Blackleach Country Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blackleach Country Park is a country park in Walkden, Greater Manchester. It is situated half a mile from the town centre just off Bolton Road in the Hill Top area.[1] It is a Local Nature Reserve[2][3] and a winner of the Green Flag Award.[4]
The park is mainly used by residents as a leisure destination (running, walking, dog walking, angling) but has gained increasing regional recognition following the establishment of a local ranger group, who now regularly maintain the space.[5]
Local historic accounts state that the reservoir was orgininally built to power local colliery activity. Blackleach Reservoir (originally 10 acres) was built in 1794. This was subsequently doubled in size in the 1840s. Only this newer portion remains forming the Blackleach Country Park, the original was infilled in the 1960s to protect the motorway.[6]
Later, the site was used for brick making and finally as a chemical factory making Salford’s distinctive magenta dye. Industrial activity ended in 1976 and the site was abandoned to nature.
In 1987 the reservoirs were earmarked for housing but a campaign lead by local action groups saved the site and in 1992 the Salford Rangers Service began to transform Blackleach from a desolate wasteland in to its premier wildlife reserve. The Greater Manchester Ecology Unit designates Blackleach as a Site of Biological Importance because of its habitats and resident species, and 2004 English Nature declared it a Local Nature Reserve.[7]
Facilities
The Salford City Council page for the park says that it is equipped with several facilities including[8]:
- Car parking
- Fishing
- Lake
- Orienteering
- Toilets
- Visitor centre
There is currently no onsite café facility, but food and drink can be purchased locally in cafés on Bolton Road or at Walkden Town Centre.
Friends of Blackleach
The Friends of Blackleach are the local voluntary group who together with the Salford Ranger Team help to manage and maintain the country park.[9]
This group meets on a regular basis and discuss future projects and management of the site.
