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| Roundhay Park Gorge |
When
exploring the geology, ancient monuments and architecture of West Yorkshire by public transport, my travel pass limits me to stops on
the railway lines that run directly from South Yorkshire and, although ongoing travel by bus is unrestricted, this sets a
practical limit to the places that I can realistically visit in a day.
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| The geology around South Yorkshire |
Having been able to get from Treeton to Kirkstall Abbey and back, in December, my last trip to West Yorkshire was undertaken 6 months later on a sunny day in May, when I took a good long walk around Roundhay Park.
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| The Mansion at Roundhay Park |
Roundhay Park is one of the largest city parks in Europe, with its history going back to the time of the Norman Conquest of England. The land was originally granted to Ilbert de Lacy, for his part in the “Harrying of the North” and has changed hands many times since.
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| The Barrans Fountain |
Now, a fine country house overlooks an estate that has been quarried for stone, mined for coal and subsequently reworked by landscape architects on a grand scale - with lakes and formal gardens.
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| The geology display at the Visitor Centre |
At the visitor centre, an interactive display provides a brief introduction to the geology of the area - and guided tours of Roundhay Park Gorge are available - but there is much more to be discovered when you take a good look around.