Well another thing has been ticked off my summer bucket list. A visit to RHS Garden Hyde Hall. It’s the first time I’ve been to anywhere like that but I wouldn’t hesitate to go again especially if I had a bit more mobility and independence!
It was lovely to spend the day with my family in such beautiful surroundings and get to indulge in a bit of photography too. Getting there was a bit of an adventure, since it isn’t signposted that well from the main road. However after getting lost once, with a bit of help from the magic smartphone of mine we found the entrance.
Despite the overcast slightly damp start, our optimism for brighter weather paid off and the sun started to break through the clouds. So our raincoats were unnecessary in the end.
The gardens at Hyde Hall are magnificent. I could have spent much longer there taking photos if I had the energy and was a bit more mobile. It was a bitter sweet experience for me in one sense; I loved being out and really enjoyed myself don’t get me wrong, but it also reminded me of my limits. I was in my wheelchair, which meant taking photos required me to ask Dad to stop pushing me or move me to a certain position so I could get the shot I wanted. If I’d been more able I wouldn’t have felt such an awkward ol’ so and so!
We went up to the gardens in the mobility bus (not it’s actual name but that escapes me) because the route up to it is rather steep. My wheelchair managed the gravel topped pavements quite well, although our route round was a bit hit and miss as to whether we would encounter steps or not; these weren’t marked on the map and even if they were I doubt we’d have worked out which route of the map we were on; our map reading skills were not much use in working out where we were in the gardens!
We got back to the shop area on foot (wheels for me) down the steep hill and had a picnic in a picnic area not far from there before setting off on the journey home. All in all we had an enjoyable time there, and like I say I’d like to go back when I’m more mobile and possibly in a different season too. Simply because I love taking photos.
I took over 200 photos on the day so I’m not uploading them all but here’s a select few photos of our time at Hyde Hall for you all to enjoy:
That’s all from me for now, I’m off to continue resting after that mammoth trip out. It never fails to amaze me how tiring just going out for the day in a wheelchair can be!!
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