Mower Mania!

One of the annoying things about living in Ozerland is the mania for mowing grass, lawn is too grand a notion. The act of mowing isn't the problem. Its the obsession with motor mowers and the chronic desire to cut the grass down to the roots. This activity must be done at some ungodly hour in the morning; probably due to a the misconception that the sun may rise to levels that sear the flesh down to the bone before 9am. The manic activity is not confined to those of retirement age who have noting better to do with their time. Better still if the mower is supercharged with designer, mega decibel exhaust and go-fast stripes.

I was woken this morning by some half-wit next door and, had I possessed the necessary equipment, would have been delighted to hasten her passage across the Styx and payed Charon handsomely.

It was a comfort to find out that a I was not the only crusty to object to such a rude incursion into my territory ...

Travel Videos - Done And Dusted

That really is a wrap. So drop into my Youtube site if you want to spend hours seeing what we've seen ...

Hope you enjoy what you see

Loading Up For The Season

Tis the time to

Deck the roofs with boughs of razor wire, 

Reindeer traps and Claymore mines. 

Tis the season for Santa hunting, 

Rudolf pie and mulled red wine. 

Fa la la la la, la la la la,

Happy hunting campers!

Cut, Cut, Cut and It's A Wrap ... Nearly ...

After a mammoth series of editing session I've come to the end of my tether ... sorry, that's tapes. Time to leave the computer to chew away for hours digesting the finished footage into DVDs. I don't have blue teeth and don't expect to change my dentition for some time ...

Horsetrailier wise all is same of the same ... except ... the summer goblins have gone on strike. Cold, windy and much downward trending water seems to dominate the meteorological soothsaying. It must be the new carbon tax ...

It'll soon be That Time again. Time to take the Humbug pills and board up the chimney; time to reflect of the behavior of the herd; time to say at home, doors bolted and curtains drawn. Need I say more?

Weeds, Wet and Windy

Back at the kennel the weeds are rife and the weather, on-again, off-again, rain and wind. Not to worry the 'fridge is full and there's plenty of film to edit.

Local fauna are a delight as usual; there is nothing as rowdy as Oz birds at daybreak. The lizards are up and about when the sun decides to show its more radiant face. Mr Blue Tongue came out to greet us which frightened the daylights out of the Memsahib. This especially since our friend down the road found a four foot python slithering its way around the wood-fire chimney pipe in her kitchen. The snake went on to the work bench top in the kitchen before the stalwarts from the local zoo turned up to remove the beast. Because the animals are territorial they only took it down the road to a small pond where they thought it had come from. The best part of the story was that the zoo stalwarts told our friend to, "Grab it by the tail and drag it outside". No chance!

Here is Mr Blue Tongue:

Back To The Colonies

After two splendid rest days in Narita we find ourselves back in the Colonies again - for a short while. We were greeted by a massive thunderstorm which meant that today was the wettest we've seen for six months ...

So time has come to ... set up all that needs to be set up so that life can go one as before ... that also includes:

Making the next set of travel plans and bookings ...

now where will that be?

Millers' Dale and Turkey Dinner

An afternoon walking and looking for fossils at an old quarry in Millers' Dale. The massive lime kilns added some interest; their size alone testament to industrial activity of the area - up to 1944. Remnants of the railway station still remain. The Victorians certainly didn't have any belief in OH&S or Green Industry.







Back at the cottage we feasted on a roast turkey dinner followed my mince pies; an early Christmas dinner with friends. Excellent ...

Mill Pond, Meadows, Streams and Cottage Teas

After a very dull start to the day the weather cleared and, despite a cool wind, provided just the right condition for a walk in North Lees Estate. Transport, as per, was the trusty 272 to Hathersage - don't you love regular public transport ...

After a more than ample lunch, we took a leisurely walk past the Mill Pond and on to a walled field. The field was surrounded by small woods. We sat against the wall and under the Oak and Birch trees. Such an peaceful setting always leads to the discussion of all manner of problems and this time was no exception. The world sorted, we returned to the Mill Pond, where we met the boys who, after a couple of hours working sheep, decided to demonstrate their diving and swimming ability ...

"Stand back they're going to shake themselves!"



Aquatics done, we walks across the Warren, site of an Romano-British settlement (not excavated yet ...), and down the tracks leading back to the cottage.

Tea, cake and conversation finished an excellent afternoon. Simple ...

Drawn Into The Gallery ... Again.

What a delight to be able to jump on a bus and attend a Life Drawing session at the Millennium Gallery every Friday. Tim Rose directed the session.

Lunch was at the New Deli in Tottley - no, it wasn't an Indian cafe no matter how punny it sounds.

Public transport is excellent in Sheffield - that adds to the pleasure of being here.

Lincoln By Train - Again

A few days in Lincolnshire were our last visit to the home county for another year. Say what you like, the presence of the university students has brought the breath of activity to the place. We now look at the city with different eyes to those of our youth. Lincoln is an excellent old city just as pleasant and interesting as any you would find in France.

Weather wise, we were treated to clear blue skies and bitter cold winds - Lincolnshire Autumn.

Rake and Tor in Derbyshire

After a dull start to the day we ventured out on the 272 to Hathersage. The walk across the fields to the cottage was delightful. After an excellent lunch, we went to Dirtlow Rake. I know that sounds like a character in Pilgim's Progress or one of the Bronte girls novels, but it's an historic mining area. The Romans use the workings which were still in use during the Medieval period. The area adjacent to workings of  the rake or vein is important because of the flora.

On to Mam Tor. This provided a spectacular view of Edale and Hope Valley; no howling gale this time ..

Back to the cottage for tea and trifle - yes, trifle. The Boys were quick to find the biscuits in my pocket - what's new?

A splendid, sunny afternoon wandering in lovely countryside - that's why we're here folks ...

Journey's End Or Beginning?

Just over two weeks before we board the Big Silver Bird again to be transported to the Colonies. The prospect of packing our stuff into the Big Yellow locker for another 6 months looms, but we'll ignore that for another week or so. There are still a few thing to do and see ... it'll never end.

Churches, Cathedral and Family History

What a week! What a beautiful farming landscape! We were fortunate to experience excellent, if cool, weather. The cold wind picked up later in the week so that we we reminded of our youthful excursions into the countryside where we complained of the Lazy Winds - they blow through you and not around you! Open fields allow excellent vistas, but the wind can be a cold companion.

Lincoln cathedral was as magnificent as ever. My childhood was spent under it's shadow and within the range of the bells' peel. No matter how many time we visit the cathedral, we always find the building a splendid place to be. A place of stillness and quiet.












From Horncastle we took the Roman road to Caistor - ‘Venta Icenorum’ (Market Place of the Iceni). This town is one of the key villages that are part of family history. The new Art Centre and Heritage Centre provided a tasty lunch. St Peter and Paul's church was open and proved to be well worth the visit.

The farmhouse which was the grandparents' home was also located - even the Yews and the gate evident in old photographs still stand.









We also visited the churches at: Hemingby, Goulceby, Digby and Rowston.

Some excellent pub lunches and dinners made sure we were well victualed - one of the delights of being in England.

Less pleasant - the road traffic ... Luck was with us: we avoided a fatal accident by no more than 2 minutes. The accident was near Digby; a 19 year old man was killed and his girlfriend badly injured. Such events certainly focus the mind ...

Can't Get Too Much Of Lincolnshire

We're off to Big Sky County again - just a week of poking about and wandering. There are so many places of interest and the countryside is always interesting no matter what the time of year.

On the black side: the reputation of the farming community is not exactly pristine. The incidence of migrant and illegal worker exploitation seems to be on the rise. Boston has earned the reputation of being the centre of unrest; a protest against the use of immigrant workers  has been organised. An interesting social and political situation when you consider the reasons and origins of some of The Great Imperialist's Founding Fathers. Boston has also become one of the centres for the manufacture of Moon Shine Vodka - it's the Poles you might say ...

As a friend said recently, "History isn't action at a given time. It's a continuum of human activity, We're living it."

Pass the bottle Grzegorz ...

Drawing On Old Haunts

Happily the Millennium Gallery has begun the Friday life drawing sessions again. That allowed me to meet up with Tim Rose and have a pleasant time daubing. I always apologize to the model after the session - my efforts are often so Baconesque that any likeness is hard to discern.

The journey to the gallery was made less mundane because some activity on London Road had produced a notable police presence. Sadly, the activity seems to be the possible murder of a young man - drugs and gang involvement seems to be likely. What a civilised place we live in ...

The Indian Summer persists - delightful!

Indian Summer - Walking In The Peak Park

What a week! We've come back to a week of splendid, sunny weather.

Thursday was a beautiful, sunny, almost windless day. Being creatures of habit, we caught the 272 to Castleton and dismounted at Fox House pub. A swift half and we set off along the paths that took us along the base of Burbage Edge towards Burbage Bridge.

Crossing the road we started the slow climb to Stanage Edge where we stopped for a quick snack. The view, though grand, was marred by the haze caused by the inversion. Wandering along Stanage Edge took us to the Pack-horse Track down to The Plantation. Walking down the track and through the trees brought us to the car park where we had an expresso from the little coffee van owned by Val and Nick.

Suitably caffeinated, we walk on towards and down Birley Lane. The highland cows and their calfs standing at the cattle grid payed us little attention, as did the massive bull sating his thirst at a little stream at the side of the lane. We passed our friends' cottages and turned along the track through the fields. Passing the near derelict cottage next to the stream took us past Sir Hugh's Brookfield Manor and on, over the hilled fields, to Hathersage Village.

The deli-cafe provided an excellent pot of tea and cakes which recharged our energies. A short wait and we were re-mounted on the 272 back to Sheffield.

A day out to remember ... about twelve km ignoring the ups and downs ...

Back To Nest No. 2

After a long day, spent mainly waiting for various forms of transport, we are now, unpacked and back at our Sheffield flat. All the travel arrangements worked perfectly (touch wood or iron if your Italian). Ferry, flight, hotel, coach and a couple of taxis got us home in scheduled time. All the food along the way was excellent - what more could a vagabond want?

Stay tuned for some more detailed reports ... it's time for a kip ...

Ferrara Cathedral and Castle

We took the train to Farrara and had an interesting journey. The train stopped a few kilometers from Ferrara for about half and hour. The reason? "crazy man" was sleeping on the track! The police can and removed the sleeping idiot. You have to admit that is an unusual reason for a delay ...

The cathedral is magnificant and probably the most trompe l'oeil ed interior we've seen. The facade is quite fantastic - romanesque gone mad plus.

The castle is simply gigantic! That's all I can say that makes any sense ..

No loonies on the track going back to Venice so the train arrived on time. Quite a long day for the aged legs; about 11 hours in all.

Hot, Over-Touristed, Rubbish Art, But Still A Great Place

We've done even more artificating. It's not any surprise that most of the exhibits are, to be generous, rubbish dressed up as art. Conceptual Art is all very well if you're doing a knowledge college project, but it does wear away any patience you may have had when you enterect the sacred portals of the "Exhibition". We've given up reading the expositions on the intellectual, moral, political, economic, religious, scientific, culinary, Play Doh shaping, finger painting, non-polluting, renewable, recylcable and boring intentions of the artist ...

The Bien is far from what its title implies: Illuminating ...

Venice is just a very special place to be ...

Ho Hum, Moan, Moan It's The Biennale!

We've spent two days trawling round the major venues of this year Venice B. Yes, you've guessed right, another exhibition of someone's C .. R .. A .. P. Thank God for the Italian Pavilion at the Arsenale - as per, it had a majority of good "Art". At least this year there was a pleasing lack of placarded, unintelligible, artists' drivel. Mind you, the Conceptual Art Camp still dominates so that we were left wondering what the piles of junk were supposed to mean ...

Interestingly, Anthony Gormley and partner seemed to follow us through the Giardini exhibition with the same lightening speed ... maybe we aren't the only ones to be other than wowed by what was on offer.

Good food and a diet of various "foreign" TV news in English round off the day.

Venice In The Sun And Rain

All the travel arrangements went like clockwork, only much faster ... The flight arrived 20 mins early which allowed us to catch an earlier ferry, which in turn allowed us to hit dreamland by midnight. A total of 11 hours travelling; this included a 5 hour wait at EMA.

Sunday was spent getting set up at the appartment and buying tickets for the vaporetto and Biennale. A hot day with far too many tour groups.

We managed to visit three of the art events. The Ukrainian exhibit was excellent. The idea, size and location of the huge installation, which uses 3640000 wooden eggs, is a great example of what an installation should be.

An exhibition of Franny Bacon's drawings was also worth the effort.

Monday seems to be blighted with rain, Sue's upset stomach and loads of Chinese tourist groups. We hope their pockets are emptied before they leave ... Monday is also a day when many of the exhibitions are closed.

Let's Hope The Transport Runs ...

We're all packed and ready to go off to Venice - again. Fingers and other extremities are cross. Taxi to the station, National Express coach to EMA,  Ryan Air to Venice Marco Polo airport and ferry to Venice Arsenale. It's exciting, but we still hold our breath ...

Goodbye Mr Flint

A sad yesterday, but it comes to us all. Mr Flint, our dear, sheep chasing, football chewing and biscuit munching friend, came to the end of his 20 year romp.

Goodbye Mr Flint.

On The Doorstep - History

We decided to spend a day wandering in an area near Sheffield, Rotherham and Worksop. There are so many places of historical importance to visit, we restricted ourselves to five during the the afternoon.

Roche Abbey is a English Heritage site. It was closed when we got there. Fortunately the path around the site still allowed us to appreciated the place. The abbey must have looked splendid in its day, situated as it is, in the valley at the base of a limestone cliff.

On to Tickhill for a coffee and cake. St Mary's church in Tickhill dates from the 12th C. The present building dates from late 14th and early 15 C. We were surprised by the size of the church.

At Blyth we bought some lunch at the PO. St Mary and Martin's church was locked. I managed to find the verger and, after a long chat about the history of the place, she gave us the key. The building is an amazing example of a Norman Benedicine Priory dating from 1088. Uncle Henry didn't destroy the place because part of the building, the south aisle, was used as the parish church. The remains of a 15th C fresco, Norman arches and the 15th C rood screen are some of the more important features.

Our visit to Worksop Priory was blighted because the place was closed. A huge building with some modern additions. We'll have to visit again to see the 15th C shrine and chapel. The town traffic directions are so bad, we ended up in a Tesco's car park! Eventually we found our way out of the town ,,,

More Norman delights at St Peter's church in Thorpe Salvin rounded off the day. The main part of the church dates from 1130. The chained bible was bought in 1641; I was surprised to see the bible just placed on a shelf with a loose glass cover. The font came from Normandy in the 12th C.

The ruins of Thorpe Hall is visible from the church, but we couldn't find a way to visit it.












Back to Sheffield in time for the rush hour; an excellent afternoon which emphasised the depth of our culture and it's history.

Well, Well, Well And Not So Well

A typical sunny day with showers added  to the beautiful, Derbyshire countryside. We 272ed to Hathersage where our tour of three village well dressings got off to a damp start.

Wormhill is a delightful, truly rural, village where we had excellent tea and cake before visiting the well dressing and church.

Foolow village looks like a calander picture. First impression is that there are some well healed in-comers taking care of the buildings. The village even has a duck pond which isn't filled with discarded shopping trollies. The little church is plain, but delightful; it dates from only about 1880.

Eyam, the plague village, made our final destination of the day. Two well dressings and a brass band; sadly out of tune and timing, but the large procession made up for that.

The drive around, to and from these villages took us through some of the loveliest of Derbyshire countryside. Bright purple heather, green fields, woods and forest, stone walls and cottages, all set in limestone, deep-rolling dales which are topped by grit-stone edges and moors. That alone was worth the effort of venturing out in the rain.

Back at The Cottage poor Mr Flint looked sadder than ever. He's reached a ripe old age and his health is failing. A sad counterpoint to the enjoyable day with good mates ... that's life Freddy Boy ...

A Formula 1 journey back to Sheffield, in what must have been a supercharged 272, got us home before the evening rain set in.

The Chicken Gets It's Revenge ...

I enjoyed the chicken salad, but the salmonella wasn't supposed to be part of the meal ... enough said ...

Touring The Fens Looking For Ancestors

Another bright, sunny day was cause to saddle up the pony and travel some of the many small lanes that crisscross the fens. Sunday sees less traffic so that the open vistas of Lincolnshire are more easily seen as you weave your way from village to village.

We stopped at Langtoft to look at the church of St Michael All Angels which was open. A surprisingly large building holding a brightly lit space almost free of stained glass. Building dates from the 13 C.

We reached Crowland in time for lunch and a quick half at a local hostelry. The Abbey is a monolithic building. The ruins of the old monastic buildings, that are attached to the what was the naive and aisles, were demolished in the mid 16 C. It was in the early 8 C that a religious community was started here. Interestingly, the original settlement was, in the 8 C, on a island in the fens.

Peterborough Cathedral beckoned. After a frustrating drive round-about roundabouts,  we got there. What a building! Founded in the Anglo-Saxon period and rebuilt in the 12 C, this magnificent Norman building is an startling example of such architecture. Arches upon arches, colourful ceilings, fan vaulting and the last resting place of Katherine of Aragon; what else could you ask for?


Back to the ranch via some very interesting byways. A good day in glorious sunshine ...

All Hail to the Bishop of Bardney

In brilliant sunshine we passed through the village of Great Hale, stopping when we saw the large, church of  St John the Baptist. The church predates the Norman conquest by 100 years. It was an abbey church in the mid 14 C. The clear glass windows allow the interior to be bright and the size of the building reflects it's previous history.

Two Quiet Villages on a Sunny, Lincolnshire Day

 St Peter and Paul's church at Osbournby turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The building seems much larger than expected when you enter. The lack of stained glass means that the church is bright and feels airy. Some of the pews have Medieval carved ends.  The village is a quiet place, reflecting it's Georgian rural architecture.



St Andrew's Scredington church at Scredington looks like it has been given a KKK hat! The church interior is bright, if plain. A truly rural village - no flash mobbing here - that England ...

Nottinghamshire Gems

A excellent drive around three villages in Nottinghamshire took us to three delightful churches.

Our Lady of Egmanton church which was restored by Ninian Comper in the late 19 C. The rood screen took our breath away. Decoration of the organ is equally stunning. The church is a gem. We had a pleasant conversation with several vicars who had just finished their meeting and then with the incumbent's wife.

Next, we visited Laxton which is one of the few places where traditional rotation farm practices are used. The church of St Michael the Archangel is an imposing building sited on a small hill. We were fortunate enough to arrive at the same time as the cleaner - otherwise it would have been locked. The village is part of the Royal Estate; the driving force which results in well kept buildings in keeping with a Georgian village atmosphere. The Dovecote Inn proved to be a very pleasant place to have an excellent beer and over-sized plowman's lunch.

Just down the road is Carlton on Trent. The church was open because the warden was at work. We had an long conversation with her about the state of the world, family problems and the price of tea inn China. St Mary's church is in excellent condition - it's Victorian. Plain, but pleasant and worth a visit.

We were tempted to buy a Lottery ticket; finding three open churches in a row ...

Time for dinner ...

Taddington Moor and Ashford in the Water

We had a beautiful, sunny afternoon spent in the Taddington - Ashford area. The main reason for going to this area was to try and find a chambered tomb on Taddington Moor. The only success we had was a libation ant the Waterloo pub. Walking some of the public footpaths across the fields was a bonus because the views of the green and pleasant were excellent.

Ashford in the Water is a picturesque village; the sort you'd expect to see on a calendar. The village is complete with a pack horse bridge over a small river with trout. We visited Holy Trinity church and then a cafe for refreshments.

So ended a pleasant day out ...

Mam Tor and Edale

A delightful drive down the Edale valley and up to the start of a walk to the top of Mam Tor (1700 ft) took us to the windiest spot you could imagine to site your home. The Bronze/Iron Age people must have though otherwise since there are indications of about 100 dwellings at the top. Mam Tor Hill Fort is reasonably large, but very difficult to make out.

The views of the surrounding countryside are spectacular, which makes the effort of slogging up the Tor worthwhile.

We met a couple of very interesting Chinese journalist students on the way down. Their comments on the recent looting riots were interesting, "Not what you would expect in England. Very Worrying."

We drove down the spectacular Winnants Pass and stopped at The Woodbine Cafe in Hope for a top-up. The name of the cafe amused us given all the anti-smoking activities and advertising. Maybe there is a Park Drive Cafe as well ...

Arbor Low, Nine Ladies, Wind, Sun and Heather

Blustery weather didn't prevent us venturing into darkest Derbyshire. First stop was Arbor Low stone circle. We only had an AA road map which meant - we got lost. Yes, it is possible because there are so many small roads which are not on the map, which you have to use. We tried the satnav in the car - no good unless you want to end up in a farmyard - which eventually did! We were convinced we were within a couple of miles of the stone circle and, fortunately, spotted someone and asked the way. "Just go down the road, about a mile, over the hill and you'll see a brown sign on your left. Can't miss it!" We'd just turned around, on the same road, so that we could ask the chap!

About a mile down the road, we turned off into a farmyard which also acts are the National Trust car park. The sun shone on the best of the scenery you could expect in the White Peak - limestone, rolling hills covered in grazed, grass covered fields bounded by dry stone walls. The views from Arbor Low and the adjacent barrow are magnificent. The stone circle and henge is impressive in extent and the location obviously geographically important. No doubt in the Bronze age the views would have been totally different given that mixed forest would have been the dominant vegetation.

We returned to getting lost with the intention of finding the Nine Ladies, another stone circle. By cunning use of common sense - spotting a load of cars and a bus parked along the side of the road next to a public footpath - we found the circle which is on Stanton Moor. The moor was covered in a dense carpet of bonny, blooming heather, with interspersed the odd bright yellow gorse, so that the walk to the circle was worth the effort alone; fantastic views and amazing colours. The circle is a bit disappointing.

The drive back to Sheffield took us down some spectacular, winding and often steep, hilly minor roads. Sometimes getting lost has great benefits ...

Higger Tor and Frog's Mouth

A blustery day with some light rain didn't stop us taking a pleasant walk in the Dark Peak. Our usual transport, the 272, dropped us off at Fox House pub. We walked through Longshaw Estate until we found a suitable, ant-free spot to have lunch. The woods here have large, active ants' nests which are both interesting and not the sort of thing you want to sit near. Wandering on, we made our way back to the cafe at Longshaw where the National Trust Rangers forced us to eat tea and cake.

We walk to Frog's Mouth and followed the tracks up to Higger Tor. One of the pleasures along the way being the sound of the beck which, while not in flood, still managed a symphony of water music which was accompanied by the light, blustery wind. The views of the surrounding, purple-red, heather covered moors were spectacular. The light rain and billowing clouds added an air of mystery which leads people to think of the moors as wild, isolated places untouched and primordial. Not so. Sheffield is but a short 10 miles away from Higger Tor and the whole landscape has been modifiedby human activity stretching back to well before the Bronze Age.

Hope valley spread out before us so that we could just make out Mam Tor in the distance; atop which are the remains of a very large Bronze-Iron Age hill fort which enclosed up to 100 dwellings; the only blemish on the scene being the cement factory - as has been the case for as long as I have been visiting the area. Human industry spanning 3-4 thousand years in the same valley!

We walked down to Surprise View car park which allowed us to catch the 272 back to Sheffield. A delightful, if wind blown, day out.

Road Was Rail

A damp day saw us visiting the Monsal Trail in Derbyshire. The trail is a decommissioned Victorian rail line which is now a walking and cycling track. The book shop and cafe at Hassop was our starting point which allowed us to charge our batteries with toasted bacon butties and tea before we set out in the rain. We walk for about two hours and passed through one of the tunnels where we reached Monsal Dale viaduct. The views of the surrounding country, as we walked the track, were worth the effort even though rain got a little too enthusiastic at times.

Back at the cafe we enjoyed some passable cake and tea before heading back to Hathersage, from which, the trusty 272 and 97 took us safely home. We were happy that the rain had damped the expected looting and riots that were seen the previous night in part of Sheffield.

Raising A Full Head Of Steam

A damp start to the day. Misty hills and light, intermittent drizzle and a shy sun daring to peep through cloud now an again didn't bode well for our trip to Cromford. We got slightly lost. Later explained as taking a scenic route to the Cromford Steam Rally, which wasn't at Cromford anyway.

The rally was huge both in extent and attendance numbers. By midday the had weather cleared to a typical summer's day. We were delighted by the atmosphere and bustling enthusiasm. The smell of coal smoke wafted through a traditional fairground where steam powered fair organs filled the air with vigorous music. Ice creams, Cornish pasties, fish and chips, cakes, bacon butties, sandwiches, hot dogs, baked potatoes, tea and beer; all the basic traditional fare.


I'd a yearning for a toasted bacon and egg bap cooked on a shovel on the grate of a fire box. Unfortunately, OH&S and Risk Management prevents that sort of nostalgia. "E lad, them were t'days." Said the cloth-capped, soot-blackened driver, "We daren't do such, else we'd be in't muck up't eyeballs." Hence, our retreat into the Cromford Conservation Society tent for a more refined tea, cakes and butties served on clean paper plates and cups.

The number of exhibits was beyond anything I'd expected. Steam tractors, lorries and rollers. Motorcycles, cars and military vehicles. Static steam engines. We wandered for several hours. During the afternoon a short, but exhilarating fly-past by a Spitfire and a Hurricane rounded off my day. A delightful day out and a dip into the pool of engineering history.

Bakewell Show But No Tart

Thursday's weather was not what we expected. Clouds were so low in Derbyshire that the whole area would have been an ideal location for some spooky, Victorian, Gothic drama worthy of the Bronte sisters. We would have been forgiven for expecting to see folk enacting the "Heathcliff  Moment" since we started the day at our friends, mist shrouded cottage. The cottage is a short distance across the valley from North Lees Hall.

Mr Flint welcomed us with some unexpected vigor and the boys, as always, bustled and pawed for tasty treats; these I had forgotten to pocket - much to their disappointment.

After parking the car at the Peak Park Offices, everywhere else was packed, we went to our friends favourited cafe for morning tea-cum-early lunch. To me, there is nothing like an English traditional cafe to raise the spirit when the weather is damp and the hills are shrouded in mist. Bacon and mushroom butties, toasted tea cakes or a Full English and tea, munched while sitting in a warm, old fashioned cottage and chatting to good company; who needs an iPad and 3G?

The Bakewell Show was packed with people and stalls. We wandered for about 4 hours with a couple of breaks for refreshments.

Back at the cottage we stopped for another recharge before we went back to Sheffield. Another great day out, "Doin' now't that matters."

MMM Gloucester and Worcester Cathedrals

Driving back from Devon to Sheffield, via M this and that, we decided to stop at two remarkable places and thus give ourselves a break from loonies towing caravans, smart arses who think that driving faster than the speed limit is clever and convoys of lorries.

Gloucester Cathedral is one of the most stunning Norman cathedrals you could imagine. When you enter the body of the building the space seems almost too huge to be real. The stained glass is terrific and the NE and Lady Chapels have to be seen to be believed. One of the most uplifting of all the cathedrals we've seen. Fortunately the building was spared the excesses of Uncle Harry. Recent restoration work on the outside of the Nave shows that today's masons are every bit as skilled as those in history. The cloister is exceptional and its enclosed garden a place of tranquility; a place which, were you alone in it, would almost imposes meditation.

It's most unfortunate that most people who visit the place are only interested in the Harry Potter association - bah humbug!

The general area around the cathedral is lovely - if you like well preserved and maintained historic buildings. A great place to visit.

Worcester Cathedral was our next stop. Unfortunately the whole of the nave was filled with hundreds of seats in preparation for a music extravaganza; this detracted from, what would have been, a splendid and impressive space. The cloister is lovely with a pleasant enclosed garden. Something about the building was less spectacular than we had expected - maybe we were still enraptured by Gloucester Cathedral. At least there was no reference to the Potter mania.


The journey bored on and on. We arrived in Sheffield and gave thanks for a safe trip; motorways are the best way to cover distance, but I can't see why anyone would enjoy driving in the mad-dash, risk-taking traffic which is unavoidable. Caravans - I've had my fill ...

Summer Blue Skies - Packed Beaches and Massed Parking

Today was a brilliant example of an English summer day. The hoards were out with everything, including their kitchen sinks. Beaches were packed and parking was like the storage yard at a car manufactures. We stopped at a delightful pub in the village of Georgeham where a Czechoslovakian bar woman said she expected to be very busy once the "lobsters" returned for their evenings entertainment. Yes folks, it was a day for frying the kids and baking as much naked white flesh as possible; it's a national mania ...

St George's church at Georgeham is very picturesque; building was begun in the13th C. The village is noted in the Doomesday Book of 1087 and there may have been a church on the site in Saxon and Early Norman times.

The day finished with a visit to the NHS Clinic in Braughton so that I could get some antiBs.

A very pleasant day ...

Devon Hills, Churches And Getting Lost ...

Monday. The rain seems to be off for the day; coughs and colds just keep on working.

The first stop was Pilton near Barnstaple. St Mary's church was originally a Priory Church established in the 11th Century as an out reach of Malmesbury Abbey. The Elizabethan tombs are well worth a squiz, as are small number of restored panels of the 14th C rood screen which show the original paintings of Saints.

Lunch at South Molton.

On to Satterleigh where tiny 15C St Peter's church stands in countryside. The intimate interior is complete with medieval door and wooden bell-cote, limewashed walls and panelled oak roof. The drive along winding, narrow lanes was a delight in itself, but it was a bit disconcerting when the lane took us into the main yard of a farm. The church stands in a field/graveyard adjacent to the farmhouse - phew ...

More winding lanes and another, what seemed to be, farmyard cum green with a church at one side. St John the Evangelist at Warkleigh is an interesting 15 C church in an idylic setting. The six bell peal has two bells dating from 1553. The record of incumbents dates from 1276. The weather at this point was just delightful. The setting of the church is equally delightful.



More winding roads and a near complete lack of  location eventually got us onto a major road back to Braughton. The local supermarket supplied dinner. We were exhausted - the colds got the better of us, again ... time for some pills and an early night.

M M M - What A Drive To Ciderland

A lovely sunny day for a dive - maybe, if you like multi-lane traffic, tail-to-tail and travelling at 70 mph plus. Mix in a more than a few tail wagging, caravaners with no intention of driving at the required 50 mph and you have hours of  boring travel. We left home at 9am and got to the shack at about 5pm. M1, M42, M5 plus an alphabet mixture of other roads.

We stopped at Tewkesbury and went to a wedding at the Abbey. A magnificent building! Magnificent organs! One of the best examples of Norman columns and arches you can see. Good glass and painted ceilings with decorated bosses - beautiful in all respects. The music for the wedding powered from the organ filling the space with the deep resonance which both lifts the spirits and vibrates the innards - a truly spiritually moving experience ...

The shack turned out to be a typical traditional 50's cottage; really a sub-divided part of what may have been a small hotel. Well finished, comfortable and spotlessly clean. Unpacked, we wandered to the nearest pharmacy for yet more cough and cold juice - I'm still barking like the proverbial back dog.

The kitchen was soon put into action and we gave several Thanks for a safe journey and virtually collapsed into our dinner. We Stayed at Bloomfield House where the owners, Keith and Tricia, made us very welcome.

Even On Holiday

What a week! Coughing, sneezing and generally feeling like a limp rag. Not the sort of week anyone wants when they are on "holiday". Trouble is bugs don't have "holidays". The weather has been wet so that staying indoors would have been the most sensible choice anyway - I leave getting soaked to hardier fellows. Pills, potions and nostrums seem to have worked their magic and we will be able to trek south-west to Devon and Cornwall as planned. G knows how we will fit in all the people who expect us to visit - family, university folk, arty-farty folk and the odd itinerant we've met along life's highway.

Hopefully we'll pick up the car, pack and get away early - not too early - tomorrow. The question is, "Do we stop to visit folk along the way." If we do, it's going to be a very long journey ...

Coughs, Sneezes And Rain

After a sun-filled week in Lincolnshire we have returned to a rain-filled Sheffield. Close conversation with friends who were hot-foot from Majorca seems to have resulted in coughs and sneezes. Infection travels fast and fresh by Easyjet!

We spent a day, on and off between showers, at the cottage in Hathersage where we looked after Old Mr Flint. This didn't improve my barking. Boots - The Chemist - provided an elixir which has given me the expectation of relief so that I will de-bark in the near future.

All the news - what little there is - concerns the phone tapping exploits of  the Murdoch Clan. The whole affair is set to expand and engulf several of the Great and Good who are putting on their best "Who? Me?" interview face. What a bunch of crooks they are - and we elect some of them ...

I think I'll spend the day daubing and drinking good coffee ...

Lincolnshire, The Big Sky County

Time to visit old haunts in Lincolnshire. A pleasant 90 min drive got us to the motel at Sleaford where we set up camp for this week. I can recommend the Citroen Cleo; the cruise control really makes driving a breeze. Mind you, we couldn't get the satnav to work even after doing the unthinkable - reading the manual. The benefit being? Not listening to an Yank voice telling us we were where we already knew we were.

The Bishop's Eye

We drove to Lincoln on Monday and spent the day at the beautiful cathedral - yes, the whole day. So much to see and always worth hours of wandering and wondering - I've been doing this for over 45 years! We spent a couple of hours on a tour of the roof structure. Amaizing! Some of the massive oak beams are over 900 years old. One couple, who were on the tour, live in Jervis Bay - small world ain't it? They couldn't grasp the wealth and depth of hisory of the cathedral or the city and it's past social and industrial impact on English, and even world, history. Why would they ...

Lunch and afternoon tea at the cloister cafe were very enjoyable. We didn't stay for the organ recital which was scheduled for the evening.

We spent Tuesday morning visiting several lovely villages and a long, enjoyable afternoon with friends at a pub. The lunch was good and the beer excellent ...

Wednesday called for several expeditions into the darkest interior which provided several ancient churches, beautiful cottages, expansive views of hedge-rowed fields with ripening crops and the unexpected keep or manor house. Sadly, most of the churches are locked due to theft and damage. Lead roofs are a prime target. We are disgusted with this situation in England when we consider that we can wander around Japan and find temples are open and undamaged - even the plants in pots outside houses stay intact, as do the vending machines on street corners. What uncouth jobs we English are ... It's probably the Roman, Viking, Saxon and Norman Blood. All to do with having a history of invasion, pillage and football.

We visited South Kyme and came across a gem. On first view the St Mary and All Saints church seems unremarkable, but it dates from at least 1196 when it was an Augustinian priory. The church today consists of the south aisle and part of the nave of the former priory.

In the adjacent field stands Kyme Tower. This stone keep is all that remains of the medieval castle, which was built between 1310 and 1381, by Sir Gilbert de Umfraville. The tower sits upon a mound and is surrounded by a moat, which still survives as an earthwork. There is evidence of other embanked earthwork structures within the moated enclosure. To the east of the keep are fishponds and other features of medieval of post-medieval date. The 18th century Manor House stand nearby. The fields are begging for a resistivity survey ... a project for the future?

You can make out some of the underlying structures in the sat photos.









Thursday became a sorte to Wickenby airfield and the flight plan involved several stalls which resulted in forced landings into unknown fields far and wide.

Bloxholm village has an small church hidden away from the road which was probably built by the fok who lived at the, now semi-derelict, manor house. passing through Ashby de la Launde, Scopwick, Blankney, Metheringham, Nocton, Potterhanworth, Bardney, Kingthorpe, Langton by Wragby and Holton cum Becking, we arrived at Wickenby. Don't you just love the village names? Saxon, Norman, Dane; do we really know where we come from ...

Wickenby airfield was busy with civilian activity and the flying club's  CFI couldn't have been more helpful. One stalwart threw a Zlin 242 into an expert display of aerobatics. Well worth the visit; I've flown out of this field some years ago when most of the pilots were crew at RAF Scampton (of 617 fame). I think "Time Team" had one of their digs at the airfield.

We visited Wickenby church which, we were told, had had its lead from the roof stolen FIVE times! The suggestion to tile the roof has been vetoed by English Heritage, hence, tar-felt has been used to keep the weather out; so much for common sense conservation.

The church at Holton cum Becking was open. We stopped and ended up having a long chat to a Kiwi who was busy cleaning the place. Small world again ... This church has been robbed so many time that the most historically important objects have been confined to archival storage.

Friday saw us wandering the back roads around Sleaford again; so many lanes and by-ways, villages with their churches, pubs and old buildings. Late in the evening we drove back to Sheffield. An excellent week!

Porter Brook Painting Day

Rebecca Roche organized one of her full day drawing/painting days this Saturday at Porter Brook Studios. She had arranged an excellent model and lunch - she cooked the food as well: excellent goats' cheese flan, quiche, phyllo pastry parcels, salad and other munchies. The people who attended were very sociable with lots of intelligent conversation during the breaks. I had a great time. The model turned out to be a geologist so we had plenty to talk about and one of the other attendees is a lecturer in architecture which made for more interesting conversation. My painting was ... don't go there ...

Sue had a Zumba morning and a reading afternoon.

The Jacket Returns

As promised, the linen jacket was delivered to me yesterday. JAL had it cleaned in Tokyo, flew it to Heathrow and posted to Sheffield - as they said they would do. I can now dress like a vicar as I go about my perambulations. All I need to round off the image is a nice Montecristi Panama which can be doffed when I  bless the unwashed masses.

A Quick Visit To Dronfield

The 44 took us to Dronfield in less than 30 mins; the blessing of not having to drive is always a pleasure. We'd visited Dronfield before, which immediately gave us the location of a decent cafe.

A long conversation, with one of the natives, covered most aspects of visiting Oz and touring with a Winningbagle. (Don't you love Mrs Malaprop?) The absence of a rail system is Oz, a la "The Continent", always comes as a surprise to non-Ozers; unlike the use of the  phrase, "The Continent", which seems to be an lasting idiom of our Brit language when referring to our kin in the EU. We Brits seem to have completely forgotten, if current generations ever knew, the provenance of our genes ...

The church of St John The Baptist, which dates from at least the early 12th century, stands near the centre of the village. We were surprised at its size - for a village church. An imposing building which is well worth a visit.

Returning to Sheffield on the 44 brought the afternoon's sortie to a convenient close. This is the advantage of living in England; at a whim, you can use the public transport system to visit far, and, as in the case, near.