Lowside Brickworks

Lowside Brickworks, a 17-hectare site, is part of Glodwick Lows, Oldham’s only Local Nature Reserve (LNR).

It was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1989 due to its geological interest, which is of national importance.

The site is a disused quarry on a steep hillside and, although the quarry face is unstable, rock piles have been created so that visitors can safely collect fossils.

The rocks to be found are about 100 million years older than any dinosaur and include impressions of bivalve shells (like modern mussel shells), plant fossils and even fish scales (or water ‘flea’).

The habitats within the reserve support a number of mammals, birds and insects and the site is a particularly important location for Mining Bees.

An innovative sculpture trail and accompanying leaflet is available to aid interpretation of the unique fossils, geology, history and wildlife of the area.