Looking Back

It's fun, every now and then, to look back at what you have been doing in past years, at this time. So, with that in mind, here are a couple of pictures from our past autumnal escapades.
In 2009, i put a few of my pictures together to make a collage of sights from around the area.  Included in this picture are:  A turning Oak tree, a Starling, Yew and Holly berries, a beautiful Maple (obviously), Guelder Rose berries and Snowberries, Cotoneaster, Rose and Spindle berries, a Pochard (the grey-backed diving duck) and a few general autumnal views.

Another collage was needed to show off some more of the remarkable colours to found at this time of year.  Maples once again form the bulk of this picture, but the beautiful old Beech tree at bottom left, which stands like a sentinel at the top of Shipley Hill, makes a wonderfully brave show during the autumn.

Amazing to think that not too many years ago, the whole of the Shipley Hill area was a scene of industrial and mining devastation.  This old photo was taken sometime in the late 1940's. Shipley Hall, (which was still standing then) was to be found among the trees which can just be seen in the top of this image.  How times change - and not always for the worse..!