Shipley Country Park - Snowdrops,
Daffodils and Trees
w/e 10 March 2024
All of this week's
pictures were taken with a Nikon D3300
We're often drawn to Shipley
around this time of year to view the snowdrops in the Country
Park but although we're perhaps a little late this year to see
them at their best we followed Shipley Lane up the hill from
Osborne's Pond towards Derby Lodge. We knew that because we were
a little later than usual, the daffodils would be flowering too.
There's usually a good display on the hillside near the Beggar's
Walk footpath just beyond the Lodge through the gated road but
we decided to continue up the hill this time towards Mapperley
Village, circle the hill top and return via the gated road.
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As we continued up the hill the first of the daffodils appeared
near the entrance to Home Farm.
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We continued along Shipley Lane passing the large house known
as The Gardens as far as a break in the fence where a path through
the wood leads up to the Hall site.
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Shipley Lane continues from here to Mapperley and there are many
more daffodils beginning to flower scattered among the trees.
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As we climbed up to the hill top we were alerted to a passing
horse and rider on Shipley Lane below by the sound of the clip-clop
of hooves on the lane.
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At the top of the hill the path through the wood splits and,
to the left, it follows the former Beech Walk towards the Water
Tower. Snowdrops are still flourishing here.
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We turned right however and followed the path through the wood
around the top of the hill passing the Folly hidden among the
trees on the way.
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There were patches of snowdrops all over the place but we turned
on to another less used path through the trees and headed for
the open ground near the site of the former Shipley Hall.
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It was here we saw a pile of logs and the sad sight of a fallen
tree - probably a casualty of the winter storms.
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We crossed the site of the Hall and then
started the descent of the hill along the road that leads back
to Derby Lodge. The hillside here near the Beggar's Walk footpath
will have been covered by a mass of snowdrops recently but now
they are past their best although daffodils are now starting
to flower here in their place.
Route Map
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