The arts and colour of a "Hidden Valley." Vistas, Views and Arts of Felley Priory Gardens on a Summer Afternoon.

There really is something quite magical about the county of Nottinghamshire, for it is "a county of interesting landscapes, rolling hills, hidden valleys, heathland, woodland and a whole lot more that is just waiting to be explored. Yet somehow it is a county that seems to be left off the map by a lot of landscape photographers." Which is a real shame, because as a county goes Nottinghamshire really is a county that offers so many views, vistas and subjects to capture and photograph. And it was on Friday the 31st of July 2026, that a visit to the historical Felley Priory was on the cards, a location that I had not visited in a number of years, and a location that is located in an aptly named Hidden Valley, a location that has suburbia in close reach, but seems a world away from the rushes of modern life, a location in which various wildlife can be seen and heard and somehow a location which seems ever so slightly slower paced, perhaps even a a place where time does move slightly slower. 

And after a delightful lunch in the lovely tearooms, it was then time to explore the gardens of Felley Priory - yes the heatwave had changed the surrounding landscape, but walking around the delightful gardens I came across an area of peace, tranquillity, arts and colour, that was just exquisite to see - and below are the photos that I had managed to capture. 

"The arts of The Border. Elements of Colour they Grow."

"Hydrangea: A Complex Work of Art and Nature."

"Shapes and Layers of Green, Pink and Orange Glow."

"Under Blue, the frame of The Landscape."

"Under the Blue of a Felley Serenity."

"The Serenity of Summer, a Scene of Beauty and Peace."

"Life Framed."

"Summer Dreaming, by The Water."

"A Time for Reflection, Summer Dreaming."

"Framing a Peaceful Scene. Felley during Summer Glow."

"Layers of The Garden Arts."

"Painted is the Landscape. A Summer of Beauty."

"The Palette of Colour."

"Pink, Beauty and Colour."

"Impressionism Planted."

"A Felley kind of Frame."

"The Hidden Valley, Views and Peace."

"As the Eyes enter the View."

Finding arts and seeking shade, what I found within the woodlands by the side of Moorgreen Reservoir.

There are certain places that no matter how many times you re-visit them "always seem to hold various new compositions that are awaiting to be captured." And one of those locations happens to be a stretch of Moorgreen Woodlands and the section of the woodlands that is situated on the banks of the aptly named - Moorgreen Reservoir. For the last time I had visited it was of course at the end of May 2026, the Bluebells had all but gone, however there was a sea of Wild Garlic growing, but fast forward a couple of months to July 2026, and a return to these delightful woodlands was on the cards, yes a lack of rain and continual heat has of course meant that things had changed since last time, but walking along the delightful pathway, amongst the shade of the woodlands, well what I came across was an art gallery of layers and elements that woodlands offer and somehow manage to sooth the mind, and below are the photos that I managed to capture. 

"The Pathway of Shade and Summer Solitude."

"Into the Oasis of Green and Layers of Summer Lush."

"The Petrified Forest within The Summer Woodlands." - (And the back story behind this photo or what these strange petrified looking plants are, well they are Rhododendrons, that back in Late Spring were looking beautiful and colourful. Of course fast forward to July, and after a number of Heatwaves they had ended up looking like this, and there was just something slightly spooky perhaps about seeing these Rhododendrons in this state.)

"Light, Shade, Woodland it Glows."

"Serene is the Woodland Scene."

"Green fades to Orange Fire Like Glow."

"The Sculpture of Summer Woodland."

"A Square of Natures Arts and Layers. For is that Autumnal Elements I do See?"

When the conditions force you to capture the landscape in a different kind of way. Seeing the landscape in the "Ansel Adams" way.

As a season goes, Summer can be glorious, with perfect conditions for photography, but at the same time Summer is one of those seasons that can be "marmite like and bland." And when you take into account and add a heatwave into the mixture of things, along with some clear blue skies and golden fields full of barley/wheat, plus of course parched grass and a parched landscape, well that can also wreak havoc and make things that little bit more challenging for photography. So what is the solution? Well it is rather simple and it is to simply,

"Travel back in time and to take a leaf out of the world of Ansel Adams and his photography. Capture the landscape in Black and White, see the beauty of the landscape in a more unique way."

And that is exactly what I did do on the afternoon of Sunday the 19th of July 2026, when I was looking across the countryside that surrounds Moorgreen, Beauvale/Beauvale Priory and of course the fields of Greasley, and what I came across was just magical, and below are the photos that I managed to capture. 

"The Lone Tree and the Field waiting for Harvest." - (A little side note is that the black element within the field is more than likely soil? Which can be used to create a firebreak if a wildfire did occur.)

"Across the rolling fields, under a clear sky."

"An Ansel of a Beauvale View."

"As the lane passes by the Summer Landscapes."

"Out there in the Fields."

"Auger Time."

"The Combine and The Tractor. And Mr Auger."

"The Waiting Game at the side of The Field."

Finding signs of a "False Autumn?!" The magical scenes of Thorseby Park.

"The Dukeries area of Nottinghamshire, is one of those areas of the county that has so much history and a rich and varied landscape, rolling vistas, hills and a gentleness to it." And it was on Saturday the 4th of July 2026, that I had the chance to visit one of those locations within the aptly named area of The Dukeries, that one being Thorseby Park, located right next door to the majestic Thorseby Hall, a majestic hall that was designed by the architect Anthony Salvin - who was the architect behind Harlexton Manor, in the Vale of Belvoir. But as I was walking around Thorseby Park, I was taken away, yes by the beauty and undulation of the landscape, the woodlands that had a delightful dappled light to them that made them a little more spectacular, if slightly serene, but at the same time what did I come across? 

Well that was also the signs of something called a "False Autumn." And amongst the otherwise green and lush woodlands, down below with the otherwise green Ferns, an unusual sight could be seen, and that of course was the ferns looking slightly Autumnal, but perhaps though these ferns and their more Autumnal looking colours, are the signs of an False Autumn that is on the horizon, but I also came across the magical scenes as well, and below are the photos that I captured on Saturday the 4th of July 2026, from Thorseby Park. 

"The Silent Tree Sculptures Grow."

"Eden Green and Woodland Glow."

"The Shine of Woodland Green."

"Summer Autumn, Hybrid Glow."

"A Portrait of Green, Yellow and Amber."

"False Autumn Show."

"On the turn amongst the Green of Summer Glow."

"By the summer banks of The Meden."

Colours within an art gallery surrounded by Suburbia, and a bit of "Confusion?!"

Suburbia and urban areas really are rather "complex systems of planning." But throughout the years there has always been that element of creating areas for people to escape the many four walls, concrete and bricks that Suburbia and urban areas are known for and that element of creating areas for people to escape happens to be parkland, no matter which city or town you are within there will always be some kind of park or parkland or even parks. And on Sunday the 14th of June 2026, the local park was calling, for it was a friend who said something along the following lines the other week which was,

"Have you seen the beautiful Wildflowers on the local park?"

Me, I said no, but I had seen other photos of the Wildflowers on the park that my friend was on about. And as Sunday the 14th of June progressed and time went on, it was finally in the afternoon that I took the metaphorical plunge and ended up visiting the local park, where I came across swathes of colour, for it was like walking around an art gallery, with the various wildflowers carefully blending together almost like a Monet painting, and walking around the park and of course the small but beautiful sections of woodland that the park contains, I also encountered a bit of confusion, for it is certainly Meteorological Summer and yet I also encountered some rather early Conkers already growing! For is Summer going to have something of a false Autumn element to it, or is there going to be a rather early Autumn that arrives at the latter end of Summer? Who knows. But below are the photos that I had captured walking around the local park. 

"Sea of Purple."

"The Portrait of Summer Colours."

"Where the red and colours Glow."

"Floating over a Sea of Colour."

"As Nature Grows the Art."

"A Painting, a Work of Art as it Grows."

"Layers and Elements of Summer Arts."

"The Three Red Poppies stand there Guard."

"When nature paints a Painting before me."

"A City of Colour, a city of Floral Delight."

"The Summer Dreamscape."

"Where the Gentle Red and Green it Glows."

"Summertime Confused?"

"A Portal to Woodland Calm."

"Light and the Woodland Dreamscape."