This is a three and a half mile circular walk from Park Bridge to Alexandra Park. It is just one of a number of walks in the Medlock Meanders series and can be combined with other walks in the series to create as easy or difficult a walk as required. This fully way marked walk will take you from areas that have greatly changed over time; areas once a part of Oldham's industrialised past that are now havens for nature, to areas like Alexandra Park that have had little change since the 19th Century.

1. Park Bridge

Historic Park Bridge was founded in 1784, when newlyweds Samuel Lees and Hannah Buckley bought the old water-powered corn mill at Park Bridge and converted it into a forge. Around this an iron works and a cotton mill were built, which thrived for about 200 years as a family built business. They exported iron and steel around the world, even producing the rivets for the Eiffel Tower. To support the works, the Lees family created a whole community at Park Bridge. A school, church, terraced houses, an institute and a pub were all built for the workers in the 1850's-60's.

The firm closed down in 1963 following the collapse of the cotton industry. Some of the buildings have found new uses such as the Bottom Forge, Bright Shop and Stables which are now flats. Other buildings have been knocked down and preserved as landscaped ruins, the most notable being the cotton mill and roller shop.

2. Deanshutt Clough

This area is known as Deanshutt Clough and takes its name from the past when the word Dean meant wooded pasture and Shutt was used to describe a number of strips of arable land. In the 19th Century the Ashton, Oldham and Guide Bridge railway was opened, and this ran through the clough. After the railway was closed in 1964 this area was used as a landfill site for tipping before finally being reclaimed. Today, on this and the adjoining Snipe Clough, kestrels can be seen hunting for small mammals on grassland, whilst in winter and early spring flocks of tits and finches can be seen feeding on the catkins and cones on the alder trees by the side of the road.

3. Alexandra Park

In 1975, Alexandra Park and the surrounding area was made a conservation area. However, the park has been a town landmark since Victorian times. It was built by the people of Oldham during the cotton famine caused by a fall in the export of raw cotton from America to Oldham because of the American Civil War. Alexandra park is a fine example of a Victorian town park and contains a number of points of interest.

The Pagoda, which brings a bit of Far Eastern delight to the park, was opened in 1899, but wasn't really suitable for its original purpose as a Meteorological Observatory.

Opposite the Pagoda is the statue of Joseph Howarth. Unveiled in 1868, it is thought to be the only statue in the country to wear a top hat. 'Blind Joe' sold pies, was a lay preacher and Oldham's Town Crier and Bellman for 40 years

The statue on Mayor's Walk was donated by Mayor Josiah Radcliffe, and shows a small boy holding a dolphin.

John Platt was the owner of Platt Brothers, the then largest textile engineering company in the world. He was also Mayor on two occasions and a member of Parliament for 7 years.

The statue of Robert Ashcroft M.P was unveiled In 1903. Mr Ashcroft was a solicitor and fought for the cotton spinners' rights. His best achievement was the 'Brooklands Agreement' which ended a five month strike and was used as a reference in later disputes. As well as this, he had a distinguished parliamentary career during which he smashed the money lending system.

4. Glodwick Lows

This old mine and quarry area has now been reclaimed for the benefit of the local community. Due to its prominent position, breathtaking views can be seen in all directions. The side of the Lows was once used as a brickworks quarry, and has been designated a S.S.S.I (Site of Specific Scientific Interest) because of its layered cliff face. Within the shale at the base of the cliff can be found fossils of plants from 310 million years ago.

5. The Old Manor House

The Old Manor house has a mysterious past. Little is known of previous owners, although at one time the Lowside coal owner George Andrew lived here. The house was built in 3 stages - the first of these in 1664, the second in the 18th Century and the remaining part in the early 1900's.

6. Breeze Hill

Breeze Hill was once heavily populated with cotton mills but over the years they have gone, and like other sites throughout the Medlock Valley it was used as a tip before being reclaimed and partially landscaped. On this site there are two wetland areas which attract hundreds of frogs in the springtime, while in the summer willow warblers may be seen in the trees around the ponds. Holts Ford was a link road between Holts estate and St Thomas's Church on the other side.

7. Holts Village

Holts Valley was once a pitch and putt course. Since closing, tree planting and natural regeneration have returned this site to a wild environment. Within this area can be found river features such as ox-bow lakes, which make an interesting wetland area.

8. Rocher Vale

Rocher Vale is a narrow gorge with steep sides formed by an overflow from melting glaciers in the last ice-age. In this valley can be seen remains of old coal mines and shafts that supplied coal to the Park Bridge iron works. If you are lucky you may see dippers in spring and summer on the rocks by the river.