WHEN we asked for information about Bluebell Wood we never expected such a marvellous response from our readers although we should have anticipated it as you are always so helpful.

It is lovely to hear your memories of this fascinating place that is so fondly remembered by so many people.

We know it was called either Bluebell Wood or, perhaps more commonly, Bluebell Forest.

But was it in Astley Bridge or Smithills? There seem to be two schools of thought – or, perhaps, two woods.

Dennis Wheatley moved from Bolton in 1976 but his brother still lives here. He believes the wood still exists as we were unsure whether it did or not.

“As a child living in Brownlow Fold we would cross Halliwell Road, walk down Raglan Street (down the side of the Lord Raglan Pub) through The Mop, go left at the stream to Moss Bank Way, cross the road and go into Bluebell Forest.

“It was a lovely woods and it was often used as a shortcut to Astley Bridge.

“There was a lodge in the middle (lodge being a colloquialism for a smallish lake) and we called it The Raveden. Kids would swim in it.

“Bluebells grew in gay profusion in all areas of the woods and along the sides of the paths.

“I was last in Bluebell Forest in 1962 when I was 17. I was walking my girlfriend home to Sharples Avenue,” he says.

Geoffrey Breakell, who lives in Smithills, says Raveden Wood, which lies between Smithills Hall and Barlow Park, was known locally as Bluebell Wood or Forest “on account of the bluebells which carpeted its floor every spring. They still do.”

Ros Horrocks says her sons played in Bluebell Forest in the 1970s and recalls it being off Harpers Lane and going down to Moss Bank Way where the steps are.

“There is still a small wood at the bottom by the steps and the area is still known as Bluebell Forest. Wish I could go back in time and see Bolton how it used to be,” she says.

Mike Bosson, who was born in 1965, can recall going “to a place called Bluebell Forest as a child”. He asked his father, Ken Bosson, who still lives in the Smithills area, about this and this is what Ken had to say to his son: “Bluebell Wood as I knew it was part of Smithills estate.

“You remember going to the tennis courts across the bridge over the stream at the bottom of Temple Road?

“It was that part which had the stream which lead up to the side of the Hall. When I was courting your mum there were lots of bluebells. To my knowledge there hasn’t been such a show for years.”

David Hough was a pupil at Thornleigh Salesian College from 1959 to 1964 and during this period would do cross country running through what was known as Bluebell Wood.

“This was a heavily wooden area between Smithills School and Thornleigh and Raveden Brook ran through it.”

According to Simon Edlington the Bluebell Forest he recalls was at the end of Barlow Park, stretching from Moss Bank Way and Temple Drive up to Smithills Farm.

Simon, from Astley Bridge, says: “That was our Bluebell Forest anyway. I’m sure there are loads.”

Tony Hutchinson, who lives in Smithills, is another Thornleigh pupil and he was there from 1962 to 1969.

“As a young boy I often went with friends to play in what we were told at the time was Bluebell Forest. Its name was obvious given the abundance of bluebells that appeared there each spring.

“The forest is still there today but it is known as the Raveden Nature Trail that extends from the bottom of Temple Road up the Raveden Brook valley to Smithills Hall.

“It was such an attraction for children who grew up on the terraced streets of Halliwell surrounded by dozens of textiles mills pumping out smoke and other fumes and within a short walk we were able to escape from the industrial pollution of the English textile industry to a wonderful world of nature.

“The mills are now long gone but the forest still holds the same attraction to young children. My grandchildren love to go there to explore the brook, the old bridges, the fallen trees, the orange coloured springs and of course they see wildlife in abundance. I recall seeing wild deer there in the early 1960s but no such luck today.”

Cecile Massey, who is “Astley Bridge born and bred” says she recalls Bluebell Wood being in Barlow Park near Oldhams Estate in Astley Bridge.

“As kids we would go to pick the bluebells for our mums. By the time we got home they were droopy and sad. I am 65 this year so I expect they are long gone but they are happy memories,” she says.

According to Malcolm Carr the scene is the Raveden Plantation which lies between Barlow Park, Smithills School and Temple Road and every year it was blanketed in blue from the flowers he recalls.

Ian Jackson recalls what he believes was known as Bluebell Forest on the right hand side of Seymour Road at the Crompton Way end, opposite the old gatehouse to Watermillock “which I am fairly sure was referred to as Bluebell Forest,” says Ian, who lived in Seymour Road in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

William Greenhalgh says his grandmother said Bluebell Forest was between Smithills Hall, Smithills Farm and Temple Road. “When I was young it was covered in bluebells like a big carpet of flowers. It was a beautiful place and is still there but, sadly, most of the bluebells have gone. People dug them up to put in their gardens,” he explains.