Earthwatcher's photos

A winter's day in Ecclesall Woods, south-west Sheffield A fine spreading beech tree on the higher ground in the western part of Ecclesall Woods, overlooking the Limb Valley.

A winter's day in Ecclesall Woods, south-west Sheffield I liked the almost monochromatic and rather chaotic look of this trackless part of Ecclesall Woods.

A winter's day in Ecclesall Woods, south-west Sheffield This is the remaining stump of a tree (beech?) which had its top felled by gales a few years previously. Various fungi, and no doubt many other living things, are taking over and finding a new home. Nothing is ever wasted in nature.

Who can resist the hypnotic stare of a sheep?! Taken at Whirlow Hall Farm, south-west Sheffield.

I do like sheep! Taken at Whirlow Hall Farm, south-west Sheffield.

It was a soft, rather misty winter's morning with the sun just breaking through, revealing layers of trees looking over towards Totley on the south-west side of Sheffield. Photo taken from a field at Whirlow Hall Farm.

The Mayfield Valley is a small but picturesque side-valley off the main Porter Valley near Fulwood, on the west side of Sheffield. It's a nice setting at any time of year but especially in its autumn colours. This view is looking towards Mill House Animal Sanctury and Mill View Farm.

Autumn scene in Clough Lane in the Porter Valley near Fulwood, on the west side of Sheffield.

Beech trees on an early Autumn morning in the Limb Valley, Whirlow, Sheffield.

My favourite stile and gateway at the edge of the woodland on an early Autumn morning in the Limb Valley, Whirlow, Sheffield. I call it the 'Gateway to Heaven' from its appearance on previous photos:

Fenney Lane is a very old trackway or hollow way, possibly a former packhorse route. This part of the route runs from Whirlow Hall Farm towards the Limb Valley. Part of its length has this beautiful stone wall, perhaps dating from the 18th or 19th century, constructed from the local Rough Rock sandstone (Upper Carboniferous, Namurian 'Millstone Grit', age) which was extensively quarried nearby for walling and building stone. I loved the subdued greens and browns on this gentle Autumn morning.

Fenney Lane is a very old trackway or hollow way, possibly a former packhorse route. This part of the route runs from Whirlow Hall Farm towards the Limb Valley. Part of its length has this beautiful stone wall, perhaps dating from the 18th or 19th century, constructed from the local Rough Rock sandstone (Upper Carboniferous, Namurian 'Millstone Grit', age) which was extensively quarried nearby for walling and building stone. I loved the subdued greens and browns on this gentle Autumn morning.

A close-up of seed heads of the Common hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) on the edge of the Limb Valley woodland, Whirlow, Sheffield.

A few photos of the River Porter waterfall in spate on 8th November 2019, following a few days of continuous rain. One of the secret places of Sheffield's countryside, this waterfall is in the upper reaches of the River Porter between Ringinglow and Fulwood Mills. Here the Porter flows over a 4 metre-high bench of Redmires Flags, part of the 'Millstone Grit' series in the Upper Carboniferous. There was perhaps even more water coming over the falls shortly after the notorious Sheffield floods in June 2007: But normally it is quite a docile river, looking like this in low-flow times:

A few photos of the River Porter waterfall in spate on 8th November 2019, following a few days of continuous rain. One of the secret places of Sheffield's countryside, this waterfall is in the upper reaches of the River Porter between Ringinglow and Fulwood Mills. Here the Porter flows over a 4 metre-high bench of Redmires Flags, part of the 'Millstone Grit' series in the Upper Carboniferous. There was perhaps even more water coming over the falls shortly after the notorious Sheffield floods in June 2007: But normally it is quite a docile river, looking like this in low-flow times:

A few photos of the River Porter waterfall in spate on 8th November 2019, following a few days of continuous rain. One of the secret places of Sheffield's countryside, this waterfall is in the upper reaches of the River Porter between Ringinglow and Fulwood Mills. Here the Porter flows over a 4 metre-high bench of Redmires Flags, part of the 'Millstone Grit' series in the Upper Carboniferous. There was perhaps even more water coming over the falls shortly after the notorious Sheffield floods in June 2007: But normally it is quite a docile river, looking like this in low-flow times:

A few photos of the River Porter waterfall in spate on 8th November 2019, following a few days of continuous rain. One of the secret places of Sheffield's countryside, this waterfall is in the upper reaches of the River Porter between Ringinglow and Fulwood Mills. Here the Porter flows over a 4 metre-high bench of Redmires Flags, part of the 'Millstone Grit' series in the Upper Carboniferous. There was perhaps even more water coming over the falls shortly after the notorious Sheffield floods in June 2007: But normally it is quite a docile river, looking like this in low-flow times:

A few photos of the River Porter waterfall in spate on 8th November 2019, following a few days of continuous rain. One of the secret places of Sheffield's countryside, this waterfall is in the upper reaches of the River Porter between Ringinglow and Fulwood Mills. Here the Porter flows over a 4 metre-high bench of Redmires Flags, part of the 'Millstone Grit' series in the Upper Carboniferous. There was perhaps even more water coming over the falls shortly after the notorious Sheffield floods in June 2007: But normally it is quite a docile river, looking like this in low-flow times: