Search Results

Information about Upper Whiteley Woods in Sheffield. Part of the FoPV area. Whiteley Woods - Upper This is the section of valley from Armchair Bridge up to Carr Bridge, just above Forge Dam. Walkers leave the formal pathways completely, entering a wooded area, the River flowing down its natural bed with rough paths on either side. Alder, beech, oak, sycamore, ash, hawthorn and holly, make up this area of ancient woodland, providing habitats for a wide variety of invertebrates and shelter for owls, hedgehogs, foxes and badgers. This area is alive with songbirds. Grey wagtails can be seen foraging along the valley floor and dippers perch characteristically on rocks midstream then dive into the water, walking against the currents in search of small invertebrates which abound in the river. Wire Mill On the left side of the river, steps or a steep path lead up to Wire Mill Dam. This used to be a popular location for anglers and model boat enthusiasts in the past. In early spring you may hear your first chiff-chaff, followed by warblers, swallows and swifts. On the Dam itself can be seen coots, moorhens, mallards and mandarins and as summer arrives so do the waterlilies. On the path beside the Dam is a memorial to Thomas Boulsover, the first owner of Wire Mill, who in the 18th century, invented Sheffield Plate. The path upstream runs alongside a man-made channel or goit. This is the supply for Wire Mill Dam and takes water from the Porter just below Forge Dam, creating a high fall of water, sufficient to accommodate two wheels each 11 metres in diameter. Secret Door Before the road bridge at Forge Dam there are 3 tiers of gabions lining the far side of the River. They protect the bank when the River is in flood. On your left as you reach the road is a 3-storey building in which workers lived and produced buttons made from Sheffield Plate. If you take an immediate left turn on reaching the tarmac road and climb up Ivy Cottage Lane you will see on your right steps leading to a carved wooden door which bears the inscription…. ‘Chestnut, Plane & Sycamore, who or what lies behind the door?’ This unusual feature hides a concrete support which stabilises the tree. Buildings There are almost 50 nests in the rookery on the right just before the playground. The rooks can be seen in daytime out on fields high in the valley and return noisily to roost at night. Some of Thomas Boulsover’s ancillary buildings still exist at Forge Dam although the Forge itself has gone. Here a large wheel drove two tilt hammers and a smaller wheel operated blowers for the furnaces. The popular Forge Dam café is housed in a structure which was once Sharrow Vale Wesleyan Reform Chapel. On the Dam there is often a motionless grey heron amongst the reeds keeping watch on the duck families and throughout the year there may be an opportunity to spot a kingfisher or two.

Details of the FoPV interactive map of the valley. Колесо пастуха To get the map on your phone click this icon We have developed an interactive map to help you discover the numerous points of interest along the valley. Some well known, others not so well known. It is intended to be updated as an when new information becomes available. If you are aware of anything that is missing, or needs amending please Contact Us and let us know as much information as posible, including 'Links' that help verify the information. It's designed to be used on your smartphone as you walk through the valley, helping you to discover features such as; Architecture & Industry, Landscape & Geology, Birds, Trees & Flora, Viewpoints & Historic Photos, River & Water Sites, Memorial Plaques & Seats, and Maps & Paintings For Android phones, click on the link above and it will open in either Google Maps or the Chrome browser. Google Maps You will have the blue location spot to identify your location and all the interactive links will work. Chrome Browser You can go to “Google Maps ”, click “you ”, click “maps ”, click “Friends of Porter Valley guide ”. For Apple devices, it will help to have “Google Chrome” installed from the App store. Click on the link above and the map will open in “Google Chrome” and all the interactive links will work. If it opens into “Google Maps” (with blue location spot) unfortunately many of the links won’t work. If this is the case follow the Important Information instructions on the screen. Photos Many of the links contain photographs from that spot, both past and present, as well as some videos. To view these, click on the image to open the photo in the photo viewer, and where there are more than one image you can swipe left or right to scroll through them. Hiding The Map Using Google Maps App, you can hide the interactive map if you are not using it. Open the maps app. At the bottom there are some options - click on 'You' Then select the fopv map. Once opened you should have the map and the option to view the legend like below. Click on 'View map legend'. This brings up options to 'share' or 'close'. Click on 'Close' and that removes it from your view

Information about Porter Clough in Sheffield. Part of the FoPV area. Porter Clough Crossing Woodcliffe at Carr Bridge, close to the confluence of the river Porter and the May Brook, a path enters the Porter Clough section of the Porter Valley. A stone near the entrance records the gift of the land to the city by the J G Graves Trust in 1938. To the right is a small hamlet, Carr Houses, typical of the settlements in this part of the valley. The original, left-hand end of the terrace dates back to 1675 and in 1707 was a small public house. As you walk up the path, across the fields to the right are a cluster of buildings on the site of the former Fulwood Corn Mills, the highest water mills in the valley. The lower mill was demolished around 1950 and both the dams filled in. However, the main buildings of the upper mill are still occupied. It was at this mill that buttons and snuff boxes, produced lower down the valley at the works of Thomas Boulsover, were given their final buffing and polishing. After crossing Mark Lane, the main path continues uphill and is easy to miss as it runs parallel to Clough Lane. It closely follows the course of the Porter Brook as it crosses to either side a couple of times, as the gradient begins to increase. The Waterfall Known affectionately as The Porter Falls, this is the only natural waterfall on the river. At only four metres high they can be a spectacular sight after heavy rain. A small bridge across the brook bears a plaque in memory of Oliver Gilbert, a renowned ecologist and Friend of the Porter Valley who inspired the restoration of the bridge. Jacobs Ladder Not far above the Falls, and to the left of Clough Lane, is a very steep path straight up the hillside known as Jacob’s Ladder. This was once the site of a ski lift operated by the Sheffield Ski Club and the slope is still a popular place for winter sports. From here, the main walk leaves Clough Lane and enters a deep wooded ravine containing many beech trees. The path becomes narrow with very steep, dramatic sides as it reaches its steepest gradient. The surrounding landscape is rural in character and the clough itself is informal, with natural woodland along what is the narrowest section of the valley. Hares can be seen throughout the clough, and birds of prey such as kestrel, buzzards and sparrow hawk are regularly spotted as are crows, rooks and ravens. Source of the Porter At the top, on Fulwood Lane there is a Toposcope, or orientation cairn, as shown at the top of this page. Built in 2005 and funded by local Rotary Clubs, it indicates the direction and distance to notable features which can be seen on a clear day. Across the road the path continues through the open fields to the old Brown Edge Quarries which were well known for producing high quality sandstone roofing slates. The source of the Porter is beyond the quarry where a boundary fence marks the start of Hallam Moors, a sphagnum bog on the watershed above Ringinglow. A wooden footbridge gives access to a gate that leads you onto Rud Hill where you can enjoy panoramic views back down the valley.