Friday the 28th of February 2025, A cat, a Fiddle and a Windmill. The quirks of and unusual parts of Derbyshire that you probably did not know existed.

Derbyshire is one of those counties of "many various contrasts." For it is a county that is famed for having the famous landscapes of the Derbyshire Dales and White Peak with its limestone geology that has shaped the landscape, to the more dramatic Dark Peak and the moorlands that can be found, yet when you step away from the more touristy hotspots and trails that Derbyshire is known for, you can come across some pretty interesting and unique places, and it was just yesterday on the 28th of February 2025, that a visit to the aptly named "The Windmill Farm" was on the cards, yes it might have been the last day of February 2025, the last day of Winter or at least metrological Winter - and yet somehow it was more akin to Spring, the light was just perfect and the landscape with its vistas and views extending from Derbyshire towards Nottinghamshire was just something else to behold, and whilst The Windmill Farm is located between West Hallam and Kirk Hallam/Ilkeston, a part of Derbyshire that is perhaps that little bit more, 

"Underexplored and off the beaten track."

What I came across yesterday was a landscape of beauty, a landscape in which suburbia gives way to gentle rolling Derbyshire hills, and the borderlands of Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire in the distance, the town of Ilkeston on the horizon and Ilkeston itself is a town that upon first appearances might seem a little bit forgotten and yet it is also a town that has a curious and interesting history that is waiting to be discovered, yet a short distance away from Ilkeston is a landscape that is ignored by many that seems somehow that little bit more beautiful with its interesting landscape and hidden vistas and vies that are just waiting to be discovered. (If you want to find out more information about The Cat and Fiddle Windmill then you can do here: http://www.mapperleyhistory.com/Villages/Dale%20Abbey/Dale-Abbey-1.html)

"As far as the eyes can see, a Panorama of Beauty, Derbyshire to Nottinghamshire in the distance" - (Panorama)

"Rolling and gentle Derbyshire Landscapes, off the Beaten Track."

"Just gently floating near the Mill."

Thursday the 27th of February 2025, Where Suburbia meets Water World. The beauty and magic of Beeston Rylands and Beeston Marina.

Situated just a short distance away from Nottingham and its city centre is a Suburb called Beeston, upon appearances it might seem "quite simply like any other suburban area of Nottingham." And yet when you delve closer you come across a suburb built upon the industries of yesteryear, and of course textiles with clues such as old silk mills that have now been converted into accommodation, yet Beeston is also a popular suburb due to its close proximity to The University of Nottingham, with many students who call Beeston home. Yet Beeston is also close by to The River Trent, and a short five minute drive from the hustle and bustle of Beeston, you end up at Beeston Rylands - here of course things feel different, clues that Suburbia meeting the waters edge can be seen, and it was on Thursday the 27th of February 2025, that I had visited Beeston Rylands, and of course Beeston Marina, a community that exists with the influences of The River Trent and The Beeston Canal and provides an interesting landscape, for this is truly,

"Where Suburbia meets Water World."

And me, well after a delightful lunch at The Boathouse Café, at Beeston Marina, I had to send the drone up and capture the unique landscape down below - and yet under a delightful and beautiful spring sky, it was strange to think that this serene part of Beeston and this suburban area of Nottingham, is only a short distance away from the city centre of Nottingham, and yet somehow it seems a world away.

"The Trent, The Canal, a Unique Water World."

"The beauty of The Weir"

"Suburbia, The Canal, The quirky and interesting landscape of The Rylands."

"Boats and Buildings, life at the edge of the water."

"Where Suburbs and Water they meet" - (Panorama)

Monday the 24th of February 2025, A welcome return to Blue Skies and a sense and feeling of Spring within the air.

Oh really February 2025, you really have been meh! Grey as well, but as the month has progressed you have managed to present some surprises, and as the end of February has come around - the grey Winter weather seems to have metaphorically broken and has given way to some beautiful almost Spring like skies, and on Monday the 24th of February 2025, what did I just have to do, but to capture the late afternoon skies, a lovely shade of blue and of course the views of the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire borderlands of Suburbia stretching down to The Erewash Valley in the distance, for it was magical to see and yes despite only capturing the following three photos, 

"Encroaching elements of Spring could be felt in the air."

"The opulent light, a glorious sky."

"Over Suburbia, to The Erewash Valley, a Gentle Winter Light, a feeling like Spring is on the way."

"The magic of a late February light."

Tuesday the 4th of February 2025, Sometimes you just have to capture something with moments to spare.

"And in a split second I noticed something, the light was doing something truly magical and magnificent and me I had moments to spare, literally moments to spare and with that I just had to capture the last moments of a glorious Sunset."

The month of February has arrived and with that a noticeable change is happening, for a start in the afternoon/evening there is a little bit more daylight and with that, yes Winter is still to some degree, lingering and clinging on, but a transition is also happening and that is Winter slowly beginning to give way to what can only be described as "elements of the encroaching season of Spring." But it was on Tuesday the 4th of February that I noticed the sky was doing something truly spectacular, a glorious sunset was beginning to take place, and me well I just had to send the drone up to capture the last moments of this glorious sunset with literally only moments to spare, and sure enough I did, but here is the result, it might only be one photo but within photography some of the best photographs are captured with only moments to spare. 

"The Urban Fire Sky Glow."

Sunday the 2nd of February 2025, When it is still seasonally Winter and yet it feels as if it could be Spring! Views and vistas from The Chapel on The Hill.

The last time that I had visited The Chapel on The Hill, situated just above the Nottinghamshire town of Kimberley was on the 13th of November 2024 - a Wednesday and of course that was when a transition from Autumn to Winter was taking place, seasonally though it was classed as Winter and did it feel like it? Perhaps it did, but of course the light was doing something truly magical and magnificent to say the least and I was completely taken away, however though Winter has been so far, from the end of 2024 to now a bit "meh!" To say the least, the weather has not been that good and and whilst Winter has not exactly been really cold, it has been grey and with quite a lot of rainfall, plus storms which have passed through. 

But today though, a change and that was the "welcome return of the Blue Sky!" And of course that came with another question? Just where to capture? Where would be a good place to get vistas and views, perhaps even with a Spring element to them? And before long, a decision had been made to re-visit the beautiful and charming Chapel on The Hill, perched high above the Nottinghamshire town of Kimberley, plus with the sky being clear, on the horizon due North West it was possible to see Crich Stand and Alport Height just visible on the horizon. 

And yet amazingly, with the glorious sunshine, gentle light and blue skies, I almost forgot that seasonally it is still Winter, for this time around it felt as if it was Spring, and the conditions were perfect for capturing the following photographs. 

"The Town and The Chapel."

"Just floating and soaring. The Winter light, feels like it could be Spring."

"The magic of the gentle Winter light."

"The bare trees of Winter, a Chapel of a light and glow."

"Forms, Shapes, Shades and Light."

"The Trees of Winter bare, a Glow below."

"The Beauty, The Bypass, a Winter light that shines."

"Arts of the Chapel and The Road for The Commute."

"Floating and Soaring, Patterns and Abstracts, the beauty of Architecture."

"Quirky is the Chapel, Abstracts and Arts under the Winter Light."

"A slight change of Perspective, the beauty of The Chapel."

"Beauty from 400ft. Gentle below is the Chapel."

"Shades, Glorious Light, for is this Artwork?"

"Architecture, Light, Winter a Glow."

"Patterns and Arts, the Delightful afternoon light and the beauty of the Serene Chapel Below."

"Pathways, Circles, Bare Trees, The beauty and Unique exist."