2020 IN PICTURES – NOVEMBER/DECEMBER (SO FAR …..)

It took a while for a photo adventure in November, a week of Annual Leave in the middle of the month saw me take an afternoon stroll to Minnowburn after the morning stroll got rained off. 

The next day, it was dry and bright, so I made an early morning journey for my now monthly visit to Cavehill.

There was also a very wet visit to Blackmountain. 

That was sandwiched inbetween two football matches, Linfield’s home matches against Glenavon and Glentoran.

My only photo adventure so far in December was a trip to Windsor Park to see Linfield take on Dungannon Swifts.

Unfortunately, there will be no Boxing Day game against Glentoran this year.

I have a bit of time off over Christmas, and I plan on using it to explore the great outdoors with Cavehill, Blackmountain, Lisnabreeny Hill and Belvoir Park Forest on my hitlist, weather permitting. So keep an eye out for that.

Talking of weather, i’ve always got an eye out for snow. Doesn’t even look like that will happen.

So, 2021, what is planned?

Well, I have tickets for concerts (Paul Weller, Doves, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, Ash, Lightning Seedsm Beabadoobee) but who knows when they will be?

I do hope to walk up Bray Head, and visit Mourne Mountains and Arthur’s Seat. I also hope to go to football matches on a regular basis.

Seriously people, can you all start behaving yourselves so that I can go places and take photos of things again?

Minnowburn

Minnowburn Photo Album

Cavehill 

Cavehill Photo Album

Linfield v Glenavon

Blackmountain Photo Album

Linfield v Glentoran

Linfield v Dungannon Swifts

2020 IN PICTURES – OCTOBER

October was a month where I went to not one, not two, but three football matches. Yay!!

My first photo adventure of the month was a trip to Wilgar Park to see Dundela take on Queen’s University in the County Antrim Shield, my first football match since March.

That was followed by a week off work, where I went for a stroll up Cavehill, as well as trips to Terrace Hill Garden, Redburn Country Park and Blackmountain

It was then time for a welcome return to Windsor Park to see Linfield take on Carrick Rangers, before a return visit for the match against Crusaders two weeks later.

Dundela v Queen’s University

Dundela v Queen’s University Photo Album

Cavehill

Cavehill Photo Album

Terrace Hill Garden Photo Album

Redburn Country Park Photo Album

Blackmountain Photo Album

Linfield v Carrick Rangers

Linfield v Crusaders

2020 IN PICTURES – AUGUST

Again, not a lot on in August 2020, but I did manage some photo adventures.

The middle of the month saw me spend a weekend with hillwalks on successive days, Cavehill on the Saturday morning and Lisnabreeny Hill on the Sunday morning.

That walk up Lisnabreeny Hill saw me advance further on a walk I did a few weeks earlier, where I had a short jaunt through Cregagh Glen. This time, I continued on through to Lisnabreeny Hill and was rewarded with some spectacular views and photos.

The month ended with me checking out some new Street Art that had appeared in Belfast City Centre as part of a project called Belfast Entries.

Cavehill

Cavehill Photo Album

Lisnabreeny Hill

Lisnabreeny Hill Photo Album

Botanic Street Art Photo Album

Belfast Entries

Belfast Entries Photo Album

2020 IN PICTURES – MAY/JUNE/JULY

It was a cruel cruel summer.

For obvious reasons, there wasn’t a lot going on, so I had to make do with walking.

In May, I went for a stroll up Cavehill. I wasn’t entirely happy with the photos but I still kept an album of them.

That was it for May. June wasn’t much busier, the height of excitement was a stroll up Cavehill in better weather (ie – more daylight) to work with for getting photos.

Over the July Holidays, I made a first visit to Blackmountain and Divis Mountain, before heading up Cavehill again the next day.

The month ended with a stroll in East Belfast, in Cregagh Glen.

Cavehill (May) Photo Album

Cavehill (June)

Cavehill (June) Photo Album

Blackmountain

Blackmountain Photo Album

Cavehill (July) Photo Album

Cregagh Glen

Cregagh Glen Photo Album

2020 IN PICTURES – MARCH/APRIL

March 2020, that was an, um, interesting month.

As I turned over the calendar on the first day of the month, I had three football matches and three concerts planned, with hopefully another football match on the last day of the month where Northern Ireland would qualify for Euro 2020.

It didn’t quite work out that way.

As we all know, most of the month was spent indoors. However, I still managed some photo adventures in the first week of the month before Lockdown started.

The first day of the month saw me check out a mural of Andrew Weatherall in Belfast, before heading to The Limelight to see Blossoms in concert a few days later.

I then headed to Taylor’s Avenue on the first Saturday of the month to see Linfield take on Carrick Rangers, securing a fifth successive win, looking forward to the following weekend’s match at home to Larne.

It didn’t quite work out that way.

Unsurprisingly, there was not one single photo adventure in April 2020. Not even a single photo taken.

Andrew Weatherall Mural

Andrew Weatherall Mural Photo Album

Blossoms live at The Limelight

Blossoms live at The Limelight Photo Album

Carrick Rangers v Linfield

2020 IN PICTURES – FEBRUARY

My first photo adventure of February was a midweek trip to Windsor Park to see Linfield beat Dungannon Swifts to go top of the table.

The football continued, seeing Linfield get wins against Warrenpoint Town and Ballymena United.

I made the most of a football free Saturday afternoon in the middle of the month to see Ash (Well, it was just Tim Wheeler on his own) doing an acoustic concert in HMV.

More football the following weekend, heading to Windsor Park to see Linfield hammer Crusaders 4-0.

The following weekend had the bonus of an extra day, with it being a leap year. I spent Leap Year’s Day walking up Cavehill and getting some photos.

Linfield v Dungannon Swifts

Warrenpoint Town v Linfield

Ballymena United v Linfield

Ash live at HMV Belfast

Ash live at HMV Belfast Photo Album

Linfield v Crusaders

Cavehill

Cavehill Photo Album

2020 IN PICTURES – JANUARY

I went out for a walk on New Year’s Day and found a tenner. That was as good as it got in 2020.

If a see a £50 note lying on the ground on the first day of 2021, i’m just walking on and leaving it.

2020 began with a trip to the Football on the first day of the month. Not too far thankfully, just a short trip to Windsor Park to see Linfield beat Institute.

My second football match of the year, Linfield’s trip to Queen’s University, was not as enjoyable. The less said about, the better, even though it was my first visit to The Dub for a match.

I had to wait nine days for my next football match, as Linfield won at Cliftonville, before a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Dungannon Swifts.

It wasn’t all football, as the middle of the month saw my first concert of the year – Badly Drawn Boy at Black Box.

The first of many concerts in 2020, with Paul Weller and Lightning Seeds already booked for late March. Um ….

That was then followed by a trip to Manchester, primarily to see United take on Burnley. While I was there, I managed to sneak in a trip to Salford City v Accrington Stanley (a first visit to Moor Lane), as well as Street Art in Manchester and Salford Quays.

The month ended with two more football matches, Linfield’s 8-1 win over Glenavon, which was followed by a 3-1 defeat at Larne, my first visit to Inver Park since 2005.

Linfield v Institute

Queen’s University v Linfield

Cliftonville v Linfield

Linfield v Dungannon Swifts

Badly Drawn Boy live at Black Box

Badly Drawn Boy live at Black Box Photo Album

Manchester Street Art

Manchester Street Art Photo Album

Salford City v Accrington Stanley

Salford City v Accrington Stanley Photo Album

Salford Quays Street Art

Salford Quays Street Art Photo Album

Manchester United v Burnley

Manchester United v Burnley Photo Album

Linfield v Glenavon

Larne v Linfield