bottling Wood is. He lived in Hindley for the first 23 years of his life and has now lived in Abram for almost 49 years. As he isn't a bus driver, taxi driver or delivery man, there is no reason why he would know where Bottling Wood is. I wouldn't have asked the question on here if I could have got the answer at home. But thankyou, and also thanks to Veronica, for your help.

So it’s called the Ozymandias Way these days is it Tom ?
I’ve always called it the Khyber Pass .

Ian there was still just two rickety planks in the 1980s when the lads and I would go into the plantations, and those steps wasn't there either Mick it was a steep slope with clay in it which was extremely slippery when wet, with many folks ending up skidding down on their Bottle & Glass.

Is there any life yet to be seen in the brook? it's been filtered for some years now and I know nothing lived in the water when it was yellow or a rusty colour, here's an interesting article on mine water and its yellow colour, https://www.cleanriverstrust.co.uk/mining-pigment-and-ochre-waters/

Those dogs aren't out of control Mick, they're just enjoying themselves in having a good run around, especially so if there are plenty of falling leaves to chase and scatter. That's an excellent statement you made too Mick - "I think it about time I started to slowed down." Or you may end up going Bottle and Glass over Brad Pitt if you skid on the wet leaves.

Cyril, that's around the time I was thinking of. I crossed the Yellow Brook there many times to go up to the canal or Haigh Hall.
By the way, you are perfectly right in what you said, there were no steps, just two paths: one was where the steps are and the other went round the hawthorn trees and bushes which were on the left as you walked along the road towards the Yellow Brook. In this area, there were the remains of some buildings and I was told that there had been some small houses once there.

Excellent photo Dennis. Been hear lots of times, happy memories.

Cyril, that's around the time I was thinking of. I crossed the Yellow Brook there many times to go up to the canal or Haigh Hall.
By the way, you are perfectly right in what you said, there were no steps, just two paths: one was where the steps are and the other went round the hawthorn trees and bushes which were on the left as you walked along the road towards the Yellow Brook. In this area, there were the remains of some buildings and I was told that there had been some small houses once there.

Additionally, I had a girlfriend who lived on that estate.

Sodden timber , once your womb ,
now for feet of pagan’s whom,
Whereas you , who sought above ,
heaven’s breath , who bathed you love ,
washed your hair , and fed your smile ,
let your arms go stretch awhile ,
to find above and all that’s there ,
not lack of faith the pagan’s wear ,
Just true to born , and what will be ,
accept not doubt , the rest comes Free...!

Ian, you probably know that the area where the remains of houses was and the original Bottling Wood as mentioned by David got to be churned up when the course of the river was made straight and the dam built.

Those houses on the estate and on Chestnut Road and Walnut Avenue backing onto the lower plantations and bottling wood were and I suppose they still are highly sought after, if not all purchased by the former tenants.

I'd forgotten about Rosemary Crescent also on that estate too.

Some rum ‘uns came from Bottling Wood when I worked at the ROF Euxton…

Cyril. Yes, I do. But, thanks for the information and for the friendly words. Actually, one Sunday in August, I took a stroll down Coppull Lane and had a good look at the area. I went for a long and very pleasant walk; I walked up to Bottling Wood, down to where Whelley Middle School once stood, down and through the Hardybutts area, over to Darlington Street East, back over to Scholes traffic lights and down Greenough Street, then up Wigan Lane.
Cyril, you mentioned, "Those houses on the estate and on...". Close relatives of mine once lived on Chestnut Road and an ex-girlfriend lived on Cedar Drive.
I have always thought that it is one of the nicest (Council) estates in the Wigan area and it always looked (in my earlier years) clean and well-maintained - especially, on a warm and sunny day.

Veronica. Some close relatives of mine lived in Bottling Wood and some of them worked at the ROF Euxton.
Such a small World, eh!