Where does the time go ..........

Well my last post was in early June this year and it is now October and I have been to a variety of places in between times but have not managed to upload images to my blog.  So I am unsure just what to upload and how to do it - as a new post on my Days out page here or as new pages for each different place/topic?

Well I will start here with a few shots from my visit to Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds.

Kirkstall Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery in Kirkstall north-west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire, England. It is set in a public park on the north bank of the River Aire. It was founded c.1152. It was disestablished during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under the auspices ofHenry VIII.

 The abbey is a Grade I listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument.[7] After a £5.5 million renovation programme there is a new visitor centre with interactive exhibits which illustrates the history of the abbey and the lives of the monks. Entry to the Abbey itself is via the visitor centre – free of charge, but with a donation box. Occasionally, guided tours are available (free of charge).

The Leeds Shakespeare Festival, performed by the British Shakespeare Company, took place annually in the cloisters from 1995 until 2009. The abbey grounds are a public park, and are used for occasional events such as the annual Kirkstall Festival and the Kirkstall Fantasia open-air concerts.

And finally a lone sentinel  watches the visitors with his keen eye.

On the other side of the main road, the grade II* listed former abbey gatehouse now forms the Abbey House Museum.

The cafe in there is very nicely laid out and does some good food.

Bluebell Time

Well it seems a while since I put anything up on here so this is a collection of images taken on my May visit to Tamworth to go to Hopwas Woods with my Uncle Tony to see the bluebells. It was probably the first really nice morning in May for a while and so lots of people were out making the most of it before the forecast of rain for the afternoon.

One of our first sights was a swan on its nest (not sure if it was the male or female)

It kept an eye on us as we passed to make sure her eggs (or brood) were safe from harm.

Seems to me that Buddha is everywhere these days.

Hope that dustpan is not for bailing out !

I thought some of the boats would need their bumpers today as it was already really busy on the canal.

Time for a spot of repairs to the other form of transport

Our first sighting of the bluebells.

 And now for some more.....................

Oops !  That's not a bluebell.

You see some strange sights in the woods  ..........

Loads of people out walking their dogs - so nice to not be rained on!

New growth springing forth at last.

Anyone know what time it is?

More canal traffic

Told you it was busy

Time for a rest then

Right back downthe canal for a well earned lunch in the pub.

Not sure if this is cherry or apple blossom bt it was beautiful.

Think the bike must be fixednow.

Even the coalman decided it was too busy a day to miss.

And the swan remained dutifully on the nest to make sure the new brood would have a great start.

Everything always looks so much better in lovely sunshine - what a pretty garden .

And finally back at the pub waiting for them to open their doors so took some shots of the hanging basket - here is one of the better ones.

 Hope you liked the images - Hopwas woods is a lovely place and we had a lovely day - thanks for lunch again Tony.