Tigers Clough Waterfall – The Movie
Click on each picture to see an enlargement.
The waterfall in Tiger's Clough is not a big one but it's nevertheless quite a picturesque spot where it's located. It's in a secluded area off the beaten track in Rivington, and the path to it can be boggy in places, but once there it's worth the walk.So here are three pictures that I took today, plus a one minute video to give you a flavour of what it's like. This first one gives you a long view looking upstream on the River Douglas towards the waterfall. You can see that the clough in which the waterfall is located is strewn with rocks that have fallen from the sides of the clough over the millenia.
The second picture was taken from the left hand river bank looking towards the waterrfall. There's not much light available for photography, so a tripod is an essential piece of kit. Fortunately I still have my ancient one from many years ago and it proved invaluable. The first picture needed a 25sec exposure at an aperture of f11 to give me detail from front to back. Just for comparison, the second picture had an exposure time of 0.3sec with an aperture of f2.8.
The third picture was taken with the tripod placed in the middle of the river. No, I didn't get my feet wet as the river is pretty shallow in most places, though you do have to be careful not to step back from the camera without looking first 
For this picture the exposure was 13sec at f11.
And finally the movie. The camera I used was a Canon Ixus 960 IS, which is a compact "point and shoot" type of camera that is completely automtic. To be honest I didn't think it would have been able to cope very well with the low light conditions in the clough, so I was pretty impressed with the still pictures I had been getting. However, I really didn't think I would get anything worthwhile on the video setting. Still, nothing ventured nothing gained, so I took a one minute video with the camera on the tripod.
5 Responses »
Leave a Response
Entries(RSS)
Wow - very impressive. I didn't realise that digital cameras allowed you to set apertures and speeds too. But mainly I am impressed by the shots you have taken of that waterfall. Very difficult light and yet beautifully rendered. By the way, I cannot find Tiger's Clough on the map - the nearest I can come to is the valley the River Douglas flows through which one can cross from the track that runs up to Ormston's Farm from Green Lane(I was there today). But this isn't called Tiger's Clough on the map. The Explorer ignores it, and while the A-Z does name it, it calls it Shaw's Wood (I think: I have lost my copy). Is this Tiger's Clough, or am I completely disoriented?
Hi Briar,
Thanks for your comments. The proper name for Tigers Clough is indeed Shaw Clough. It seems there was once a bleach works in the clough and an unlicenced pub. The pub had a sign showing two tigers and this eventually became the local name for the clough.
You can get to Tiger's Clough from Lever Park Avenue by going up Roynton Road at the side of the Grammar School (see Google Maps) and, as the road bears left near the top, take the paved path uphill to the right. Go through the gate and, just as you reach the remains of a small quarry on the left, go right through the gate in the fence. That path will take you into Tiger's Clough. You will eventually come to some wooden steps leading down into the clough, at the bottom of those you go left for the waterfall (with care as it is boggy in places). You can also climb through the fence at the top of the steps and get to the waterfall that way, again with care.
Thanks very much for solving that mystery for me. I must have been within a few hundred feet of the waterfall and not realised it. I think an outcropping hides it from sight on that bridge over the Douglas, and I have ventured far enough up the clough to find it. I do get nervous when the footing is uncertain, I admit. However, I have your splendid pictures to admire instead. I am very glad I found this blog.
I love the Cloughs around Rivington, though I must confess I was unaware of this one. Going to try it out tonight.
My particular favourite is the Clough that climbs East towards Great Hill from White Coppice. Its not named on my OS map but puts you within walking distance of the Pike Stones and woodland near Brinscall to make a day out with many points of interest.
Hi Mark, I think the clough you are referring to is Dean Black Brook, and there is a walk along it up to Great Hill elsewhere on this blog. It's a great little walk and very picturesque.