A grey day at the office but dry and not very cold. Mist hanging over the higher areas.
Looking across the Mill Pond toward the main Car Park
Many of the park services are closed for winter during the week but the Coffee Shop is fully open serving warm drinks and snacks including cakes and bacon/sausage butties
The 'Lime Green' leaves are on the Lime trees. Not the same as 'Lyme' Park.
Red Stags on hillside next to the road to The Knott car park.
Lighting a bit dull to show up the golden carpet on fine needles dropped from the larch trees.
The track up from West Park Gate. The route into the park pre-dates the road up from the A6 and the hall was originally approached from the West
Lyme Park has many characters. Poynton Brook tumbles down Cluse Hey to Deer Clough where it runs next to the track to West Park Gate.
Climbing up the side of Cluse Hey, the character changing as Moorland approaches
Hereford cattle have been introduced to Cluse Hey. The graze on the rough grasses and will enable other plants and trees to regain a hold in this area.
This outcrop makes a delightful picnic spot
View South from the outcrop
....and looking North
Dew drop jewels in the grass
This dry stone bench is being built with an amazing view. I'll post updates on progress in future.
Today's most frequent litter item. Tennis balls in various states of decay which assumedly some dog never found after the owner sent it flying.
Nice colours
Golden Larch trees
Hello again!
Mist still sitting on Park Moor
Another tennis ball. Why here!?
Water droplets on the Beech trees sparkling
Park Moor behind Knightslow Wood
A Gold quarry in the middle of Knighslow Wood courtesy of ankle deep beech leaves
Returning to the centre of the park, Lyme Hall with The Cage sitting above it
.... and zoomed in a little
A Fallow Deer buck in the sanctuary taken over the wall from Knightslow Wood. Notice the antlers which are 'palatinate', the have flat palm like form rather that the 'spiky' antlers of the Red Deer.
Fallow Deer males are 'Bucks' and the female are 'Does'. They are a Mediterranean species and in winter are allowed privacy in the locked off sanctuary where there is shelter. They are fed several times a week to maintain their strength through the winter.
Fallow Deer does in the distance. White is a common colour, these are not albinos.
One seriously confused buttercup. It's November!
Came across this tree with serious signs of weakness. Looking up to the top, only twigs of adjacent trees were giving any security.
One of the Rangers had just passed in the tractor with a load of silage for the fallow deer and a shout on the radio got him to stop by on his way back. Agreeing that is was at risk, a rope thrown around a branch about 12 feet up followed by a good tug brought the whole tree crashing down. At about 25-30ft it made one hell of a crash in an area popular with kids building dens.
Quite pleased with myself as he told me it was a 'good spot'. This is the sort of thing that we're their for.
