Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #193 – They Say It’s Your Birthday

Though I am (as usual) coming quite late to this week’s lens artist challenge (#193 – They Say It’s Your Birthday), it appears that Johnbo and I actually share the same birthday. So last Saturday (our shared birthday) was busy ferrying kids to their usual Saturday activities, so we waited till Sunday to complete a lovely birthday walk. It’s great when your birthday falls on the weekend and you don’t have to worry about work!

We went to Union wood in County Sligo.

Blackthorn flowers

The wood is mainly coniferous but there are patches of open heath, and deciduous woodland including an oak wood trail.

Union Wood

And of course a birthday walk would not be complete without some lovely flowers and bees.

Cuckoo bumble bee

Primroses

Carder Bee

And the view from Union rock which overlooks the ox mountains and the sea and Knocknarea is just stunning.

View from Union Rock

View from Union Rock

A big thank you, and belated birthday wishes to Johnbo for the challenge.

Lens Artists Challenge #172 – A Day of My Week

At the end of mid-term we decided to head to Coolaney in Co. Sligo where my husband and kids could enjoy the Coillte bike trail and I could go for a quiet walk with my camera. It was a lovely sunny autumn morning.

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  bridge

I took the opportunity to take some photographs of plants. Here the seed heads of burdock and some pond weed growing in a boggy pool.

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I was struck by the way the light shone through this small Scots pine branch.

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Here an old farmstead – now pretty much surrounded by trees.

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Here one of the many bike trails.

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I climbed to the top of the track and got a lovely, if somewhat hazy view, over the surrounding hills.

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A special thanks to the Lens artist team for continuing to provide inspiration. This time – A Day of My Week

Union Wood

A couple of weeks ago we visited Union Wood in County Sligo. The bluebells were amazing.

Union wood, blubells

Union Wood

Union Wood

Bluebells, Union Wood

Bluebells, Union Wood

Union Wood is designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) due to the presence of old sessile oak woodland. Today,  the woodland is mixed and includes commercial forestry and is part owned by Coillte and the NPWS.

Water Avens, Union Wood

beech tree

Lords & Ladies and Bluebells

The wood was once part of the Cooper Estate, The Cooper family had acquired the land in the mid-17th century under the Cromwellian settlement. Prior to which it was owned by an old Irish family, the McDonaghs.

Union Wood

Ballysadare River at Bluebells, Union Wood

There are two looped walking trails to enjoy, one 4km and the other 5.5km long.