A walk at Bingley St Ives

It's over a year since I last had a walk up at the Bingley St Ives estate. I've been too busy, so a trip there was long overdue. I chose a rather dull day but the circular walk around the estate is pleasant and varied: some wide reaching views, moors and woodland too. It takes me just over an hour (with photo stops!) from the car park and back.

There is an equestrian centre on the estate and many of the paths are actually bridleways. As it was a Sunday morning, there seemed to be a lot of horse traffic! 

Early autumn and the fall colours are developing. The little birches seem to be among the first trees to gain their russet finery. 

Where they have recently felled trees (due to a fungal disease) it has really opened up the views. Lady Blantyre's Rock (below), where the dowager lady of the mansion used to come to sit and read, must have had a panoramic view in her day (mid 1800s). For most of my life, the view has been one of thick woodland but now the panorama over the valley is visible again. It's rather a nice change. 

The large swathes of felled trees all look rather bleak but I suppose they've left the brush to rot down naturally. I did note that they have already planted new saplings in many of the areas, native trees that will eventually mature into a good, mixed woodland. 

By the time I arrived at the Coppice Pond, the clouds had really arrived, so it all looked a bit dull. There are a lots of mute swans here. It must be a very safe roost for them. 

I was rather amused by a little girl, perhaps aged about 6 or 7, carrying a substantial stuffed horse under her arm. Rather than walking round the lake's perimeter sedately with her family she was cantering along, obviously deeply identifying as a pony! Very cute, but I didn't take a photo for obvious reasons. I guess most of us girls had a 'pony phase' at some stage.