When the lockdown initially started to ease and we were able to travel slightly further to get out for a walk, we decided to head to Haughton Dale. It’s a place I remember from my own childhood, and has wide paths which meant it was great for social distancing.
We have been a few times over the last couple of months so I thought I’d share more on the blog.
Finding Haughton Dale
Haughton Dale is located in Haughton Green and is perfect for a walk or cycling. We accessed it by parking at the top of Meadow Lane and walking down towards the entrance. There are two routes around the woodland. You can either turn right at the first entrance point at the fields and follow a pretty linear path adjacent to the river. This eventually brings you out at Stockport Road. This is the route we have taken as there’s lots of trees and the such for the children to clamber over.
The other route is to continue right to the bottom of Meadow Lane and into the car park. Once here you can turn left to follow a walk which will eventually lead you towards the bottom of Gibraltar Lane.
Why we like Haughton Dale
I like heading to Haughton Dale as there’s plenty of space for the children to run and climb and there’s all manner of places you can divert from the main path and head into the woods. We have found dens and stream and all sorts of things. We have imagined Ostrich nests and fairy glens as well as troll bridges and Gruffalos.
It’s easy to while away an afternoon there exploring. There’s also plenty of tree cover which means it’s great on a hot day to escape the sun a little, and it also offers a little shelter on wetter days!
There’s plenty to explore and there’s a lot of birds singing away. We have the BirdNET app which works a treat here to identify the birds and we have heard plenty but have yet to spot them all.
The river provides plenty of interest and there are spots where, on calmer days, you can get down to the water or throw sticks from bridges. There’s usually ducks or geese to spot too.
It’s also a great spot for cycling. The main pathway is wide and pretty flat which makes it great for children. There’s also plenty of paths off into the woods that will lead you to other areas in and around Haughton Green, Gee Cross and Woodley.
