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.

By Shipley Hall

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.
Rhododendron

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.
Bluebell Carpet

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.
Splash of White

The path through the woods passes a fallen tree and the splash of colour on another rhododendron bush.
Daffodils & Bluebells

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.
Shipley Lane

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.
Blossom

The blossom on the trees is also adding to the colours of spring but beneath this one the bluebells had been replaced by stinging nettles.
Dandelions

Another sure sign of spring is the arrival of dandelions and these were near the entrance to Home Farm.
Autumn Already?

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!
Derby Lodge Garden

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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