York Walks /2

By the riverside, to Fulford

Photographed on 16 March 2004

I went up the riverside to see the Millennium Bridge, which I'd not seen at close range. I intended to walk over it and come back, but I ended up carrying on up the riverside, towards Fulford, where I thought I could visit St Oswald's Hall, which I did . . . and then as it was such a lovely afternoon, I carried on walking even further, to Fulford Ings.

Path by the riverside

Sheds and signs

Shed, blending in, in a weathered kind of way  

Sign quoting Inclosure Act 1857 (section 12)

I saw very few buildings on my riverside walk, and the ones I saw were way over a field and too far away to photograph, so instead I thought I should take a photo of this lovely shed.

 

I love these old officious signs.

The sign below, from the Ramblers' Association, says it's the Minster Way . ..

 

. . . and other signs say it's also the Millennium Way

Ramblers' Association sign   Millennium Way sign

. . . So down the footpath of many names I continued, and found the first signs of spring, as well as some grand old trees. I think there was some historic battle on Fulford Ings, where I walked, but if so, nature has disguised the area well. All I found was trees and flowers.

     

Grand old trees, and signs of spring

Fine gnarly old tree   Fallen tree

Above: fine old gnarly tree hanging on to the riverbank

 

Above: fallen tree reclaimed by nature and covered in moss and grass

     

And below, all the natural wonders I discovered around Fulford Ings.

Daffodils in bud. There were loads of these already flowering, but I prefer them in bud, so here's some, growing in the middle of a load of brown old vegetation

  Furry fluffy catkin things
   

 

More furry bits of shrubs and trees   More unidentified but beautiful furry fluffy things
     
Hawthorn leaves just opening   Some type of licheny thing, on an old tree trunk. Lovely though, isn't it.
     
Beautiful crocuses, opening to the sun  

Left: a clump of crocus discovered in the middle of last year's dried and dead vegetation. How did they get there?

Perfect crocuses, perfect walk.

Related pages:

At the other side of town, another riverside walk – York Walks /3: Rawcliffe Meadows, in summer 2004. For more areas full of wildlife and natural beauty, see York Walks /3: York Cemetery, also revisited in autumn, and for yet more autumn colour, York Walks /4: Homestead Park.