Summer Walk No2, 'Northumberlandia' - Tuesday 20th July 2021.

On Tuesday 20th July 2021, 'Northumberlandia' was the venue for the second walk on the camera clubs
summer programme of visits to local places of interest. As the fine weather continued, thirteen members
met at the 'Lady of the North' sculpture built on land owned by Blagdon Estate with materials excavated
from the adjacent open cast coal mine.

Now managed by the Wildlife Trust, the woodland now houses a visitor centre/cafe, bird feeder stations
and nature trails and the group headed out into the country park to explore the four miles of footpath
that lead you around, up, down, over and across over the reclining female figure.

Rather than become a highly manicured landscape the park and sculpture have been allowed to develop
naturally with minimal interference and as we looked for photographs in the grasslands surrounding the
monument, some members found butterflies, dragonflies and numerous meadow flowers whilst others
photographed Mallard, Little Grebe and Crayfish in the ornamental ponds and reedbeds.

After a gentle climb to the highest point, most members met up and enjoyed the views and one of the
most noticeable features since our last visit in 2015, was that the huge Shotton Surface Mine is now in its
restoration phase. The giant hole has been filled in and overburden material and soils are being restored
to create improved agricultural land, new public access and improved wildlife corridors.

A gentle wander back to ground level and a last look for images as the light faded ended a good evening
of photography, chat and exercise. Big thank you to those that supported the walk.

  

Davy Bolam.