314 - Returning from a cold but very pleasant walk around Rawcliffe Lake, on Clifton Moor, I noticed these rather bold reflections in the still water of the lake.
The circuit of the lake is an interesting short walk. The landscape is completely artificial. For many years up to the 1980s the area was a disused airfield, but then came development. A new northern ring road around York allowed change to take place. Over 1000 houses, an industrial estate, leisure facilities and out of town shopping arrived here.
The land here was quite wet and poorly drained, with clay soils, so to aid land drainage a lake was created. Much of the material excavated to create the lake was used along the River Ouse to create the city's flood defences.
A small open space around the lake has trees and shrubs planted, and there are benches to sit and enjoy the views. In places the new housing comes quite close to the lake shore, giving residents a good view over the lake too.
It's good to read the history behind the landscape. I wonder if it was a wartime airfield, and whether, on moonlit nights, you can still hear the planes...
Thank you Janet. It started life as a municipal aerodrome before the war, but was taken over by the military and concrete runways were built. It was used as a repair base rather than as an active airbase. After the war it was used to demolish unwanted aircraft. Apparently many Halifax bombers were dismantled here.
Thank you Brian. It's a bit sad that virtually nothing of the earlier airbase survives - just a couple of gateposts that were the original entrance to the base, and some air raid shelters slowly being lost in the undergrowth in a nearby patch of woodland.
I like gentle curves in the picture.
The background note are, as always, excellent.
Thank you Hazel - the smooth lake is quite rare, since there are so many birds on it.
Thank you Debra - normally the many birds (especially Canada Geese) here stop the lake being this smooth
Thank you Frank - it was nice to find part of the lake this smooth.
Thank you Michael, glad you like it!
Thank you Janet. It started life as a municipal aerodrome before the war, but was taken over by the military and concrete runways were built. It was used as a repair base rather than as an active airbase. After the war it was used to demolish unwanted aircraft. Apparently many Halifax bombers were dismantled here.
Thank you Therese, glad you like it!
Thank you David, it's a very pleasant corner of the lake. Glad you enjoyed the history summary - the full story is a fascinating tale!
Thank you Paul, glad you like it.
Thank you Judith - for once the birds on here were not creating ripples!
Thank you Lee - I was fortunate to find the lake as smooth as this.
Thank you Bob - it could almost work either way up!
Thank you Malc - it's rarely this smooth because of the large number of birds on it.
Thank you Alison - it was a really still day.
Thank you Cecilia, glad you like it - and thank you for the follow!
Thank you Vesna, it's rare the lake is this smooth because there are so many birds on it.
Thank you Pyrrhula - the houses here have a lovely view over the lake.
Thank you Ladyjane - it's not often that the lake is this smooth, because there are usually a lot of birds found on it
Thank you Tony, and thank you for the fav! Glad you enjoyed the history too.
Thank you Christine, glad you enjoyed the view and the history.
Thank you Sebastien - I did consider a tighter crop, but I thought that put too much emphasis on the buildings.
Thank you Stevie - I was fortunate to find the lake this smooth, because there are normally a lot of birds on it.
Thank you Brian. It's a bit sad that virtually nothing of the earlier airbase survives - just a couple of gateposts that were the original entrance to the base, and some air raid shelters slowly being lost in the undergrowth in a nearby patch of woodland.
Thank you Netkonnexion - conditions were really still and there were no birds to create ripples, so the addition of sunshine made conditions ideal.
Thank you Tanja, conditions were ideal for this shot yesterday.
Thank you Tara, the lake isn't usually that smooth, because there are usually lots of birds on it.