Thursday 19 January 2012

Barber Woods Walk

On Sunday, hubby and I decided that we would do a local walk - one that didn't require us to use the car. We feel lucky that we are surrounded by ancient woodlands and took ourselves off to Barber Woods which skirt Grange Park in Rotherham.

We walked from home to Thundercliffe Grange - once a home of one of the Earls of Effingham. The snowdrops are out really early around these parts this year. We are normally well into February before they usually appear, but I have noticed lots of clumps waving their cheery heads.

The hall is now privately owned. It is split into apartments, but does have some shared communal areas. They hold a Local History group here and I have been inside. Some of the communal areas are unchanged and very lovely.
The house was apparently built with stone quarried in Barber Wood.
There is a really useful information board where I could read some of the history of the are that I didn't know. I would love to step back in time and see this area as it was.


You may have seen Thundercliffe Grange as it stands by the side of the busy M1 motorway - across from the famous 2 Cranes hat light up at Christmas.
It was nice to walk through the woods and away from the noise of the busy motorway. It was a murky morning and we were both tired from a busy weekend, so we decided to cut the walk shorter than originally planned.
But then the skies started to clear and we didn't want to go back inside so we extended the walk again - over to Scholes Village via Keppels Column.

We enjoyed our doorstep walk.

18 comments:

Jan said...

This is a gorgeous walk to have right on your doorstep. I've been a bit off colour for a couple of weeks so we haven't been walking. It's lovely to see pics from other people's walks. All the best, Jx

Shortbread and Ginger said...

Looks like an interesting walk. Great to see snowdrops.
Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

Jo said...

We too have some lovely walks on our doorstep, we're so lucky. It's nice to see snowdrops out, though I don't think I've got any anywhere near ready to bloom yet.

Kathy said...

Your walk looks lovely.
We did a doorstep walk on Sunday too ... and I have an almost identical photo of a horse wrapped in a blanket!!! I'll try and do a post tonight.
We haven't seen any snowdrops yet.
xxx

P.S. Thanks for your nice comment about my tag .... mine feel so 'average' compared to lots of those other tags. I think there must be a lot professional artists with an enormous amount of time on their hands ... but I am really enjoying it!

HippieGirl said...

These photos are absolutely fabulous, like the British TV show, :D. I made a funny, lol. But in all total seriousness, you really do put some lovely photos on your blog and I love seeing them, makes me want to visit England all the more. I'm not exactly sure what it is about England that is so fascinating to me, but I guess it holds some kind of awesome charm and interest that hopefully one day I be able to see.

Anonymous said...

How lovely to have that right on your doorstep.

Rowan said...

I think all of us who live around Sheffield are fortunate as there are lovely places to walk all around the edges of the city. I've had snowdrops out since the end of December, don't think that's ever happened before.

Rosie said...

You have some wonderful walks so close to your home. It must be great to be able to walk into the countryside and not have to take the car to get there. I love to see snowdrops when they are out. The nearest I've got so far was some little ones in pots outside the greengrocer's shop yesterday:)

Janet said...

Snowdrops -one of my all time favourite flowers - though mine aren`t out yet, great walk Diane ! really envious -you visit so many interesting places and right on your doorstep too ! Have a great weekend x

Mister D said...

Great narrative n pics. I recall seeing the cranes you mention a few years ago thinking what could possibly be taking so long to build here - until I realised later it was a crane supply company !

Carol said...

What a wonderful doorstep walk. Love the photo of the horse walking out of the mist, went to see War Horse today - brilliant!
We always go to Hodsock Priory in February for the snowdrops, hope they aren't out too early there.
Carol xx

Diane said...

Love the walk, but as a horsey person I have to admit liking the first photo best :) Diane

Patricia said...

A lovely walk and so lovely not to have to get the car out!

Miss Holly said...

What a beautiful place.....It is a while before we have snowdrops.we may actually get our first snow!!

Gilly said...

What a beautiful Hall! Sometimes I think I would love to live there - but I would also love to see it in the past.

That tower looks extremely vertiginous! Glad to see the public can't get inside, looks far too dangerous!

diane b said...

The mist makes a beautiful photo. It is great that you have woods close by to walk in. I have a forest nearby but no such thing as historical halls .

Young at Heart said...

brilliant.....looks chilly.........have desire to be in Yorkshire countryside after seeing Hockney's new show of amazing pictures........just too beautiful!!

Jewel said...

Lovely! I need to find a beautiful local walk, but being in London it means a drive to a nice park! x