
Winter can be a tad depressing, even for the perkiest of people, but one thing that never fails to cheer us up is the sudden appearance of snowdrops. Sprouting up generally in January, and sticking around until March time, snowdrops are the most gorgeous, delicate plants that seem to withstand all the odds – and if you think about it, that’s just like us over winter. One place you may be surprised and delighted to find snowdrops is Quarry Bank Mill, just outside of Greater Manchester over the Cheshire border, where there are gardens, a canal and woodland to explore.
Quarry Bank is a place of stark contrast, where the power of the Industrial Revolution sits alongside the beauty of picturesque gardens and lush countryside. At Quarry Bank you can discover a complete industrial community and experience the very different worlds of owner and worker, who lived and worked there side by side.
Explore the Greg family home, Quarry Bank House, and wander through the stunning picturesque gardens that rise up the banks of the river valley, offering stunning views and spectacular changes through the seasons, namely the blanket of snowdrops that appear in winter. Stroll to Styal village to see how many of the other workers lived, and explore the gorgeous greenery that surrounds the time-warped, chocolate box village.
On the estate there are acres of woodland to explore. Follow the meandering path of the River Bollin and cross the folly bridges as you look out for an array of wildlife and beautiful views. Snowdrops make up a huge part of the landscape at Quarry Bank in the winter, too, as they can be seen popping up in front of Quarry Bank House, where the mill owners once lived, in the ornamental garden beside the meandering river, as well as in the orchard beside the Apprentice House.
Thousands more snowdrops were planted a few years ago in Chapel Woods, which surrounds Quarry Bank, the results of which can now be seen every January to March. There are plenty of gorgeous walks around Quarry Bank, around the gardens and woodland, where you can catch a glimpse of the beautiful snowdrops.
Winter highlights also include Hellebore, Witch hazel, Aconites, the distinctive blood red shade of the Red dogwood in the upper garden borders, and robins flitting about on the soil around the vegetable garden beds – you could never be disappointed.
Find more information on walks, opening times and accessibility here. You can pre-pay for parking at Quarry Bank here, or access it by train, with Styal train station just a walk through the village and neighbouring woodland.
đź“Ť Quarry Bank Mill, Styal Rd, Styal, Wilmslow SK9 4HP.