Belmont Country Park in Herefordshire
May 24, 2020 12:48:48 GMT
Post by lugg on May 24, 2020 12:48:48 GMT
I am really missing visiting Herefordshire gardens, particularly at this time of year, when they are often at their best. Currently they all remain closed but I am hoping that may change in the coming weeks.
Of course many cities and urban areas have great and fabulous parks. One of the things I love most about visiting various cities is visiting these. In Herefordshire we don't really have anything similar, perhaps because we are surrounded by countryside, but there is a country park that vaguely meets the brief. I have never visited until earlier this week. It was created to offset the building of houses and is in an area which is within walking distance of some of the homes of the county’s most deprived families but really the area is very mixed.
So – Belmont Country Park and Pools. Not a great or fabulous park but quite pretty. Anyway I don’t think it is of particular interest so just a few photos to give a flavour.
The park is close to where I work about 3 miles west of the city centre. I stopped to take a picture of the city from a hill, camera on maximum zoom
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923986742_c406128a6e_c.jpg
Into the park itself – Normally I guess these areas would be full of people having a picnic and lots of children enjoying the play areas. Not in these covid times.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923678401_ae31ac896f_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923160238_f3d9b3c8cd_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923681621_4f3d479953_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923996037_bf07784673_c.jpg
There are some magnificent oak trees that were saved by the creation of this park, and those that have died have been put to good use.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923682111_e9dc950a89_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923688661_86bc30a376_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923677576_e614d1ed56_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923974457_699f872fbd_c.jpg
The Cow Parsley was in full bloom,
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923666631_a75dd4eafb_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923160838_704e5866df_c.jpg
A large part of the park is made up of pools formed after gravel extraction; fishermen were out doing their thing as this is now an allowed form of exercise. Some families were there and the ducks looked extremely well fed. Parts of the pools are surrounded by a boardwalk to increase accessibility, other areas of the pools are harder to reach and I spotted what I hoped to see, on the less accessible side!
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923157903_17788938be_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923675821_597e97f5f2_c.jpg
So heading in that direction I stopped every now and then to admire the pool and the reflections,
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923155868_0091eb9eba_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923149813_b2e9862127_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49924011892_a4c7d412fe_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49924009357_bbddf07d79_c.jpg
Finally got close but it was hard to get a clear photo, there are 7 cygnets in total.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923701436_bc305a43e6_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923182218_330bf65e8e_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923699336_db0b9c89fc_c.jpg
Then they were off so I continued around the pool hoping to get a better view further on.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923179403_91001645e5_c.jpg
Finally got all 7 , and a clearer one of one of each of the proud parents.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923690916_a1678d16f8_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923977892_bfe679d4b8_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923153823_2272498db5_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923153198_934ac7e9c5_c.jpg
Heading back to the car I gave my apologies to these two who looked at me in hope,
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923165728_33ffd8cce2_c.jpg
I will go back as there is something else I want to see but I did not have time today. The next pool is now the home to a group of large terrapins that were probably dumped here some years ago.
One last look at the reflections.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923689986_ae84fde289_c.jpg
Of course many cities and urban areas have great and fabulous parks. One of the things I love most about visiting various cities is visiting these. In Herefordshire we don't really have anything similar, perhaps because we are surrounded by countryside, but there is a country park that vaguely meets the brief. I have never visited until earlier this week. It was created to offset the building of houses and is in an area which is within walking distance of some of the homes of the county’s most deprived families but really the area is very mixed.
So – Belmont Country Park and Pools. Not a great or fabulous park but quite pretty. Anyway I don’t think it is of particular interest so just a few photos to give a flavour.
The park is close to where I work about 3 miles west of the city centre. I stopped to take a picture of the city from a hill, camera on maximum zoom
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923986742_c406128a6e_c.jpg
Into the park itself – Normally I guess these areas would be full of people having a picnic and lots of children enjoying the play areas. Not in these covid times.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923678401_ae31ac896f_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923160238_f3d9b3c8cd_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923681621_4f3d479953_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923996037_bf07784673_c.jpg
There are some magnificent oak trees that were saved by the creation of this park, and those that have died have been put to good use.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923682111_e9dc950a89_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923688661_86bc30a376_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923677576_e614d1ed56_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923974457_699f872fbd_c.jpg
The Cow Parsley was in full bloom,
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923666631_a75dd4eafb_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923160838_704e5866df_c.jpg
A large part of the park is made up of pools formed after gravel extraction; fishermen were out doing their thing as this is now an allowed form of exercise. Some families were there and the ducks looked extremely well fed. Parts of the pools are surrounded by a boardwalk to increase accessibility, other areas of the pools are harder to reach and I spotted what I hoped to see, on the less accessible side!
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923157903_17788938be_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923675821_597e97f5f2_c.jpg
So heading in that direction I stopped every now and then to admire the pool and the reflections,
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923155868_0091eb9eba_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923149813_b2e9862127_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49924011892_a4c7d412fe_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49924009357_bbddf07d79_c.jpg
Finally got close but it was hard to get a clear photo, there are 7 cygnets in total.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923701436_bc305a43e6_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923182218_330bf65e8e_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923699336_db0b9c89fc_c.jpg
Then they were off so I continued around the pool hoping to get a better view further on.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923179403_91001645e5_c.jpg
Finally got all 7 , and a clearer one of one of each of the proud parents.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923690916_a1678d16f8_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923977892_bfe679d4b8_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923153823_2272498db5_c.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923153198_934ac7e9c5_c.jpg
Heading back to the car I gave my apologies to these two who looked at me in hope,
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923165728_33ffd8cce2_c.jpg
I will go back as there is something else I want to see but I did not have time today. The next pool is now the home to a group of large terrapins that were probably dumped here some years ago.
One last look at the reflections.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/49923689986_ae84fde289_c.jpg