WFV, Devonshire Park, Keighley, 18.11.25

It was very overcast as 7 of us met at the gates to Devonshire Park.  The park was gifted to the people of Keighley by the 7th Duke of Devonshire in 1887 on the occasion of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.  An excellent tree trail has been produced to guide visitors around an amazing diversity of species and so we started our walk on the pathway leading from Vernon Court.  Our first tree had a very impressive red bark and was listed as a Northern Chinese Red Birch.  In close proximity there were numerous leaves that had obviously come from a Turkey Oak, being somewhat narrower than the Hungarian and Red Oaks which we hoped to encounter later.  Our eyes were then drawn to a mass of male flowers on the ground which had fallen from a pine tree which we later identified as a Deodar.  

By this time the rain had started to fall and was becoming increasingly heavy.  Shelter was taken beneath some of the trees for a time but we were gradually getting wetter and wetter, so a decision was taken to seek shelter in the cafe at Cliffe Castle until such time as it cleared.  Midday rolled round and it was still raining so a collective decision was taken to call an end to our outing.  The decision was vindicated as we left Cliffe Castle and the heavens opened once more!  Perhaps on a future visit the Weather Gods will be more favourable.

Sally Tetlow