Wednesday 22 March 2017

Silverhill Wood - Photography Week 9 (2017)

Whilst researching information about Robin Hood Hill, I came across a reference for the disputed highest point in Nottinghamshire.

Silverhill Wood, is a recreational area on the site of the Silverhill colliery spoil heap. Standing at 204.4m (671) feet above sea level, the man-made hill was thought to be the highest point in Nottinghamshire. This has subsequently been challenged and Newtonwood Lane has now taken this title by a relatively thin margin of two feet (205m or 673ft) (ref:1&2)

A sculpture stands on top of Silverhill as a tribute to Nottinghamshire miners. 'Testing for Gas', by Antony Dufort, shows a miner using a safety lamp to test for methane gas or "firedamp"(3). On his belt he has a methanometer and a self rescuer (ref: plaque at the site of the sculpture):



The mining industry once dominated the landscape in the area between the A60 and the M1 as demonstrated in the mud smeared view point map which stands on another reclaimed spoil heap at Vicar Water (see photo below). Pleasley colliery and the headstocks at Clipstone, viewed from Silverhill, are a couple of reminders of those times:






The headstocks at Clipstone are roughly seven miles away according to the information at Silverhill. Apparently on a clear day it is possible to see Lincoln Cathedral which is 32 miles away in a direction slightly to the left of the headstocks at Clipstone.

Also of interest in this part of Nottinghamshire is the contrast between different historical eras in close proximity. For example, the Elizabethan grandeur of Hardwick Hall sits side-by-side with the 20th century mining heritage as shown in this photograph taken from the summit of Silverhill:


Surrounding Silverhill is Silverhill Wood, a recreational area landscaped in 2005 by Nottinghamshire Country Council. A few of the less mature areas provided some interesting compositions in terms of colour, contrast and light:













(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverhill,_Nottinghamshire

(2) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-13630511

(3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firedamp

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