An Ampthill Park Visit

I wondered whether the small pond in Ampthill Park might hold some interest, so I parked the car and grabbed  the EOS 5D MkIII with the 24-70mm lens and before I even entered spotted a squirrel and thought it seemed reasonably bold, but found that had I chosen a longer lens then my distance would have been fine, but on moving closer the animal decided that was a step too far! He took to the higher branches of the nearby tree, and was soon hidden by the foliage, or certainly at least my eyes!

I had better luck with another a short way further, but if squirrels were to be the subject I would need to choose something longer from the car, and on this occasion, it did not hold much interest. I ended up capturing a few shots by the banks of the small pond which I believe is known as Westminster Pond, though why I have no idea. There was a lone angler there, but I soon learned he was actually packing up to leave after apparently a successful morning.

I did find that there were several very bleached dead trees set against the greener living neighbours, but the grass surrounding was still closer to hay in colour, but the sky was a brilliant and clear blue, fading somewhat in the distance. When I first arrived there were a few dogwalkers, but within a short while, it would seem the call had gone out for every dog owner in Bedfordshire to head for the park; almost every car that now drew up was disgorging at least one dog, but many with two or more. I suppose it was lunchtime, but I still found the numbers to be extraordinarily high considering it was a weekday.

I did more walking than picture-taking, which had not been my intention, but it gave me an idea as to what was happening in the park, I was very surprised at the abundance of Chestnuts, and the trees had yet to take on the colours of autumn, it was also pleasantly warm. In walking through the woods to reach the pond I came across a vast vent for the train tunnel that runs beneath, but I was surprised that it had no sign to suggest its purpose or give its date, though I knew it for what it was, and whilst I walked nearby was treated to the sounds of a passing train in confirmation, had I needed one.

I had a brief set of images to remind me of a warm early October afternoon walk, but nothing spectacular.