The Sunshine Park

I consider myself extremely lucky to live where I do. Not in this particular town necessarily, but the area within the town, where I find myself having lived for the entirety of my 24 years. On the outskirts of a commonly busy and bustling urban city, my little corner of this world feels almost alien compared to the norm of the central hub, just a 15 minute drive away from where I reside. Nothing much feels like it's changed round these parts; people leaving their houses for a daily dose of exercise seems just as much as it would usually. Albeit a quiet community, where maintaining our 2 meter distance from each other is quite easy, some do take advantage of the ever growing restoration of a few of our freedoms. And who can blame them, certainly not me knowing what world lies just mere meters from my home.

Small World, Incredible Beauty

Me and my family walk our dog every afternoon, which gives us the perfect excuse to explore and admire our spectacular surroundings. Ruby (our dog) has her favourite place to go; our local park, where she can run for miles and miles (or so it probably seems to her). On the short walk up to the entrance she will pant with such excitement as she knows exactly where we are going. The opening to the park is a small gravelled area, with chalk covered stones kicking up large amounts of dust as you walk. Here we wait while Ruby sits, quivering with anticipation. As soon as the lead is unclipped she's off, running, rolling and tumbling through the freshly cut grass scattered across the large field adjacent to the entry way. Spanning almost as far as the naked eye can see, this field makes up the start of our scenic journey. There are vast arrays of tall towering trees, casting much needed shade in the current summer heat. They border the left side of this grassland, a high wall separating us from the roads and passing cars on the other side. It's by no means what you would normally refer to as a particularly picturesque area, not like Hyde Park in London or Buscot Park in Oxfordshire. However, as someone with a keen eye for photography, I pride myself on being able to find the beauty in places like the one right outside my window. Further into this giant green garden we travel, now bringing ourselves to the neatly pre-constructed path which traces an uneven circle throughout the whole of the park. We still opt to deviate from this route however, as the delight and wonder of navigating our own way through this environment appeals to us far more. Ruby trusts her nose, and we've explored this path enough times for her to know where she's going. That doesn't stop her however, from being distracted by the odd swan that lingers nearby. The instinctive urge to chase these majestic creatures is almost too much as our dopey dog almost goes flying into the lake. She composes herself though when we call to her and we all stand by to take in the breathtaking view. This particular lake is only home to a few of these beautiful animals, which simply adds to the peaceful atmosphere it emits. Beams of sunshine dance across the water giving a soft rainbow-esque hue to the surface. Clean and sparkling as it appears, the lake can only be disturbed by the graceful swimming of the swans, who create calm movements throughout this light infused pool; as if riding a thin blanket flowing softly in the wind, the gentle ripples moving in unison. It really is a sight to behold, especially in the hot summer months where the water looks all too appetising in our quest to cool off after a long walk.

There is so much to see and admire during our pleasant outing. The seemingly rickety bridges which cast shadows over various small bodies of water; still standing strong despite their age, as if made by hardened, tough steel. Areas of low cut grass create a winding walkway; maze-like paths branching off left, right and then circling all the way back around. One might find it easy to get lost while exploring these trails, but every twist and turn will eventually bring you back to a familiar footing.

As we near the end of our trek through this mysteriously wonderful world, our pace slows as we tire and the warm sun begins to lower behind the trees, casting warm rays of light which glisten across our skin. The stroll back towards home is a serene voyage and we look forward to tomorrow, knowing that we are privileged enough to be able to discover and delight in this stunning area time and time again.

Discovering It All for the First Time

As a child growing up in this area, I'm afraid I may not have had enough appreciation for the display of nature lingering right outside my door. That is until I swiftly came to my college years at age 16. I struggled immensely in the first few years of my studies, where more often than not I would find myself compelled to spend the days wandering in circles round the park, rather than attending my lectures. This deviation from my normal morning journey started as nothing but a feeble attempt to hide my growing anxiety from my family. Despite that, the more time I spent tracing this route around the perimeter of my local park, the more I really realised and absorbed everything that I was surrounded by. Continuing on with my camera by my side, I then began to capture as many of these natural wonders as I could, finding the right angles and lighting to make the unimportant and untamed scenery seem almost magical.

Fast forward a year, I find myself as a Photography student, eager to use my previous discoveries as inspiration for my final project. I was able to expertly take the various photos I had captured, at a time when I was unsure what I wanted from my life, and use them as a way to help my studies along and secure my future. Now whenever I continue to investigate the natural world that lives right next door to me, I am reminded of this time and how I was given the opportunity to share my extremely fortunate surroundings with others.