Mere Clough. 177 



several such doughs, the "Dells" below the church 

 being the nearest and best known, and Mere Clough the 

 longest and most romantic. The others are Hurst 

 Clough, to the west of Stand, and Agecroft Clough, near 

 the bridge of that name. All these cloughs bear more 

 or less directly towards the Irwell, into which river their 

 little streamlets convey themselves. The beauty of Prest- 

 wich Dells has long rendered the latter place a favourite 

 resort. Easy, moreover, of access, and with the capital 

 recommendation of a harbour of refuge close at hand, in 

 the shape of the commodious and well-provided Church 

 Inn, no wonder that few except naturalists have cared to 

 push on farther. It needs something more than invites 

 people to a place like Prestwich Dells to take us to one 

 still prettier, but where, as far as concerns supplies for 

 the inner man, we are like sailors on the open sea 

 commanding only what we carry thither. 



The conveyance to go by, should the walk be thought 

 too long, is the Whitefield omnibus. About three-quarters 

 of a mile beyond Prestwich, through which village the 

 omnibus passes, there is an old-fashioned "magpie" upon 

 the left. Leave the omnibus here, and, going through 

 the farmyard, follow the path through the field, keeping 

 to the right of the new asylum, and in a few minutes the 

 entrance to the clough will come in view. At first, the 

 path is near the summit of the slope; afterwards it crosses 

 the stream, and continues the rest of the way at the 

 bottom. If we please, when half-way through, we may 

 re-ascend (this time to the top of the northern slope), by 

 N 



