“Ah, after a year it was good to be back again visiting Shining Cliff Woods.” At least that is what was in my mind. I had previously visited Shining Cliff Woods in November of 2021, however after that visit on the next day my left knee felt strange, almost as if when I tried to lift and bend it, a snap would happen. Of course though a year later and after some physio my left knee is a lot better than it was this time last year - and it was just the other day that I had decided to revisit Shining Cliff Woods, an area of woodland that sits within the lower part of the Derwent Valley, just behind Ambergate - and the chances are is that if you were travelling from Derby along the A6 to Matlock and beyond you would more than likely blink and not even see or know about Shining Cliff Woods. But here I was a year since my last visit, hoping to catch Autumn; the change in the leaves, the red, orange and yellow hues that Nature produces each year before it enters its “sleep phase for the winter.” Of course though, with a strange summer that temperatures exceeded some 40 degrees I knew in the back of my mind that perhaps Autumn and its colours were going to be somewhat questionable. Either way though I wanted to seek out the beauty that these magical and magnificent woodlands had to offer. And upon arrival at “Holly Lane” I encountered the first sign of Autumn.
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| Seeking Autumn. |
The leaves on the floor and the wall making for a relaxed introduction into what the woodlands would potentially offer, or perhaps not offer. At this moment though I knew that maybe it was slightly premature to expect lots of Autumn foliage, but I still had to seek out the delightful artwork that is classed as Autumn. Yet, despite the orange leaves on the ground, the looks of Autumn something strange is what I felt and that was a warmth, a warmth that was ever so slightly confusing, I mean October is meant to be a cool almost borderline month and yet here I was at the start of a walk in the middle of October and it was a barmy 17 degrees, spring like to a degree and is it any wonder I was ever so slightly confused. I turned around after capturing the above photo and walked along the pathway ahead of me - still hoping to capture colour and yet everything at the moment seemed green, lush almost and perhaps due to the warmth I was questioning the seasons and of course the climate that has subsequently been altered, I dare say “but surely the wildlife must be confused as well.” But it was the greens that popped in front of me making for an almost alien-like scene in front of me. Perhaps I was walking on a path on some forest moon; but instead I was at Shining Cliff Woods.
October 2022. For where is Autumn? 
The Pathway to Exploration.
The trees from the left of the path, the pathway ahead of me looking green, for here there was no signs of Autumn. But did that matter? No, as there was a glorious hint of peace and escapism. Ahead of me I could see other people also enjoying the magic of Shining Cliff Woods, and it was here that I paused to talk, a delightful dog and the owners of the dog is who I was now talking to, but it was when I turned off the pathway that I was on that I learnt who I was talking to, to the right of me on the pathway that I was now on heading towards the old wire works was an abandoned old property that I had the vision of a certain “Kevin McCloud” from Grand Designs and a camera crew appearing out of nowhere; that part did not happen though. Although I stopped yet again and the people who I had previously spoken to I was speaking to again, an interesting discussion is what was had and I found out that who I was speaking to was “3wheeledrambler” an Instagram user who is on a mission to seek out and find accessible walking routes within her home county, her story is incredible and she took up the use of social media to share her discoveries and adventures plus to educate people that no matter who you are and what your abilities are that you can still explore. 3wheeledrambler uses a specially made bespoke wheelchair that is specifically designed for outdoor use and for crossing complex terrain. You can see her BBC Interview below.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-derbyshire-60233119
And please do give 3wheeledrambler a follow on her social media pages, feeling inspired and moved it was now time to seek some more of the Autumn colours, ahead of me I could see the old wire works of Ambergate, now they are largely left abandoned although a Gin Factory, A Quirky Arts Space and a Museum to cars now exists in some of the old wireworks buildings. But it was the abandoned buildings that I could see that provided some interesting opportunities to photograph.
Autumn Abandoned - Portrait. 
Autumn Abandoned - Landscape. 
Colours above the Wireworks. 
Abandoned Beauty.
Upon reviewing the photos that I had captured whilst walking through the abandoned industrial buildings I could see how nature and architecture compliment each other in a strange way, something eerie perhaps or strange; perhaps even marmite; but old buildings left in ruins along with nature looked apocalyptic at first but they had a strange beauty to them, Autumn I could see and the world seemed less fragile almost; but I suppose that is the effect that Shining Cliff Woods has, a calming effect and one of escapism and serenity. After walking past the Gin Factory it was now a turn to the left, and I knew that perhaps I would encounter some more Autumnal colours, although how much was another question without an answer. The terrain now more rugged, the colours of Autumn now on the ground, trees still green and slightly confused - but then I noticed something ahead of me, framed beautifully like a work of art, a yellow/orange hue with a rather green background. I paused for a moment and captured this fine piece of artwork.
Autumn Confused.
But the pathway still lay ahead, the ground slightly slippery and the pathway subsequently acting like a climbing frame providing challenges - perhaps I was now in nature's playground, either way the incline was long and gentle with surprises to the left and right of me.
“Shining Cliff Woods is one of those places that inspires, that slows the mind, body and spirit down, that offers so much for so many people, that has questions without answers and one that says come and explore - yet no matter how much you explore, here you will always find something else, for that is what makes it a unique and interesting place to be.”
Before long and after passing quite a lot of greens, I eventually came across some more Autumnal looking scenes, and if I had looked to the left, I would have seen a less colourful scene, here on the right I was looking at a delightful scene that just summed up “Autumn” perfectly. I stopped, paused and was amazed that despite it being warm, despite a lot of green still existing, that nature could still find ways and means to amaze the glancing eyes.
The Autumn Carpet. 
Autumn meets the Green.
As I walked further up the pathway towards the lake, I lost the Autumnal colours that I had been seeking out, but now it felt as if I was in some kind of Lord of the Rings novel, I looked to the left and the layers of green, the shapes of the trees and the expanse of unexplored untrodden scenes looked so serene and gentle, mystical and enchanted to some degree and complex; but isn’t that what nature does? Provides things that are complex works of art, and best of all that artwork is free.
Complex Art of Nature - Portrait. 
Complex Art of Nature - Landscape.
I knew that after a while the pathway would level out and one of the most unique parts of Shining Cliff Woods, is the oasis of its hidden lake, a place that needs seeking out and another place of calm, tranquillity and serenity. And after a short while I had reached that place, the bench I could see in the distance used by so many people all creating unique experiences surrounded by nature and it could easily be another universe here, surrounded by the sounds of nature and removed from the world.
No Swimming amongst Beauty. 
Lakeside Light and Magic. 
Intertwined by the Lake.
After spending some considerable time surrounded by nature, not to mention the oddity of a warm mid October sunshine breaking through the canopy it was now time to move on, I retraced my steps, heading towards the pathway that I had walked along - but instead of turning left, I walked straight on, the pathway here was narrow and more complex, like a puzzle with a missing piece that you had to find in order to complete the walk over this odd and strange terrain. But eventually I the pathway began to level out and get wider, I was now rather high up and to the left of me I could see unique shapes, quirky shapes like sculptures that nature creates, that nature has created.
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| What nature sculpts - Portrait. |
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| What nature sculpts - Landscape. |
After some undulation, the pathway began to go up another sharp quick incline to meet the roadway/pathway that if I had not turned right on and headed towards the Wireworks on, that I would have found myself at. But I was now at the very top of a tarmac road/pathway, eventually after walking down a short distance I noticed a clearing and in the distance over the valley I could see Whatstandwell. A village associated with The Cromford Canal, yet it looked magical from afar.
Whatstandwell from The Shining Cliff Woods.
Continuing down the roadway/pathway I was still seeking any signs of Autumn and before long I had found colour again, magical colour and whilst it was not fully Autumnal colour, nature here had proven that even if it is confused by the warmth it can still put on a show of some description.
On the turn to Autumn. 
Hinting at a change. 
The pathway into Autumn. 
Autumn Grounded.
Before long I had reached the pathway that I had set off on originally, a trampled piece of ground, the light now had turned that little bit more darker as the sun was beginning to say goodbye and ahead of me darker shades of magical green, alien like to a degree yet magical, eerie and silent. I paused for a moment, surrounded by silence and captured the following photograph.
Is this October or not?
For I had originally wanted to seek Autumn, and to a degree I did manage to seek Autumn at Shining Cliff Woods; but it was sparse, the autumnal scenes few and far between and that is down to the climate change, the oddity of a warm summer and a rather warm Autumn. But did that matter? The climate change part did as Autumn has so much magical elements to showcase to the world, sadly though for the younger generation I do not think they will ever get to see a true Autumn anymore as that has changed, instead this is what Autumn is probably going to look like for some time, affected and abused by humans who ruin it. But either way though I had found something magical and it was Shining Cliff Woods that contained that magic, changes all around and considering that prior to this visit I had not been here in over a year, new things had been found, new details had been found and yes that is what nature does. Despite it being confused, despite it not being fully Autumnal, hints of Autumn could still be seen and found, even if I did have to work to find those scenes. But nature regardless, will still put on a show and that it certainly did do this time. But will we get to see a “proper autumn” again? That is the big question that remains and that unfortunately has no answer. Yet if you do want to escape then make sure you visit Shining Cliff Woods.
