Here’s a cheeky little piece based on my Easter constitutional round Heron’s Reach and my black and white snaps in the chill but bright Spring light.
This area was partly a war time airfield and some of that infrastructure is still used as part of Blackpool Zoo. Other areas were used for landfill for many years. When that finished, the area was left to grow and paths were put in to make a country park.
This is one of Blackpool’s green lungs. There’s a lot of biodiversity. The area leads to the Marton Mere site of special scientific interest (SSSI) where otters have been sited.
There’s nothing like that almost strangely clear Spring light to bring out the texture in everyday objects. Bark is particularly nice in this respect.
Recent rain made some areas boggy, but this could be navigated. I read that the Mere used to extend as far as East Park Drive, so without ancient drainage projects, I would have been swimming.
It was good to see so many people out in the sun, including family groups. A good few had friendly dogs. Despite being cat man, I do like dogs too. Occasionally someone would say hello, as though sociability was coming back into fashion.
Coming out on to the National Cycle Network 62 part of the path system, I found a sign for the public right of way to Stanley Park across the golf course and decided to try this. I had some trepidation, but a lady golfer gave me a friendly greeting. One was expected to follow between white painted stones, but these gave out quite quickly. I pressed on in an intuitive line and came out quite close to the park, hoping a golf ball would not bonk me on the head.
My film had run out some time before. The counter said I’d used 36 frames, but I knew this wasn’t right. On getting the negatives back, half the film (my last roll of favourite HP5: other films are available) was unexposed. Of the frames exposed, a clearly faulty shutter had spoiled several, although some heroic cropping has squeezed an image out of a couple.
So, it appears that my lovely and now favourite Zorki Soviet camera will have to go back to the shop for repairs. You can see from the image clarity provided by the camera’s Jupiter lens why I really want to keep this camera going.
Having survived death by golf ball, I ambled through to Stanley Park, bought an Americano and sat behind the lion above the Italian gardens to drink my beverage and just watch the world go by for a bit. The park was full of people wanting the simple pleasures it offers. Good to see.
Shame about the mechnical breakdown, but that’s one of the perils of using obsolete kit. I enjoyed this stroll out and I hope you like these pictures I managed to get out of it. Thank you Jesus for providing me with this bank holiday.
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