Moods and Grey. Yet somehow the Canal Basin at Langley Mill was just so serene with a strange element of beauty.

The end of February of 2026 could easily be described as being "something akin to a mixed bag, weather wise!" And that of course is because to a degree, a break in the continuous grey, damp and meh weather that had been in metaphorical force, since January had been in place. Yes, only six or seven decent days with anything like sun or blue skies were visible. But towards the end of February 2026, this last week and well things began to break, and thankfully the return of sunshine and blue sky, this time of course delicately intertwined with the signs and elements of the arrival of Meteorological Spring. However though despite the return of sunshine and blue skies, there were of course some days, in which the grey, gloomy and damp weather did make a brief return, and it was on Friday the 27th of February 2026 that a chance visit to Langley Mill, meant that I had time to capture the delightful and magical Canal Basin. 

And whilst this unique and picturesque canal basin, that signals both the start/end points of the Cromford/Erewash Canal(s) looks beautiful in much better weather, with sunshine and blue skies, well that was not exactly the case on Friday the 27th of February, with the return once again of grey and damp weather, however though it did mean that I had to be slightly inventive and this time around I ended up capturing the serenity and stillness of the basin in a more moody way, with Black and White, and below are the photographs that I had managed to capture.

"February Moods and Grey. The Serene of The Basin."

"The two barges."

"The Two Barges of Old and the Modern elements."

"Lock Side Beauty."

"Serenity and the Lock Gate."

"Serene as the Water flows through the Gates."

"A Simple View, A Basin Side of Life."

"The House, Reflections and The Tollhouse."

"Reflections and The Way of Waterside Life."

"Atmosphere and The Boatyard."

"Gliding through the end of Winter Grey."

Even within the "February Cold and Grey." Beauty and Abstracts can still be seen, finding magic at Shipley Hill.

To say that the start of 2026 has been largely meh, claggy and grey - well that would be a massive understatement, and whilst there has only been something like six or seven days of anything that has included elements of sunshine and blue sky, well the rest has just been grey.  Still though that is to be expected what with it seasonally still being Winter. But it was on Wednesday the 18th of February 2026 that a visit to Shipley Country Park, was on the metaphorical cards, and a walk around Shipley Hill/Horsepool Hill, a location that I have visited on many occasions that no matter what always has something to capture, and despite it being cold and grey, well beauty and abstract artworks could still be seen, and below is what I managed to capture. 

"The Winter Woodlands so Bare."

"Elements faded, Elements they Hold On."

"The Abstract Elements of Brick. Art in the Works."

"Green in Winter Shine."

"Layers, Shades, Elements of Green."

"Growth and Monochrome Beauty."

"Elements and Rhododendrons." 

"Tentacles of Green."

"The City under Rhododendron." 

"Into Bud, for it is still Winter."

 

"Woodland Elements a Grow."

"Wall of Green."

"The Bleak elements of Winter Woodland."

"When a Tree becomes Sculpture."

"Venus in The Bark."

"Icehouse."