Launch of new heritage trail at Summit

Mayor Robin Parker marks the official opening of the new heritage trail by placing the first way marker.

To celebrate the launch of the new Summit and Calderbrook Heritage Trail, the Friends of Summit and Calderbrook, Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale and Rochdale Council's Countryside Service held a fun day on Saturday (4 April) at Summit Quarry Nature Site.

The event promoted the trail to more than forty visitors and the Mayor of Rochdale officially opened the trail by hammering in the first way marker.

The day included a range of activities from a children’s Easter egg hunt, to Wellie Wanging and a guided walk of the trail.

James Perkins, v challenge graduate volunteer at Groundwork, said: “It was great to see all the hard work that’s been put into the project by the local community and groundwork volunteers, celebrated in such a successful and promising way.”

The Summit and Calderbrook Heritage Trail celebrates the diverse natural, cultural and industrial heritage of the local area by connecting four local nature sites and taking in many of the area’s key heritage points of interest.

The development of the trail has taken place over the past three months and has included practical conservation work carried out by volunteers from both Groundwork and the Rochdale Countryside Service rangers. This work has included the construction of way-marker posts, installation of a bench along the trail and improvements to the accessibility of the nature sites and footpaths.

The Summit Quarry nature site is situated behind the Summit Pub off Todmorden Road.