by Steve Tanham
(📩 300 words, a five-minute read)
Roundhay Park in north Leeds. I had stepped in at short notice to drive over the Pennines to help ‘toddler- sit’ our grandson.
He was under the weather; possibly teething, and had been sent home from nursery. Dad – my son – was abroad on business and unable to return at short notice.
A well wrapped-up walk with the grandson in his buggy was in order; giving mum some precious time to get on with working from home.
Just me and the young lad, who, I’m told – and apropos of nothing – could play for Yorkshire at cricket, since he was born there. The rest of our Lancashire-bred family is, of course, distraught at the prospect.
Roundhay park is famous for its birdlife. The 700 acres boasts a huge lake as the centrepiece of literally dozens of walking routes.
The park is beautiful, and has over a million visitors each year. One stroll around it tells you why.
©Stephen Tanham 2024
All photos taken and processed on an iPhone 12 ProMax.
Stephen Tanham is a writer-photographer and mystical teacher. He is the founding Director of the Silent Eye, which offers an intuitionally-guided journey from the state of conscious personality to the awakening of realised personal Self and its world of Being.
There are two blog streams:
(mystically-oriented writing)
and
(general interest, poetry and travel)
Sun in Gemini 
Beautiful photo ^^;
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Thank you, Yolanda 😊
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I hope the little one is feeling better, Steve. What a wonderful parkland!
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I’m sure he’s mended, now. Michael. Roundhay (locally ‘Round-ay, flat vowels) is a gem, and the cafe is really a cafe-restaurant and wonderful; classy and friendly. An excellent destination for your little blue car?
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The little blue car is sheltering from the foul weather at the moment, Steve, but looking forward to getting back out there. 🙂
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My recommendation would be Ilkley (Cafe 39)at the western end of the Main Street – you can park on the road lower down the hill -, the a further 45 mins to Roundhay in Leeds, an hour’s walk in the park. Lunch in the park at the Lakesides cafe, another hour’s walk round the other half of the park …. Then home and snooze. 😊
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That sounds like a grand day out. 👍🙂
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Lovely post and photos Steve. I hope the young lad is feeling better. Feeding the ducks always raises the spirits. Our park doesn’t seem to have as many and last year, we didn’t see a single gosling. We have been told that sometimes the nests are raided to keep numbers down, but none at all?? I wonder if the main flock has found somewhere else.
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Thank you, Di ❤️. I do hope your duck population recovers!
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We never did find out what happened to Geraldine. Most of the duck broods last year were killed by gulls, hawks or crows.
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So sad ❤️
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Very, but Nature at Her worst. Three years ago we did see four female mallards gang up on a seagull and almost drown it when it went for the babies. It was quite vicious, and we were rooting for the ducks.
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I would have, too!
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