Today, Sunday 22nd March, we were delighted to welcome 27 visitors to Borsdane Wood for a guided history walk led by Dave Hanbury.

The walk explored the rich and fascinating past of the woodland and surrounding area, uncovering stories, landmarks and features that many people pass every day without realising their significance. From the moment the group set off, there was a real sense of interest and curiosity, with Dave sharing his extensive knowledge and answering questions along the way.

Participants were able to see the woodland from a completely different perspective, learning more about its historical importance and how it has changed over time. Events like these are a wonderful way of bringing local history to life and helping people connect more deeply with Borsdane Wood and its surrounding landscape.

After the walk, many stayed to chat and enjoy refreshments at the chapel at Hindley Cemetery. We would like to say a special thank you to Kerry and Barbara for kindly opening up the chapel and providing such a welcome space to gather afterwards.

Researching local history can often involve many hours spent in dusty archives, following up leads and piecing together fragments of the past. It is sometimes challenging work, but hearing people say “thank you for the walk and talk” makes it all worthwhile.

Natalie Warach has kindly agreed for her photos to be used in this blog post (thank you!). She also said:

This is my second history walk with David and it was a wonderful few hours spent in the company of like minded folk who wanted to learn about our lovely local woodland. I love walking around these woods and every time l discover something new that fascinates me and makes me want to delve deeper into the history or learn more about the flora and fauna. I felt that ending the walk in the stunning chapel with a brew and biscuit was the perfect way to complete this experience.

If you were not able to make it to this one, but would like to attend a future walk, our current schedule for the rest of the year is:

Thursday 26th March, 5.30pm – 7pm
Bird Walk in Borsdane Wood, led by Jeff Gorse

Saturday 11th April, 2pm – 4pm
Dave Winnard – Spring Foray Walk

Sunday 24th May, 2.30pm – 4.30pm
Dave Hanbury – History Walk

Sunday 12th July, 1pm – 3pm
Dave Hanbury – History Walk

Saturday 22nd August, 2pm – 4pm
Dave Winnard – Autumn Foraging Walk

Sunday 18th October, 2pm – 4pm
Dave Winnard – Fungi Foray Walk

Many thanks for your continued support. We hope to see many of you again on a future walk.