Nottingham University
- Lakeside at Highfields
w/e 05 July 2015
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
The southern boundary of University Park is also
the northern boundary of Highfields Park and this Lakeside Walk
passes through both. The walk was created in 2002 as a joint
project between the University and Nottingham City Council.
We began the circumnavigation of the lake at the Lakeside Arts
Centre and followed the path past the "Boats For Hire"
kiosk which had no shortage of customers on one of the hottest
afternoons of the year so far.
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A little further along the path we turned to view the Lakeside
Centre across the lake. This would be where we would return to
on completion of the circuit.
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The sheer wall and narrow terrace in front of the university's
Trent Building illustrates the steepness of the slope on the
northern side and shows why it was impossible to walk all the
way round the lake until the 2002 project which also provided
access points from the university.
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Another lower and much wider terrace on the southern side opposite
the Trent Building also provides an access to the parks from
University Boulevard, one of the main thoroughfares into the
city.
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The complete circuit is approximately 1.25 miles but about two
thirds of the way along the lake is a small island and a couple
of bridges provide a short cut across the water. From the first
bridge the wide terrace can now be seen on the right and the
rowing boat is pointing towards the northern channel around the
island.
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With the sun beating down we opted for the short cut to the shadier
northern path. From the second bridge we observed another rowing
boat that had just passed under on its way to the western reaches
of the lake.
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From the same bridge a slightly different angle opens up a view
of the final third of the tranquil lake.
Turning right on reaching the north bank we headed back towards
the Lakeside Centre along an undulating path beneath the sandstone
cliffs and through the trees.
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After crossing the narrow terrace above the steep wall seen earlier
there were glimpses of the imposing Trent Building high above
on the university campus.
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The path continues in the same vein offering sporadic views of
the lake until it drops down close to the water's edge again
where Canada geese were surrounding another of the rowing boats
on the lake.
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At the end of the lake we reached the concourse outside the Lakeside
Centre and although the ice cream van looked tempting we decided
against waiting in the queue as the temperature still continued
to rise. It was a welcome relief to get back in the car and switch
on the air conditioning. We're just not used to hot weather -
we don't see it that often in the UK!
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