NIGEL'S RAMBLES: Another year has passed

So here we are at the end of another year and the beginning of a new one.Here is a brief look back at the places I have enjoyed and the photographs that I have taken.

One of the places I have enjoyed most this year is Mantua or Mantova in Italian. What a magical city.

Lago Inferiore, Mantova

Castello San Giorgio, Mantova

Teatro Scientifico, Mantova

Sala dei Giganti, Palazzo Te, Mantova

Managed to get up into the Apennines to catch some snow.

Monte Cavalbianco, RE

Passo Praderena, RE

Enjoyed a strenuous hike up the Val d’inferno through the snow to find a place so silent where the only sign of life was the tracks left by a pack of wolves.

Val d’inferno,Ms

Parco San Giulio near Modena has a series of sculptures that remind us of the bloody events that took place in these mountains during the Second world war. Here more than a hundred civilians were massacred.

Parco San Gulio, Monchio, MO

And I visited the Giogo Pass near Bologna where the Allies broke through the Gothic Line

Giogo Pass Scarperia, FI

I finally got around to visiting the interior of Torrechiara castle. Absolutely breathtaking.

Castello Torrechiara, Langhirano,PR

Two more castles I visited were full of surprises.

Bianello, Quattro Castella, RE

Montechirugolo, PR

The snow almost all gone on this short hike to Monte Cisa.

Monte Cusna, RE

Monte Prampa, RE

I bought a Mountain Bike to explore the River Po. The perfect means of transport in this infinitely flat landscape.

The river Po near Mantova

The Oglio and Mincio that flow into the Po were interesting to explore by bike too.

Along the Oglio, MN

Along the Mincio, MN

I enjoyed exploring photographically the works of two famous Architects that have been installed in Casalgrande, near Reggio Emilia.

Ceramic Cloud, Kengo KUma, Casalgrande, RE

Ceramic Crown ,Daniel Libeskind, Casalgrande, RE

Sabbioneta is a place I return to time and time again. This time I wanted to put my new ultra wide angle lens through its paces. There is always something new to discover in this little town.

Sabbionetta, MN

The Mediopadana Station by Calatrava in Reggio Emilia was a continuing source of photographic inspiration.

Stazione Mediopadana, Reggio Emilia

This year I have found far too little time to go hiking in the Apennines. I did one marvellous in walk in the Parco Cento Laghi in the province of Parma.

Parco Cento Laghi, PR

Lago Santo,Parco Cento Laghi, PR

Lago Santo, Parco Cento Laghi, PR

And I finally climbed up to the Pietra Tagliato Pass and onto a little Garden of Eden called “I Ghiaccioni”.

Passo Ospedaletto,MS

Passo Pietra Tagliato, RE

I Ghiaccioni, RE

For my last hike of the year in the Apennines, a morning with thick fog that almost convinced me to turn back turned into a splendid sunny day in the space of ten minutes.