Chellow Dene

I often opt to stay fairly close to home on a British Bank Holiday and the recent August 'day off' was no exception. I went for a walk that involved, to some extent, revisiting old haunts. This is one of the two reservoirs at Chellow Dene, built in 1853 (it's the same age as Salts Mill) by Bradford Corporation to provide a stable water supply for the city of Bradford. The lakes are no longer used as a water supply but instead the wooded valley is managed for recreational purposes. It is a haven for wildlife, notably owls and herons, and a rare fern (the Rusty Backed Fern) can be found growing in the stone walls. It's very close to the city. In fact, years ago when my daughter was small we lived just south of this area, close to the hospital. I used to bring her here in her pushchair to watch the ducks. It was a pleasant twenty-minute walk and, living in a very built-up area, it was lovely to have a green, wild space so close to home. This time I entered the woods at the other end, which is a couple of miles from Saltaire and did a circular walk.