It’s cold and sunny – and there’s a chilly breeze, though we’ll mostly be sheltered from the wind at Attingham. The snowdrops are fully out, and the walk around the perimeter of the park (about 4 miles) is about right for this afternoon.
Tag: Attingham Park
The flooded Tern
Friday 26 January: An easy stroll around Attingham Park, which became longer than intended. As we wandered through the snowdrops, we could see a wide spill of flood water where the Tern normally makes its well-behaved way through the grounds. If we walk back towards the house on the path beside the river, we can then cross over and walk up the other side. The result is (some of) the photographs below and the strange route shown on the map.
The inhabitants of the deer park wander about in stately fashion, posing for photographs until I lift the camera. Beside the house, the fine stand of cedars has taken a battering. The wind? Surely not! As we guessed, the highest branches, lying in broken disarray beneath the trees, were snapped off by December’s (literally) heavy snowfall. What a shame!
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=355137&Y=310421&A=Y&Z=115
Parkland
They’re feeding the deer at Attingham Park this afternoon – and the deer have accurate internal clocks – they’re ready and waiting. Alert and watchful, they’re much more photogenic than when the feeding has begun – that’s the time for us to continue around the park, through the woodland, before heading homewards.
Cronkhill
It’s only open to the public six days a year – and as today is one such, we thought we’d better go and have a look. The 2nd Lord Berwick, of nearby Attingham Park, had it built for a friend, a little over 200 years ago. Gosh! – here he is in person, looking sprightly despite his years, explaining those things which might not be obvious. John Nash designed the house to be a little corner of Italy in the Shropshire countryside. Is that Vesuvius over there? (No, it’s just the Wrekin).
Attingham Park Estate: Cronkhill NT
Walled garden, snowdrops, deer
Attingham Park, in other words – walking out through the walled garden and the snowdrop woods, then around the perimeter of the park, along the path which passes through the deer sanctuary. Those in charge are keeping a wary eye on us, though they don’t seem worried.
A cold afternoon
Murky too! Not a day for the hills, and it’s wet underfoot. The paths at Attingham Park are well-maintained – we can get a leg-stretch there. Many others have had a similar idea, though they’ve thinned out considerably by the time we reach the far perimeter. There are some attractive reflections in the Tern, and there’s some wonderful bracket fungus on a tree near the entrance. It’s still there when we return…
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=355090&Y=310136&A=Y&Z=120
Pumpkin time
We’re having a wander around Attingham Park. It’s dry and bright this afternoon (though breezy and chilly), and there’s a wonderful crop of pumpkins (some of them bearing messages) in the walled garden. There’s a rather fine colony of little pale toadstools on a stump in the woods, not to mention a large wooden frog.
The Walled Garden
Too warm for anything very energetic… A wander around Attingham Park, focusing on the colour in the walled garden.
A last look
The morning’s sun has gone, but it’s a fine afternoon at Attingham, where we’re taking a last look at the snowdrops – their season is nearly past. We’ll look at the deer too – and unexpected nuthatches by the hide, who are quite reluctant to pose for the camera…
Snowdrops and floods
The one seems to accompany the other – we’ve been to Attingham on previous occasions, to see the floral display and to find the river Tern resembling a lake, backing up from the nearby Severn. It’s a pleasant spot for a cold afternoon, and though the morning’s sunshine has gone, there’s barely a breeze – the water’s like a mirror. There are post-stroll tea and cakes too…
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