Chilly drippy cheer

The snow is melting and normal life has resumed. The Firth Park Christmas Winter Fest went ahead and although it was a chilly drippy affair there was plenty of good cheer in the big tent. The children from Hatfield Primary School paraded their lanterns and the Community Choir sang valiantly.

Once the crowd had dispersed and all was packed away the Friends of Firth Park generously entertained us in their cosy Bowling Pavilion surrounded by the inspiring paintings of the resident art group. This is a very creative community with many professional artists as well as amateur enthusiasts. I am sure that with a bit of synergy Roz Norsworthy's vision of a Wincobank Hill Arts Festival could become an exciting reality.

Wincobank Wonderland

If you go up to Wincobank Hill today you will walk through a magical woodland of coppiced oak, laden with frosted icing, twisted shapes created by the continual cutting back and regrowth as timber has been harvested over the centuries for charcoal-making or for firewood.

Wincobank Wood is one of the thirty-five ancient woodlands of the South Yorkshire Forest, part of our National Forest. Look at any unkempt space in Sheffield and you will see the forest trying to reassert itself, to push through the concrete and recreate the wild wood that was the refuge of Robin Hood. That's what I like to think anyway. Historians and scientists may have a different view. Come and have a look. Decide for yourself.
Or find out more from http://www.heritagewoodsonline.co.uk/map/034/034.html
(The photograph above is by Joe Ogilvy and won first prize in the competition "Winter on Wincobank Hill").

AGM Postponed due to snowy weather

Wincobank Hill is very pretty today but due to the extreme weather conditions we are sorry that we have to POSTPONE our AGM and much anticipated talk on the Excavations on the site of Wincobank Hall that was planned for Thursday 2nd December. Please pass the word on to anyone you know was thinking of coming - we will reschedule both AGM - so watch this space. In the meantime - get up on the hill if you are able and enjoy the snow!