Waddesdon Manor

A great place to visit which is surrounded by views of Oxfordshire, the Chilterns Hills & the Vale of Aylesbury. An ideal place for relaxing with family and friends.

Waddesdon Manor is a French Renaissance-style château built 1874, which is host to Victorian style gardens, a parterre, ornate fountains and statuary. There is also an Aviary with rare and exotic birds which can be found in the heart of the gardens.There are also plenty of woodland walks for guests to enjoy.

Here I spent a whole day and enjoyed the sunshine and taking photos. Enjoy!

 

 

Aviary

 

 

 

References

National Trust. (2016). Waddesdon Manor. [online] Available at: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/waddesdon-manor [Accessed 15 Aug. 2016].

Bourne Mill, Essex

Not wanting to waste an opportunity of soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the great outdoors during this glorious spell of weather that we have at present, I decided to visit Bourne Mill in Colchester. A quaint water mill with a history dating back over 1000 years. A great retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the historic town of Colchester.

 

Bourne Mill

 

Inside the Mill

 

Outside

 

Then a quick drive to Copt Hall Marshes…

 

 

References

National Trust. (2016). Bourne Mill. [online] Available at: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bourne-mill [Accessed 20 Jul. 2016].

National Trust. (2016). Copt Hall Marshes. [online] Available at: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/copt-hall-marshes [Accessed 20 Jul. 2016].

Iceland

Last week I visited Iceland for the very first time and I was not disappointed, it was everything I wished it would be and more.

With a population of around 332,529 and an area of 103,000 km2 (40,000 sq mi), Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe which makes it a pleasure to drive around. Compared to the U.K, the roads seemed empty and it was a delight to take in the surroundings, from the sand, lava fields, mountains and glaciers.

My camera went into overdrive during my 1 week visit and I have decided to put a selection of the images onto this blog.

The Blue Lagoon was my first port of call, great for relaxation and unwinding after a flight.

 

“The Blue Lagoon was formed in 1976 during operation at the nearby geothermal power plant. In the years that followed, people began to bathe in the unique water and apply the silica mud to their skin. Those with psoriasis noticed an incredible improvement in their condition. Over the years, Blue Lagoon has been innovative in harnessing this gift of nature to develop different spa services and products. Today, Blue Lagoon is recognized as one of the wonders of the world.” 

(Blue Lagoon, 2016)

 

Reykjavík

 

Geysir

 

Gullfoss

 

Þingvellir National Park

 

Kerið

 

Seljalandsfoss

 

Eyjafjallajökull

 

Skógafoss

 

Reynisfjara

 

One of my favourite parts of the trip to Iceland was visiting Jökulsárlón where I took a boat tour onto the glacier, it is an experience I shall remember for a very long time.

 

Jökulsárlón

 

Glacier Lagoon in Iceland | icelagoon.is

Pit stop on the way back from Jökulsárlón. A field full of Lupin(e)s and a stream. Great place for a picnic!

Valley of Reykjadalur

 

It was a great experience visiting Iceland and I am looking forward to returning in the near future…maybe in the winter months so that I can try and catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

Rutland Water

For the last few days I have taken advantage of the splendid weather that we have been experiencing by partaking in scenic rural walks, before heading off to a cooler climate in Iceland.

 

Here are some images that I took…Enjoy!

 

 

Manchester

Recently my work took me up to Manchester, where I stayed for a couple of nights. It seemed that I had made the right decision to travel north. As the south suffered with the cold, wind and rain, I sat on the Salford Quays enjoying the sunshine and a nice cold pint. As always, I brought along my travel companion…my trusty Nikon!

 

The Victoria Warehouse

 

Some of the sites I encountered on my way to the Salford Quays.

 

 

I just couldn’t resist visiting the new “Coronation Street” Studios along Trafford Wharf Road.

 

 

BBC Manchester, ITV and MediaCityUK

Houghton Mill

Houghton Mill was almost demolished, then saved by the local villagers and restored to working order to carry on the tradition of milling on the site for over 1,000 years. The mill is set in an idyllic village location on an island on the Great Ouse River. A great place to visit and experience the sound and atmosphere of a traditional working mill. The Waterclose Meadows are a delight to take a leisurely stroll in, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

 

Alpacas

 

Walk along the River Ouse

 

Swans

 

Time to relax!

 

 

References

National Trust. (2016). Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows. [online] Available at: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/houghton-mill-and-waterclose-meadows [Accessed 8 Jun. 2016].

Powis Castle & Attingham Park

Wanting to make the most of the weather that we had over the weekend I headed west for Wales and visited Powis Castle, then the following day headed over to Attingham Park. As usual my camera was my companion and there was plenty to photograph.

Powis Castle

Powis Castle (Castell Powis) is a medieval castle, fortress and grand country mansion near Welshpool, in Powys, Mid Wales, that has an amazing collection of paintings, sculptures, furniture and tapestries. There are also Italianate terraces, spectacular yew hedges, lead statues and lavish herbaceous borders to explore in the gardens.

 

 

In addition to the landscaped estate, Powis Castle plays host to parkland and a deer park which is a pleasure to walk around.

 

 

 

Attingham Park

Attingham Park is a country house and estate in Shropshire, England, and is located near the village of Atcham. Attingham Park was built in 1785 for Noel Hill, 1st Baron Berwick. The Estate comprises roughly of 4000 acres, but during the early 1800s extended to twice that amount at 8000 acres. Here you can explore the mansion, walled garden and the park.

 

House

 

 

Park & Walled Garden

 

 

References

National Trust. (2016). Attingham Park. [online] Available at: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/attingham-park [Accessed 18 May 2016].

National Trust. (2016). Powis Castle and Garden. [online] Available at: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/powis-castle-and-garden [Accessed 18 May 2016].

 

Nymans

Last weekend we had such beautiful weather that it would have been a shame not to make the most of it, so I headed down south and visited the wonderful and peaceful gardens at Nymans, Handcross, nr Haywards Heath in West Sussex.

 

Imagery © 2016 Bluesky, DigitalGlobe, Getmapping plc, Infoterra Ltd & Bluesky, Landsat, Map Data © 2016 Google

 

The gardens are a treat for the eye and contain mixed borders of perennials and annuals. The garden is also house to romantic ruins, intimate gardens, and internationally recognised plant collections against a backdrop of Wealden woodland. Great for those who like to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and recharge the batteries.

If you’re feeling a little more adventurous or energetic, your visit can be complemented by a walk around the surrounding estate, an area of the High Weald, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1983.

 

© Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey

Entrance to Nymans

Entrance to Nymans

 

The Gardens

 

 

The Woods

 

 

 

References

National Trust. (2016). Nymans. [online] Available at: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nymans [Accessed 11 May 2016].

Grafham Water

After a busy morning working in Huntingdon on an underwater shoot, I decided to make the most of what remained of the Bank Holiday and take a trip with my camera to nearby Grafham Water.

Grafham Water is a reservoir which was created in 1965 in order to provide people with drinking water and the area was immediately colonised by wildlife. The nature reserve contains ancient and plantation woodlands, grasslands and wetland habitats such as reedbeds, willow and open water. Grafham Water is a bird watcher’s paradise and is home to a number of hides which enable you to view a variety of birds such as osprey, grebes and the more familiar resident mallards and greylag geese.

 

(Anglian Water, 2016)

 

Initially I had only intended to walk a short length of the shoreline but before I knew it I had already walked half way round the reservoir, so I decided rather than turning back, I would continue and walk the entire length…and I’m glad I did. It took me a total of 3 hours to walk the 9-10 miles. I would highly recommend this walk for anyone who enjoys the countryside, views, walking and wildlife!

 

 

Walk through Savages Spinney

 

References

Anglian Water, (2016). Grafham Water Map. [image] Available at: http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/_assets/media/images/waterpark-grafham-full.jpg [Accessed 3 May 2016].

Wildlifebcn.org. (2016). Grafham Water | Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. [online] Available at: http://www.wildlifebcn.org/reserves/grafham-water [Accessed 3 May 2016].

Work trip to Cardigan, Wales

This weekend my work took me to Cardigan, Wales for a photoshoot with a swim school. Whilst on the journey there it was hard to resist stopping and taking some pictures of the beautiful countryside in Powys, so we did!

My map reading skills coming in handy