Saturday the 28th of September 2024, Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire, a flight above history long forgotten, taking a look at an oasis of calm surrounded by history.

Is it Derbyshire? Is it Nottinghamshire? Well, at the moment it is Derbyshire. Yes, the village of Langley Mill, really does not seem like a village - in-fact it just seems well "dull, drab, boring, mundane, meh, industrial." But Langley Mill itself, well you need to scratch past the current appearance to find out that it is actually a place of history - a place that was home to Langley Mill Pottery, until it closed down and got bought out by the parent company of the now equally famous Denby Pottery, and that is not the only history that Langley Mill is famed for, it was also the home of, Airstoc, originally on North Street, they produced and manufactured silk stockings within the village. During the Second World War, when its manufacturing included parachutes and inflatable dinghies for the war effort, it became a target for German bombers. The buildings have been replaced with housing. Yet, they are not the only historical secrets that Langley Mill has to offer, another one can still be seen and visited, and that of course is Langley Mill Basin, which somehow seems like "an oasis of calm." And it is, it is a place that I have visited on many occasions, it is a place that every few years has a fantastic has a canal boat and canal festival which is well worth a visit, and last time there was one a Lancaster fly past, plus a Spitfire fly past as well. But hold on, water, a canal basin? Well here at Langley Mill Canal Basin, the basin itself is part of the historic Cromford Canal, which is no longer navigable, but it is also the starting point, just underneath a bridge, a seemingly ordinary road bridge is where you will also find the equally historical Erewash Canal, which leads all the way to Trent Lock at Long Eaton - meaning that many years ago, freight and cargo would have been transported down the Cromford Canal, and onwards to the rest of the country and rest of the world. Now though all that remains is this little oasis of calm. 

And it was on Saturday the 28th of September 2024, that I had the chance to capture this glorious canal basin, from a completely unique angle, and from above, a lack of Autumn Colours, but a sure moody looking sky along with the contrasts between industry and the oasis of calm below.

"The Oasis of Calm, Water and The Basin, an Urban Surrounding."

"The Pub, The Basin, Moody Skies."

"Water, and a Langley of a view."

"Looking down on a Basin of a view, Barges, Boats and Green amongst the industry."

"From above, a unique perspective of The Basin."

Friday the 27th of September 2024, Views and academia, an interesting light and looking down on Highfields from a unique perspective.

Highfields Park, is a place that over the years I have always enjoyed visiting, and whilst it is something akin to "an oasis of calm, one in which you forget that the city centre of Nottingham is just a short distance away." It somehow makes you even forget that you are surrounded by the suburban sprawl of Nottingham and Beeston. Yet after what had been a dismal week weather wise of rain, grey skies, on Friday the 27th of September 2024, what happened? A spell of decent weather, and with that the chance to visit Highfields Park - a walk around the lake and I was also seeking anything Autumnal, but for the first time ever, I decided to capture this beautiful and delightful parkland that is located within the grounds of Nottingham University from the air, a glorious blue sky was a delight to capture, yet a the same time it was also quite complex to capture, hence why I had to carry out some edits and transform some photos of Highfields, that you can see below into Black and White. But from the air, there is just something else about Highfields Park, no idea what that might be apart from here the landscape of the parkland is combined and blends in nicely with Academia, and science, plus of course people who have studied here who have gone on to find fame. 

"The Bright Blue, The Lake down Below."

"Just above the lake, just here to the left, The Trent Building."

"One fine Building, A Trent of a perspective."

"Floating above academia, the lake below."

"Highfields, Contrasts and Beauty in Black and White."

Taking a look at a historic Nottinghamshire Church, St Mary's Church, Greasley from a different perspective.

St Mary's Church, in the parish of Greasley in Nottinghamshire is a location that I have photographed on many occasions before, throughout each season it always seems to have a certain charm about it with swathes of beautiful colours, in the Autumn it the surrounding trees become full of beautiful colour and in the spring, beautiful and opulent Cherry Blossoms can also be seen, yes I have also carried out more "abstract styles of photography" at this beautiful historic 15th century church in the past by observing the intricate patterns and beauty of the sandstone used in the construction of this beautiful and delightful church that is located within the rolling hills of the Nottinghamshire countryside, close to the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire Borderlands of The Erewash Valley, a short distance away from St Mary's Church in Greasley, the town of Eastwood can be found (home of DH Lawrence) along with Kimberley, another town that has a quirky and unique history to it and some interesting architecture, but somehow St Mary's Church, and its location seems to be something of an oasis of calm, yes the suburban sprawl is not far away and yet here you tend to forget that. Yet, on Tuesday the 17th of September I had decided after what had previously been a rather grey and damp day, to head to Greasley Church, this time around to capture it from a unique perspective, from the air! And with a glorious blue sky and a lack of wind, here is what I had managed to capture. Of course another random and interesting fact about this historic church, is within the graveyard - the grave of "Benjamin Drawater" can be found ho was ship's surgeon on one of Captain Cook's voyages. 

"Under a Greasley Blue September Sky, A Unique Perspective can be Seen."

"Greasley, Bathing in the September Sunshine Golden Glow."

"The Patterns, The Trees, Fields and Greasley from Above."

"Greasley, Fields and A Glorious Golden Light that bathes a Rolling Landscape."

"The Tower, The Golden Hues."

"The Beauty, The Simplicity, Blue and Greasley Glow."

Tuesday the 24th of September 2024, Seeing somewhere familiar, seeing change, clues of Autumn at Shipley Country Park.

Shipley Country Park, is one of those places that I have been visiting for many years, and no matter what season it is, no matter what the year it is or has been, there is always something to capture, from glorious Spring meadows teaming with life, to delightful arts, that Autumn and nature provides, and this afternoon a visit to Shipley Country Park was on the cards, I had visited Shipley Country Park just the other week and managed to capture the beautiful vistas of Shipley Hill, along with a golden light, yet despite looking for signs of Autumn, there were not that many to be seen, this afternoon however thankfully the weather was also a little better, and a different kind of walk was had, this time around the footpath around what has been lovingly known as The Trim Track, but of course I just had to see if there were any more signs of Autumn, and it goes without saying that from above, some of the trees of Cinderhill/The Woodlands in the middle of The Trim Track, a slight and subtle change in colour could be seen from above.

"The Slow Turn, from Green to Autumn, in Autumn."

"Pathway through changes, When colours begin to turn."

"A Path towards Autumn, A Path through green to colours of changes."

"Patchwork and Changes, Subtle only."

"Looking down, Looking towards Shipley Hill."

"A Carpet of Green begins to Change."

"The Hill, The Vista, The Space."

Monday The 16th of September 2024, At the end of the day, a certain magic was found.

Perhaps one of the most interesting things with Ariel Photography, is the perspectives that can be seen within a landscape, and well as the evening of Monday the 16th of September 2024, drew to a close, I could notice a change in the light outside, naturally I just had to see what the sky was like from above, and within a few moments over the Nottinghamshire town of Eastwood - famed for DH Lawrence, I had captured this glorious sunset, nature of course was the artist this time around and I was just completely blown away at what I had seen, a truly painted sky, right before my eyes.

"When Nature Is The Artist."

Wednesday the 18th of September 2024, taking a look at the delights of Pugin and a unique city of Architecture from a different angle.

The city of "Nottingham" is one of the more unique and perhaps quirky cities in The UK, for a start it is a compact city that has many surprises, which sadly a lot of people ignore, but you yourself might be asking "well what exactly are those surprises?" Well it would be the plethora of architecture that can be found - from brutalist concrete architecture that can still be seen that makes for interesting photogenic opportunities with patterns, to the neo gothic architectural styles as designed by Watson Fothergill, to new and interesting architectural styles that involve the use of glass and cutting edge designs; plus of course there is also another architectural gem that can be found within the city of Nottingham and that is the Augustus Pugin designed St Barnabas Cathedral, the foundations of this Cathedral were started in 1841, and you do not have to be religious at all to appreciate the architecture that can be found within and around the Cathedral itself. It was also on Wednesday the 18th of September 2024, that I was fortunate to capture St Barnabas Cathedral from a unique perspective, along with the surrounding city centre area of Nottingham, this time from above, and of course a big thankyou goes out to Canon Malachy Brett, of St Barnabas Cathedral for allowing me to capture the glorious photos of St Barnabas Cathedral in a completely different perspective.

"Flying high above the arts of Pugin, St Barnabas Cathedral from a different perspective."

"Contrasts, Pugin and Concrete."

"A gateway to Nottingham, a view and perspectives of a city from above."

"Towards Unity."

"St Barnabas and 400ft above."

"Styles, Patterns, Architecture and a painted layout from above."

"A look at the City Centre from a different perspective, a different angle."

"The X Layout of Canning Circus."

"Regeneration, The elements of Canning Circus, a meeting with The Ropewalk."

Monday the 16th of September 2024, Kilns and Suburbia and the country park. Two locations in close proximity.

Derbyshire, a county of many contrasts, from its Limestone Dales, to the dramatic landscapes of gritstone and Heather Moorlands of the aptly named "Dark Peak." Again they remain the better known parts of Derbyshire, yet what happens if you step off the tourist trails and routes of Derbyshire? Well you can come across some equally fantastic and glorious locations, and located just a short distance away from the former Bath Spa town of Ilkeston, a town of history that is seemingly ignored, well you get to West Hallam - a village that is located just a short distance away from Shipley Country Park, West Hallam itself might be a one of those "blink and you miss it locations" but it does have history, history from a time in when the Ilkeston area was famed for its coal mining industries, but if you go through West Hallam, there is one place that you will come across, and that of course is a building that perhaps looks as if it should be in Stoke On Trent, a building that was once the former site of West Hallam Pottery, now though it is a café, which sells glorious homemade food and drinks, and has a curious Japanese Inspired Water Garden to explore and unwind in - when you have also carried out a bit of retail therapy in the two small but perfectly formed shops that now exist within the former West Hallam Pottery, that is now called The Bottle Kiln, I though have been visiting The Bottle Kiln, for many years, and over those years I have found the delightful Japanese Water Garden to be soothing and photogenic, but it was on Monday the 16th of September 2024, that I was allowed to capture The Bottle Kiln, from a completely different angle, that was from the sky, and of course I must say thank you, to Lee, one of the owners of The Bottle Kiln, for allowing me to capture The Bottle Kiln, from above.

"Above the Kiln."

"The Kiln, The Surroundings of Suburbia, Patterns from above."

But after a delightful coffee and glorious Treacle Tart, in the garden, it was then time to move onwards, to Shipley Country Park, another place and location that over many years I have been visiting, this time around for a short walk around Shipley Hill, and also to look for any signs of Autumn that I could see, did I see any signs of Autumn? Well that depends, seasonally it is still Summer, Meteorologically it is also Autumn, "Hybrid Autumn" maybe? Well I did come across some colour changes. And yet, Shipley Country Park, again has links to the coal mining past, but also provides a unique parkland for many people to enjoy, because of its location which is close to the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire Border, and is located between Nottingham and Derby, thus is also located in close proximity to The Erewash region of Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire. But hold on, the weather on Monday the 16th of September 2024, well that was also interesting, and from above, I managed to capture a landscape of beauty, and yet one that has seen changes - because Shipley Country Park, at one time had a famous neighbour, that neighbour of course was the former American Adventure Theme Park, which has now sadly gone and is now a development, with houses currently occupied, houses to be built along with a mixture of retail and education, that is planned for the future.

"A Sense of Adventure, now but gone."

"Gold, Green and Mapperley Reservoir."

"Seeking Autumn, Seeing only a few signs amongst Green."

"Amongst the green, Hybrid Autumn Clues can be seen."

"A Hybrid Autumn Palette."

"Trees, Green, Grass and a Golden Hue."

"The Golden Glow of Shipley Hill."

"An Autumn Painting Begins."

"From Green, to Autumn, Transition Begins."