Playing in the Ancient Gardens!

Time for something at least a little bit different... Still in the late summer, in fact, these were taken on the exact same day as my last post, but that post was far too full already and I figured these were different enough to stand on their own.

Well, this is one of the main things that made me fall in love with Rivington when I was tiny. I've still never really looked into the history of this place too much, I think I prefer the mystery. Still, walking in the woods and seeing archaic stone buildings, all abandoned and stoic, how could I not love it? It was so otherworldly, maybe it still is...

These pictures were taken on 05-08-2017 on an amazingly warm day for so late in the year, taken on Rivington Pike in the Terraced Gardens and other old-world buildings. If you ever want a gothic afternoon wandering around some ancient stones then I highly recommend it!

My 'Stairway to Heaven' probably looks like this

Wasn't sure about this one at first but it's grown on me.

Love that archway! It took so long to get a picture like this, this part of the gardens is often pretty crowded.

Having said that, I did chill there for a little bit. (re-hydration break) 

One of my first few attempts at up close photography... might need to work on it but I'd say there's potential.

Okay, I had a curious thought on a hill...

Back to some semblance of normalcy...

Imagine this place in its hay-day!

I'd love it so much more if that fence to the left wasn't there. (Still, I managed to get an angle which hides the Health and Safety signs all over the place.)

"Cold waters untouched..." -Elan, Nightwish

I see you!

And the pond from the other side. 

A hidden corner. I wonder who chopped this wood!

Kind of reminds me of M.C.Escher's work.

(Except that my pictures are truly nothing compared to his drawings)

What 'Health and Safety' wouldn't be complete without bars? Well at least nature agrees with me.

A truly immense view.

I'm not sure if I really captured it all that well.

"Autumn, the path which divides summer and winter"

(I swear I never edit my pictures in post)

Had to get a rarely seen view of the Pigeon Tower!

(and more 'Health and Safety' bars. I suppose there are a lot of excitable children who visit here... I'm one of them)

Yeah, I think this one's better...

Then again, I love this shot!

Ah, that horizon, one of my favourites!

The sky was worth it.

"See the line where the sky meets the sea, it calls me, and no one knows how far it goes" -Moana

(I guess my 'sea' is solid and green)

Looking back over the ancient gardens...

"Okay, £20 and I'll knock at midnight on Halloween!"

Hidden goat path, don't mind if I do...

Seriously, this is the best kind of path!

Sanctuary.

Another pond, hidden away and much more... reclaimed. I love the font in the middle! 

(One of my favourite hidden spots)

At the edge of the hidden areas. Round that corner or descend the steps and you're back in the everyone else's world.

Ready to go back?

If I will ever be able to show you why I love Rivington, or even just nature, so much it'll be in posts like this, though more in the trees than the buildings.

It's strange to explain but when I'm out there, on my own, its like reality just melts away, time freezes or has no meaning what so ever beyond the moving sun, and I'm with kin. I can play there, rest there, live there. I can catch my breath there where everything is made of euphoria and serenity. I can spend hours just lying around in complete silent solitude and rest better than I can anywhere else, listening to the breeze in the trees, feeling the warmth of the earth beneath and around me, there's a perfect harmony to it. I get that feeling wherever I go, whenever I'm alone in nature, and I'm not sure if I could do it if anyone was with me. I guess the chance to go back here or find this same existence in other places is my reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Oh well, enough of my 'alternative/hippy' rambling. I sincerely hope you enjoyed these and all of my pictures, little slices of my private world. As always, any tips and comments are greatly appreciated!

Thanks for browsing! Cya soon!

For the Blog!

So, what did you spend your summer doing?

I had a lot of stuff going on this last year so I didn't get out that much, but I still got out a little! (You already know where I went) I actually took these pictures around the time that I started a new job so you can understand the gaps, one lot of pictures were taken the weekend before I started and the other about a month afterwards!

Also, perhaps more importantly, these were the first times I went out after I had started this blog! Yep, I've nearly caught up already... (I could have sworn I'd taken more in Snowdonia) Well, since I've posted so much Rivington up here already I'll combine two outings into one. Then again, you can never have too much of a good thing so my next post is probably going to be Rivington too (though I swear my next post will be something a bit different)

Well, what more is there to say than that these pictures were the taken in the later side of a great summer and the first to be taken with this blog in mind! These were taken on 2017-07-08 and 2017-08-05 on two brilliantly bright days as summer began to turn to autumn. Enjoy more pictures of this amazing place!

Have I improved any over the years?

I remember seeing these trees and thinking "If I'm really making a blog out of this then... yes."

Getting better with the 'Tall' display pictures.

Phone background right there (if I do say so myself)

Hmm, maybe white/colour balance is a little off but fair effort. 

This one I love...

Tried similar shots a few times before. Definitely feel better about this one.

If people ever ask what kind of pictures I put on my blog, I show them ones like this...

Or this...

My doorway home!

Maybe portrait worked better? What do you think?

Same again, maybe portrait, though here landscape gets the crowded nature across I suppose.

I may go to the same place a lot on this blog but you can't say I show you the same things all the time... well, you can say I always take pictures of trees and nature but that's what the blog is...

Idyllic little shelter.

If that tree ever falls I will mourn it.

"I... will not... fall..."

Had to get some shots of the ancient buildings... bars and all.

I kinda like how the plants are growing back over it. These particular buildings are tucked away from the others in the more central 'tourist' areas.

I will never not love playing with light as it trickles through trees.

Colour filter of the sky's blue light trickling though the trees. Even for me this is arty (and yes, I'm really proud).

Shilhouettes will always be worth pictures.

Aren't shots like this compulsory for hipster photographers in autumn?

Light and tree-shadows. Try and stop me!

Less pretentious angle. Took a few attempts to get the light exposure right for these ones.

It's almost as if the left is summer and the right is winter. I swear I never edit my pictures in post.

Well, this is the first of my second outing and weirdly the one a month later in the year was much more summer like with heat and actual sun in England.

Love the vibrant summer colours here.

Took a few different versions of these steps and this was the best. Little blurry maybe but a fair attempt.

More arty = More better, right?

More arty definitely equals better.

What can I say, I see a stone pathway, I take a picture of a stone pathway.

Definitely feel that I'm getting better showing the sheer height of some of these trees.

I swear I'm on solid ground here.

Again, idyllic.

That's one I might advertise with...

Again, I am on solid ground, just really steep ground, I promise!

Okay, I'm exceedingly proud of this one!

Had to do it!

Lighter version of the previous picture. I experimented with different shots but I think I prefer the darker first one. What do you think?

One of the main things I love about this place is that there can be a lot of people visiting but you never really feel like its 'crowded'. In fact, your almost always alone and I adore that.

Interesting tree silhouette with blue sky and vibrant greens? Yes please.

Just so many different trees and colours and shapes and lights. You can see why I love this place, right?

And the horizon simply fades away into the blue.

It was so hot that day, but so worth it!

Started getting experimental with the sun. What do you think?

With a beautiful little opening like this how could I not play?

Some of these areas are so removed with so few visitors going there. I love it.

I don't think anyone had been there for months, maybe years!

And the height just spirals away...

Had to play with the sun one last time.

Well, you got two outings on this post! Don't I treat you well. I didn't finish there, I'm just saving the rest of the pictures I took on that second outing for my next post. I'm showing you something a little different there. Since I had started this blog by this point I was out for a while taking so many pictures. Can't wait to show you them all.

As always any tips and comments are greatly appreciated! 

Thanks for browsing! Cya next time!