Week 5 11/12/13 - Red Deer, Wind Damage, Pemberley Views and more

Photo Blog Week 5 - Wed 11 Dec 2013

Arriving at the Park looking left into low sun and shadows

route: Avenue track above the North Drive

route: over Cage Hill toward East Lodge

Another blue sky day walking back from the Hall toward the Entrance below the Cage

A discoloured murk sitting over the great metropolis trapped by the cold air

Red Deer Park Herd

First spot of a herd.

The colouring is such that you easily miss them against the grasses. This group is only just outside the Deer Sanctuary to the East of the Park grazing on the hillside to rear of Cage Hill.

Same group with Cage behind

...and with Coalpit Wood and Kinder behind

route: East Park Lodge back to Hall then Timber Yard

Hall entrance from near stables

Crow Wood play area across the mill pond

route: Car Park then across Drinkwater Meadow to Paddock Cottage

Wind Damage

 

This came down when the Park was closed due to high winds. Gave the Rangers the run around as it took out the fence around the Fallow Deer sanctuary and they fancied an outing.

Pemberley Trail

These frames show camera shots from the BBC production of Pride and Predudice

Pleasing aspect of the estate

Darcy's pool

Park Moor to Bow Stone Gate

Paddock Cottage

Cheshire Plain from below Paddock Cottage

route: across to West Park Gate Track, along Hase Bank Wood to The Knott Car Park

Dry Stone Seat

Progress continues on the seat above Hase Bank Wood. Won't be long now.

Nice view of top of drystone build with stones in from both sides and packing in the middle.

Coping stones going on to finish off and secure the structure

Hase Bank Wood 

Communal living. Not sure of the animal.

Brambles in flower in December

More Red Deer Stags

This group on the hillside by The Knott, just over the knoll not visible from The Knott Carr Park so always worth and walk over to check.

Wild and Tame, Stags against the city backdrop

route: Return to Lyme Hall via Four Winds track 

  

As evening approaches, the colours over the populated plain accentuate

Christmas is Coming to the Hall

The tree is up in the courtyard...

..and the steps are decorated with home made garlands

You can tell this is a high altitude intersection for Air Traffic Control. Aircraft from across the Atlantic and all over Europe pass by and change direction up there.

Evening approaches as I return to my car, getting cooler.

Week 4 04/12/14 - East & West inc' Park Moor and Deer

Photo Blog Week 4 - Wed 4 Dec 2013

The leaves have now dropped from the avenue in front of the hall leaving the wonderful winter silhouettes

Statue on the roof of the hall stark against a moody sky

A hint of a rainbow showing that it's raining over toward Kinder. Fortunately it passed to the East and I stayed dry

Panorama North from near East gate with mixed skies. The Cage can be seen near the left

The sun spreading into the top of Lantern Wood

Moss covered stumps looking like little green furry animals

Manchester International Airport has a very large plane on the runway (telephoto)

Looking down from Park Moor over the Hall and Gardens with Manchester behind

Park Moor looking along the ridge to Sponds Hill from below Bow Stones

The Rangers' trailer has just dropped off a roll of silage for the deer

The Park was to be closed the following day as high winds were forecast. You wouldn't want to be near one of these when it comes down.

Fallow Deer

Fallow deer 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
Male Fallow deer are 'Bucks' and the female is a 'Doe'. Red deer are 'Stags' and 'Hinds'.

Notice the antlers which are 'palatinate', the have flat palm like form rather that the 'spiky' antlers of the Red Deer. .

Fallow deer come in several colours.

A Doe in the foreground with a young buck with small antlers

This white buck is quite normal, it is not albino.

Another Fallow deer buck, this time a fawn colour.

And finally a dark grey buck.

Looking across the Western park from above The Knott car park to Cage Hill and out to the Pennines

Chillin' Stag

Red deer stags near The Knott car park. Antlers outlined nicely against the sky.

Looking back to Bow Stones across Park Moor from Paddock Cottage

Paddock Cottage (and my shadow)

View West with Alderley Edge escarpment. Frodsham escarpment can be seen on the horizon about 2/3 across to the right like distant image of Alderley. Beyond Frodsham, on  a clear day, the Welsh hills can be seen.

Progress on the dry stone bench

Dappled woodland on the track from West Park Gate

Volunteer Dry Stone Walling team hard at work on the boundary wall. This particular job is renewing 400m of wall in which the mud-stone is crumbling away.

View of the hall as approaching visitors would have seen it in it's hey day. The main road connection from the A6 at Disley is quite recent.