Shugborough (By Sea!)

A day off at the end of the week and a wonderful start to the day with not a cloud in the sky.  I made a slight journey out for an extended walk across Cannock Chase, completing about 10 miles.  

I was parked near the River Trent, which had spectacularly burst its banks, so I decided to see how far the water had reached at Shugborough Hall, now a National Trust property, formerly the home of Lord Lichfield.  I headed across the Essex Bridge from Great Haywood, only to turn back as the end of the bridge disappeared in to the water from the flooded river.  Luckily I had my wellingtons, so I donned appropriate footwear and ventured back.

I was still careful as the water came half way up my calves before I returned to dry land.  The path from there went across pasture land to the new car park and entrance to the estate.  However, today there was no pasture, it was flooded and almost topped the wellingtons.  This shot would normally be across grassland but the water reached to within a few metres of the house, which is slightly raised above the surrounding land (good planning on the designer's part).  Talking to others on the bridge, no one can remember the water being this high before and according to one, it was still due to rise at least another half a metre before its peak.