Wharncliffe Wood - chasing the light!

Well to be more precise I was chasing the soft diffused light that was coming through the mist. However, as I drove up through our village and onto the Huddersfield/ Sheffield road the mist completely disappeared. So there was nothing to delay me from collecting the Saturday paper and some food from the farm shop in Wortley village.

As it was such a beautiful morning I decided to head out to the top of Grenoside . I've driven along this road several times recently and on days when the sun has shone the raking light through the beech trees has been spectacular. Well it wasn't quite so easy! As I walked along the sun was coming down at an angle that created too much glare and I realised that the roof of my car had been acting as a sunshade and helping me to enjoy the dappled light. This photo was taken as I walked back through the wood and was taken with the sun coming over my shoulder.

There are several areas of woodland along the road, all of it very ancient. To the west of the Woodhead Road is Wharncliffe Wood and Chase, currently owned by the Forestry Commission and to the right is Grenowood which the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is in the process of trying to buy. They've already raised £350000. Just another £650000 to go by July 2012 to stop is being sold to a private buyer!

We spent a very profitable few hours on the allotment this afternoon, some more clearing up and sixteen strawberry plants added to a new bed. It's a bit late in the season really, but I'm hoping because of our incredibly mild weather they'll get themselves rooted into the ground. They all looked like very healthy plants when they came out of their pots so I'm hopeful!

Next job - cook our evening meal. I really need to go now!