Lonely as a Cloud

In complete contrast to yesterday's weather, this morning started dull and cloudy, but soon the sun broke through and by the time I set out for a walk, it was warming up nicely. With the sun shining on me, I set out for my walk through Shipley Park and up the hill. Among the trees on top of the hill, the Snowdrops are still blooming bravely.

Set against a backdrop of bare trees and blue sky, they looked beautiful. Turning the other way, the sun was filtering through the trees almost washing out all the colour.

The bare trees also means that any sunshine manages to get down to the derelict remains of the folly on Shipley Hill.

Famously, this round building was constructed so that Prince Bertie (later King Edward VII) would have somewhere discrete to indulge in his various sexual liaisons when visiting the Miller-Mundy family at Shipley Hall. Whatever the truth is, the remains now make a romantic ruin among the woodland, particularly when not shaded by summer tree-cover. The building was never complete, but built as a decorative, ruinous folly by the Miller-Mundy family.

Wandering 'lonely as a cloud' and making my way out of the trees, I took the lower route around the base of the hill. It was lovely to see a large mass of Daffodils nodding in the breeze and enjoying the sunshine.

Along these slopes, trees have been planted in memory of various people and small commemorative plaques are dotted about among the Daffodils too.

With the sun shining on them, this 'host of golden daffodils' were glorious to see.

Enough of this romanticism! Time to turn homeward and a hot cup of coffee.