Open Source Photographic Guide Project
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Midlands - UK Regional site. Introduction
- Ideal for photographers of all abilities
- Ideal for disabled and elderly photographers
- Excellent facilities including parking, refreshments, toilets etc
- Great all year round, but especially in Autumn
- Better at sunrise rather than sunset
- Ideal for landscapes, macro's, wildlife and family photography
- Lots of space to walk and cycle
- Close to M1 junctions 30 & 31 and A1
Clumber Park is a wonderful location for photographers. It has excellent access, even for disabled photographers, and is an ideal location for year round photography. Lime Tree Avenue is the longest avenue of these trees in Europe and can yield spectacular images. The huge mixed woodland is cris-crossed with paths and at the centre of the park is a lake with wildfowl, a photogenic 'temple' and a wonderful Victorian bridge with views of a church spire rising from the trees along with a restored Victorian walled garden.
Clumber Park - Early Autumn
Image by - Doug Chinnery
A Bit About the History of the Park
It was formerly the park of a country house, called "Clumber House". In March 1879 a fire destroyed most of the house and so the owner, the 7th Duke of Newcastle, had it rebuilt. However, this house was demolished in 1938 after it was badly damaged by another fire.
All that remains is the gothic revival chapel - an interesting building to photograph, the walled kitchen garden with glasshouse which has been restored by the owners, the National Trust, and the stables and outbuildings which the Trust have converted to house a cafe, toilets and a cycle hire business.
Overview
The park is over 3,800 acres in size, mainly of mixed woodland with areas of heath, farmland. At the centre is the wonderful serpentine lake, which covers over 87 acres. Lime Tree Avenue disecting the park is over 3 miles long and lined on both sides by wonderful double rows of mature lime trees. There is also an old traditional cricket pavillion and cricket pitch where games played by local village teams can be freely enjoyed on summer weekends (bring a hamper!) - great for sports photography. From time to time during the year cycling and running events are held in the park on weekends - again providing good opportunities for sports and people watching photography.
Access
Access to the park is good from the A1, M1 and local roads, just south of Worksop. There is a charge of £4.50 per car for parking although this is free for National Trust Members who produce their membership card. In reality, at quiet times the pay booths are often unmanned and you can park away from the central car park in the heathland areas for free.To see a detailed access map please click here - http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=117887396860509743694.00045bdce13baed8207f7&z=13
Overview Map of the Park
From the A1 use the new junction with the A57 but take the A614 turn from the roundabout - the entrance is 500 meters on the right and signposted clearly.
From the M1, use Junction 30 at Barlborough and follow the signs for Worksop, then on the Worksop ring road follow the signs for the A1 until you see the signs for Clumber Park. (Use the access described in the papragraph above if entering before 8am or after 7pm). Or frm the M1 use junction 31 and follow the A57 to Worksop and then follow the A1 signs until you see the signs for Clumber Park.
The park is officially closed between dusk and 8am and most entrances are gated and locked closed, however, Lime Tree Avenue is a public road - it links the A614 near the roundabout with the A1/A57 to the B6034 at the village of Carburton. This road cannot be blocked and so access for sunrise and sunset is via this route.
Please be aware that the park is huge and in the evenings it can sometimes be visited by less desirable individuals and courting couples. This has been reported on in the local press. The police do patrol and efforts have been made to dissuade thes ones from visiting. I have not encountered anyone or ever had any problems there but it would be advisable to avoid going alone in the evening or at night, and I would especially discourage lone females from going in at quiet times for your own safety.
The main park centre run by the National Trust has a great cafe, restrooms and cycle hire place - the park has waymarked cycle trails suitable for all abilities - you can bring your own cycles too if you wish. Indeed, Route 6 of the National Cycle Network passes through the park and takes you on from Sheffield across to Sherwood Forest.
Photography Locations Within the Park
Lime Tree Avenue at Dawn
Image by Doug Chinnery
The first view that greets most visitors to Clumber Park is Lime Tree Avenue. It is spectacular to say the least. 3 miles long and lined with double rows of mature lime trees on both sides of the road it offers countless vistas for the photographer. Particularly good at dawn, especially shot with a zoom lens to compress the view, it can be busy with photographers on autumn weekend mornings.
You can park along it's length and disabled photographers can shoot it from the car very effectivley. Along its length are access points to the heathland areas and to smaller side roads leading you deeper into the park. At one end is a crossroads signed to the main visitors centre and lake.
If you go down to the visitors centre and take the right turn in front of it and follow the road down you will come to the famous Victorian bridge which has a superb sunrise view of the church spire rising from the woodland with the lake in front.
The View from the Bridge at Dawn
Image by - Doug Chinnery
If you drive over the bridge, ignore the immediate first left which takes you into a parking area, but take the second left just 25 meters from the bridge at the 'Y' junction and follow the road you will come to a small parking area on the left. Here you have access to a stile and an excellent view across heathland to the lake and chapel, again, a good dawn spot for shooting landscapes. (see below)
View of Morning Mist from Heath Viewpoint
Image by - Doug Chinnery
Apart from these key locations you can cover the whole park either on foot or from various parking spots and have access to unlimited photographic potential, including macro work, in the woods and on the heathland. There is a herd of wild deer in the park, an abundance of wildlife including foxes, badgers, insects and birds. It is an ideal place to photograph friends and family and there is much for them to enjoy while you use your camera. The park authorities also allow bar-b-queing and picniking, so you can enjoy family meals here.
I find there is more limited scope for images of the sunset. This park is definitley a dawn location.
The Cypress Walk to the Victorian Walled Garden
Image by - Doug Chinnery
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Detail Map Showing Lime Tree Ave in Relation to A614 Entrance
Main Locations Within the Park
Suggested Kit
- Every lens you have! Wide angle for landscapes, zoom for the Avenue & wildlife images, macro for close-ups.
- Wear stout footwear, some paths can be muddy after rain and it is easy to go for long walks following the trails through the woods
- Take your ND Grad filters for sunrise shots, especially from the Victorian Bridge and ND filters for bluring the water on the lake and at the small waterfalls near the Victorian Bridge.
- Binoculars are handy for wildlife spotting
- Tripod essential for small aperture shots under the tree canopy.
I hope you have found this guide useful. If you feel I should include more information, please contact me via my profile above and I will try and help.
Doug
Brodes
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Excellent
Paul Corica
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Great Guide
Cheers
Paul
Brent Pearson
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OMG... What a place... What a guide
What a fantastic guide and absolutely stunning pictures..... Welcome to the project... can't wait to see more of your stuff.
Brent
Brent Pearson
Invite as author
OMG... What a place... What a guide
What a fantastic guide and absolutely stunning pictures..... Welcome to the project... can't wait to see more of your stuff.
Brent