This week, the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is ‘Abandoned’. Cheri Lucas Rowlands asked us to “share a photo of ruins, a desolate place, or your idea of a wasteland”
I love ruins, and finding abandoned places – something that has been with me since childhood. To me abandoned may be epitomised by cobwebs and corrosion, which is something I have previously posted on, for example on my posts about Tyneham. Equally, abandoned is never more poignant than when a deserted place has been, or is in the process of being taken over by nature.
So here are three images from my travels to demonstrate this aspect of abandonment.
First up, a ruined mill somewhere in the foothills of the Pyrenees in French Catalonia:
Ruined mill taken over by trees
Next, a house in a deserted French village in the 1980s (this village has now been considerably restored)
Hollyhocks in Oppede
And lastly, an unrestored Maginot Line fort (now buried under earth by the French military)
Maginot fort men’s entrance
To me, these each represent a slice of history, and other than the first one, are now no longer visible in the same form as when the images were taken.
check out more images of abandonment here.
WordsVisual 
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Abandonment | A Mixed Bag
Some fascinating history behind those images. The Maginot Line… so rooted in a previous century that the advancing German forces under Guderian were able to take it by the simple expediency of landing paratroops on the roof and sending their armoured divisions round it to the north with Erwin Rommel leading the charge!
Yes, a tragic folly….
I knew you’d have some crackers for this challenge, Sue 🙂
And they are crackers, then? 🙂
Great with cheese! 🙂
🙂
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Abandoned | Elämän katupeili
I thought you’d come up trumps for this challenge. I like the first image the best – lovely tones and I like the idea that nature reclaims what man destroys.
Thanks, Jude! 🙂
Wonderful shots, and a lot of history in all 3.
Thanks, Draco, abandoned is rather my thing!
I can only imagine how happy you must have been when you saw this week’s topic! 🙂
Haha.. indeed! I could post many more, but they would need some preparing, and life still goes on, so I’m leaving it at these three photos… I think they give a broad vision of nature reclaiming it’s space
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge – Abandoned – Abattoir Decor |
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Abandoned (Statues) | What's (in) the picture?
Pingback: Cretan bush fire photo – DPchallenge | ALIEN AURA'S BlOG: IT'LL BLOW YOUR MIND!
This is one of my favorite subjects and you did a nice job of capturing it. One of the reasons I like photographing old structures is precisely because old things (and people) do not stay the same over the years, and they (like people) eventually go the way of the earth. It’s nice to have representations of them when they are no longer with us.
As for me, for this theme I would normally I go after old abandoned farm houses and barns, but this time I decided to do something a little bit different. You’re welcome to come and see my take on the matter. 🙂
http://fstopfantasy.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/weekly-photo-challenge-abandoned/
Thanks for your comment, Cris, and I’ll have a look at your take on abandoned…
Thanks. This is fun, getting around to see everyone once a week.
Abandoned places are always fascinating, and you have really found some interesting images. They are all beautiful, capturing the mystery of history passed by. I like the how they depict Mother Nature slowly taking over again. My favourite is first one.
Thanks Otto…I notice the first seems to be a favourite of several people. I liked the way the tree trunks and branches became a part of the structure, and spent some time there, very restful.
Really nice choices, Sue. I agree, to see nature reclaiming something man has made has an eerie feeling of ‘right’ about it.
Eerie being the operative word…
Great choices Sue. My favorite is the last, which is also especially creepy. Interesting that it’s no longer visible. someone some day will rediscover it I’m sure!!
I have one or two more images of the last, and know that people did actually explore right inside…not something for a lone person to do. Too many shafts to fall down. I imagine there may still be ways in for the very determined…, but to all intents and purposes the French Military have ‘sealed’ it.
Fascinating finds and so beautifully captured!
Thanks! They were all fascinating in different ways, but the last one was the real challenge
The ruined mill in the foothills of the Pyrenees in French Catalonia is my favorite. I always picture fashion photo shoots in places like this ! Beautiful!
That ruin made me think of images I have seen of the Bayon (near Angkor Wat) – so it’s my Bayon in miniature!!
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge – Abandoned | Joe's Musings
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Humbly Abandoned | Humbled Pie
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: More Abandoned | Humbled Pie
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Abandoned | Through the Eye of Bastet