Shipley Country Park - Spring On The Hill
w/e 19 May 2013
All this week's pictures were taken
with a Kodak DX6490
A warning has been issued that this year could be
particularly bad for hay fever sufferers as the prolonged cold
weather has delayed some species from flowering until later whilst
others are predicted to be on time. The subsequent overlap of
pollen release is likely to affect those susceptible to hay fever.
Spring however, has finally arrived on Shipley Hill as these
images taken around the site of the Hall show.
Our walk around the Country Park was almost three miles in length
but all the images on this page were taken near the site of the
Hall which was demolished in 1943 due to subsidence caused by
coal mining. This view of the trees and shrubbery in their clean
spring colours was taken from the side of the Hall.
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We took the path in front of the Hall towards the woods and looked
back towards the restored footprint of the Hall from the rhododendron
bush that was still not in full flower.
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The bluebells however are carpeting the floor of the wood although
I have images from back in 2002 when they looked like this in
the middle of April, a full month earlier than this year.
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The path through the woods passes a fallen tree and the splash
of colour on another rhododendron bush.
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We followed the path round past the folly and eventually dropped
down to the lane to Mapperley where the last of the season's
daffodils mingled with the bluebells.
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Turning right towards Home Farm and Derby Lodge the lane was
flanked on both sides by more blue flowers - there must be literally
millions of bluebells in the woods on Shipley Hill.
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The blossom on the trees is also adding to the colours of spring
but beneath this one the bluebells had been replaced by stinging
nettles.
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Another sure sign of spring is the arrival of dandelions and
these were near the entrance to Home Farm.
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As we approached Derby Lodge there was more white blossom to
be seen but the colours on the left offered a foretaste of an
autumnal scene - and we've not even had a summer yet!
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The garden of Derby Lodge would have been an ideal place to pause
on our walk for a cup of tea but we arrived just as the tea rooms
were closing so had to continue to the Visitor Centre for our
refreshment. This route of the walk pictured above is the same
as the one we completed in April 2011 but in the opposite direction
when we saw similar views At
Daffodil Time. Don't be surprised if we do it again at other
times of the year too.
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