Leicestershire
The county is named after the city of Leicester (pronounced less-ter) and is landlocked in central England. It has a varied heritage including farming, coal mining, engineering industry and clothing.
Leicestershire farmer Robert Bakewell (1725 - 1795) of Dishley, is famous for his selective breeding resulting in such famous breeds as English Leicester, Border Leicester, Bluefaced Leicester and many others. The sheep on the county's coat of arms acknowledges the history of livestock farming as well as these achievements.
Perhaps more famously Leicester is identified with the fox, the emblem of both the county cricket club and the city football team. Leicestershire is considered to be the birthplace of fox hunting.
A large part of the northwest of the county, around Coalville, forms part of the new National Forest. Planted mostly with traditional English mixed deciduous trees this will be a huge resource, as well as a great addition to the aesthetics of the landscape when mature. This has all been planted up over the last five years or so, I hope to live long enough to see it mature. Whilst much of the county is still given over to agriculture and some of it, particularly around Melton Mowbray and Charnwood Forest, is very attractive, the county’s industrial heritage has resulted in a plethora of power lines not to mention modern steel “sheds” almost everywhere you look. This makes landscape photography very difficult in many areas.
On the plus side the coal mines have now all closed and the ground has been restored to recreational parks, and the waterways, built to transport fuel and raw materials to the factories, are being restored. I find I have taken some of my best Leicestershire landscape photographs in or near these areas.
The county is also famous for Stilton and Red Leicester cheeses, and the Pork pie!Leicestershire landscape photographs photos pictures images
Leicestershire farmer Robert Bakewell (1725 - 1795) of Dishley, is famous for his selective breeding resulting in such famous breeds as English Leicester, Border Leicester, Bluefaced Leicester and many others. The sheep on the county's coat of arms acknowledges the history of livestock farming as well as these achievements.
Perhaps more famously Leicester is identified with the fox, the emblem of both the county cricket club and the city football team. Leicestershire is considered to be the birthplace of fox hunting.
A large part of the northwest of the county, around Coalville, forms part of the new National Forest. Planted mostly with traditional English mixed deciduous trees this will be a huge resource, as well as a great addition to the aesthetics of the landscape when mature. This has all been planted up over the last five years or so, I hope to live long enough to see it mature. Whilst much of the county is still given over to agriculture and some of it, particularly around Melton Mowbray and Charnwood Forest, is very attractive, the county’s industrial heritage has resulted in a plethora of power lines not to mention modern steel “sheds” almost everywhere you look. This makes landscape photography very difficult in many areas.
On the plus side the coal mines have now all closed and the ground has been restored to recreational parks, and the waterways, built to transport fuel and raw materials to the factories, are being restored. I find I have taken some of my best Leicestershire landscape photographs in or near these areas.
The county is also famous for Stilton and Red Leicester cheeses, and the Pork pie!Leicestershire landscape photographs photos pictures images
