The simple views and delights of the first day of "Meteorological Spring." For the vistas and views of Moorgreen, and the delights of Greasley Church, was just bliss to see.

"Thank Goodness for that. Winter, Meteorological Winter is now gone and what is here instead? Well that of course is Meteorological Spring, a time in which the landscape will now begin to change quite rapidly with new life, new colour and beauty that can be seen as nature begins to awaken again after being in a rather deep sleep throughout the bare of Winter."

And it was on Sunday the 1st of March 2026 that with Spring in the air, that I just had to get out, the first place of course was Moorgreen - complete with its stunning vistas and views over towards the historic Beauvale Priory in the distance, an element of warmth and the landscape looking that little bit more alive. Okay the woodlands of Moorgreen perhaps were not back to their usual lush and green looks, but that did not matter as the landscape just looked beautiful, the bareness of Winter seeping away slowly, and below are the photos that I managed to capture.

"The sense of Spring, an afternoon Greasley Scene."

"Across those rolling beginning of Spring Landscapes."

"The Priory and Green Lands."

"Over the Hedgerow, and Green Lands a Glow."

"Rolling Panorama of Moorgreen towards the Priory."

"Like a Painting, the Landscape of Green and Colour return."

A short while after encountering and capturing those views, it was then a short drive back towards the historic Greasley Church, where of course I wanted to capture the first elements of Spring, and with that some incredibly simple yet beautiful compositions is what I found, with a delightful afternoon light, and of course Daffodils and Crocuses - making for some truly magical photographic opportunities and those photos can be seen here. 

"A Greasley Spring Panorama Sings."

"The afternoon light, the Spring Colours provide a Delight."

"A Greasley of a Spring Postcard Scene."

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."

Taking a look back at a memory. The beauty of abandoned now sadly lost forever, the mysterious "Oakhurst House."

"2024 seems like a distant memory, and to many it probably is, but to me it is still very much in the back of the mind." And that is because in 2024 I decided to enter my first photographic competition, that of course was for the Beauvale Horticultural Show's (Photography Competition Section) and the criteria for that was the following, 

"Abandoned Buildings and Architecture."

Something that when I looked at the criteria immediately raised questions, for where was I going to find abandoned Architecture and Buildings? In the back of the mind one place stood out to me and that of course was the giant red brick mill that dominates the skyline of Belper, and yes I did manage to get some photos of that - but another place that I had heard about was "Oakhurst House." not only had I heard about it, I had also read about this mysterious house that was located within the lower flanks of Shining Cliff Woods, an area of woodland on the opposite side of The River Derwent, at the beautiful and delightful settlement of Ambergate, an area of woodland that throughout the year seems ethereal and mysterious, yet lends itself as the perfect place for Woodland Photography. But hold on? I had also heard and read that Oakhurst House was of course abandoned, but roughly what was the history of this house? Well it was the following,

"Oakhurst House was a house situated within Shining Cliff Woods, it was originally built as a Forge House, prior to 1848. However in 1848 the house was rebuilt by Francis Hurst for his family, behind his Iron Forge in Ambergate (now the location of Shining Cliff Distillery.) Between 1888 and 1894 the house was extended with various neo-Jacobean Arts and Crafts elements added to the building. During later years, and from WW2 onwards the house was subsequently divided into 12 flats - however the deteriorating condition of the properties meant that in the 1970s the property would be vacated, and since then despite efforts to save it, the building was left to go to a sad state of disrepair."

And of course it was in 2024 that I was fortunate enough to take a bit of time to capture this interesting and unique building, below of course are the photos of Oakhurst House that I managed to capture. But in January 2026 I learnt something else. 

"A Sense of Oakhurst Grey."

"The Elements of Silence."

"Atmosphere along the track."

"Smile for you are on."

"The view upwards, hearing the sound of the Woods."

"Blended in Style."

"The Silence of Oakhurst."

"For the house and Trees."

"Timber, Bricks, Foliage Combined."

"Additions, Wood, Timber, Bricks."

"Abstraction, Black and White."

"Haunted Elements, Abandoned Beauty."

"A Sense of Mystery and Questions."

"The last I saw of Oakhurst."

Sadly I learnt in January of 2026 that this once grand building, that looked to many "like a haunted house." Had sadly been demolished and bought to the ground. When I look back at the photos that I had captured back in 2024, I am pleased that I managed to see this architectural gem, with its unique and interesting history, but now I just question - why was this building not saved, not preserved? Not really that well known about, for it surely is a building that should have been saved and not left to decay and die, yes there is the costs involved in restoring a building like this, but come on, to save something like this building and to preserve it would have been something else to behold. Another gem of a building gone, and what a shame, what sadness it has bought to me learning that it has gone, that it has been demolished, and instead what is left? Memories and photos, I just wonder if there is anything physical left behind as surely that should be in some museum somewhere within Derbyshire providing a point of reflection for this once grand and mysterious looking house that stood in this beautiful woodland. I shall now say - RIP Oakhurst House, for you were a building of abandoned beauty that is now lost forever.