I very often lack focus and tend to meander through my life. Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, in Yorkshire, were a case in point. Looking for somewhere to admire snowdrops, I ventured there last week. I wasn’t disappointed. Swathes of them nestled beneath the trees. I captured one or two shots, but I was soon drawn into the magnificence of the water gardens.
It was a gloomy old day and I stopped to read the cheerful sign inside the fishing tabernacles. They are part of the balustrade and cascade into the lake and date back to 1719. Probably designed as a base for fishing excursions, they cleverly concealed the sluices used to drain the canal quickly in time of flooding.
The water gardens must be one of the finest sights in England, and neither I nor the swans allowed ourselves to be depressed by the weather, while the pheasants seemed positively immune. Not well focused though!
It wasn’t long before I was ambling among the ruins of the Abbey, smitten by the hues in the aged stones. Snowdrops there were aplenty but I’m afraid that they played second fiddle.
Fountains Abbey, 3 miles south west of Ripon in North Yorkshire, is one of the largest and best preserved Cistercian monasteries in England. Founded in 1132, it had an active life until 1539, when Henry VIII ordered the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
A full history can be found here. Today the Abbey and Water Gardens are successfully managed by the National Trust and they have some delightfully focused snowdrops on their site.
Paula focused on black and white photography in her Traces of the Past on Sunday. It’s not my forte, so I’m compromising. But I would love to draw your attention to her very beautiful Focus in Thursday’s Special.
restlessjo 
è così bello distrutto! posso immaginare la meraviglia di quando era perfettamente costruito ed abitato!
magnifico il tono di verde pisello dei prati
cia cara
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It’s not my favourite weather but the green was so fresh and lovely, Annalisa. And snowdrops everywhere! 🙂 Un abbraccio, cara!
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So beautiful and in a gorgeous location. Old Henry has a lot to answer for.
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Heads will roll! 🙂 Not his, unfortunately!
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😀
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Such a beautiful secluded place: so serene! 🙂
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Hi Pit 🙂 This and Rievaulx are my favourite abbeys by far, and both have a fabulous setting.
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Both are still on my bucket list!
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Beautiful pictures. I have fond memories of a visit to Fountains Abbey.
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It’s a wonderful site, isn’t it? Glad you enjoyed this, Christine. 🙂
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What a magnificent place Jo! lucky you living close enough to visit. It looks full of atmosphere, I wouldn’t fancy it in the dark, bet there’s ghosties 🙂 but imagine a summer’s day . . .
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That’s only a fraction of it, Gilly. It’s about an hour and a half by car, some of it very tedious motorway, so we don’t go often but it’s a beautiful site. Lovely snowdrops too 🙂
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Such a wonderful carpet of grass – I wonder who mows it all? The upside-down trees (well, at least from my perspective) are marvelous. So many lovely walks in your neck of the woods.
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I never swing from upside down trees 🙂 🙂 And there is a small army of gardeners!
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That is a stunning garden. It would be very difficult not to be happy while wandering around. Thanks for the beautiful tour before I start my day at work.
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We have some beauties, Patrick, irrespective of the weather 🙂 You’re most welcome!
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Impressive and mysterious, Jo. Especially in the gloomy weather. Still, the water attracts. When some forces were (are) in power, the decline of certain cultural and religious monuments takes place, because it was so ordered. Sad. The same happened to the missions in California in more recent imes than the monasteries in England.
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Yes, I’ve read about that too, Liesbet. Some of the reconstructed missions are beautiful. 🙂
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Who needs focus? Wandering and ambling are much more fun 😀 Stunning photos Jo.
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You might be right, Tanya 🙂 🙂
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What a magnificent structure! The grounds looks like a beautiful place to spend a few hours strolling about.
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They truly are stunning, Lynn. I couldn’t do the gardens full justice in that weather but you get the picture. 🙂
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I was actually there last week too.. the day I went was a beautiful blue sky kind of day but it was a bit cold.. amazing place
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Small world, isn’t it? Half term, of course, so busier than usual. The blue skies were just appearing as we left 🙂 🙂
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Lovely photography. I will add Fountain’s Abbey to my bucket list.
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Thank you, Sherry! You could stroll very slowly and admire all that beauty. 🙂
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Pure beauty.
When I see pics like this, I remember that England is a lovely place to live. 🙂
Do you mind if I steal one of your pics for a screensaver? You take many good pics!
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That’s very kind of you, Buffy- no, of course I don’t 🙂 🙂 I might even use one myself 🙂
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Moody weather and no visitors make for great pictures Jo.
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It was half term and still surprisingly busy, Andrew, but I’m patient when I have to be. 🙂 🙂 Thank you!
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Boo! That first shot reminds me of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Beautiful place, Jo. Thanks for taking us along! xo
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It was a little spooky, Jill, but it brightened up for a while (and then rained 🙂 ) Loved having your company.
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Almost like being there. Thank you so much!
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I had lots more photos but I restrained myself. Unusual! X
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This is wonderful, Jo. I love your carefully composed frames, and really appreciate finding a monochrome one among these gems. Thank you, darlilng.
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Thanks hon! The opener was so dark it could almost have been B&W but I liked having a twiddle with it xx
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piękne a przebiśniegi to symbol wiosny 🙂
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Thank you! I didn’t know the word for snowdrops 🙂 🙂
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