In these difficult times we have been encouraged to get out of doors and walk for exercise. Where do you like walking? My favourite walk is a ten mile walk from Gunnerside, a village in N.Yorkshire in the North of England where I have spent numerous holidays from age 19. The Yorkshire Dales is my favourite location in England, especially due to the great contrast between the bleak and rugged scenery at the top,of the dales and the pastoral landscapes in the valley bottoms. There are quite a few abandoned lead mines in the area, so the walk is full of history as well:
[/img]
I just do a routine walk for twenty minutes in the 'hood, to keep some semblance of cardio-vascular life. I live in a relatively gree suburb. It takes quite a lot of effort to get out, there is so much stuff to do at home.
Quote from: Herman on July 22, 2020, 11:19:29 PM
I just do a routine walk for twenty minutes in the 'hood, to keep some semblance of cardio-vascular life. I live in a relatively gree suburb. It takes quite a lot of effort to get out, there is so much stuff to do at home.
Thanks for responding. What's the 'hood'?
A suburb of Leiden, Netherlands
Quote from: Herman on July 23, 2020, 01:39:12 AM
A suburb of Leiden, Netherlands
Ah, I should know that as my daughter 'studied' there for a year! A lovely city.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 22, 2020, 01:17:46 PM
In these difficult times we have been encouraged to get out of doors and walk for exercise. Where do you like walking? My favourite walk is a ten mile walk from Gunnerside, a village in N.Yorkshire in the North of England where I have spent numerous holidays from age 19. The Yorkshire Dales is my favourite location in England, especially due to the great contrast between the bleak and rugged scenery at the top,of the dales and the pastoral landscapes in the valley bottoms. There are quite a few abandoned lead mines in the area, so the walk is full of history as well:
[/img]
It's beautiful! How lovely! Are there official trails there or are you free to wander around?
Best,
PD
In normal times, the Harborwalk in Boston
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on July 23, 2020, 01:20:26 PM
It's beautiful! How lovely! Are there official trails there or are you free to wander around?
Best,
PD
Thanks PD.
There are various 'Rights of Way' which are the official footpaths that you can follow. Much of it will be over farm land or privately owned land so you are supposed to stick to the rights of way - there is usually plenty of choice and that's the same across the country. Yesterday I walked in some nice woodland near to where I live and there is a notice from the landowner saying that you are welcome to walk wherever you like (see signpost below):
Here's a map showing the rights of way although I tend to walk anti-clockwise from Gunnerside on the route:
(//)
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on July 23, 2020, 01:48:26 PM
In normal times, the Harborwalk in Boston
Nice! Is this where you mean
Karl? How far can you walk?
(//)
Jeffrey,
Thanks for the trail map; I'll file the info away for (hopefully) future trip (one of these days) back to the UK. :) By the way, is there poison ivy (or one of its relatives) around there?...should one wander (when permitted) into the woods? And how busy is the trail these days?
Karl,
Ah, walking by the water...how lovely! Hope that you will be back out there soon again!
There's a river that I like to go walking along...also some bike/walking paths. I am also starting to explore some Audubon Society sites..why did I wait so long?! Had a fun time last winter walking along with a friend through a forested area including crossing a stream--wishing at the time that I had brought some *ski poles along as it was icy in some areas. It was beautiful though and 99% of the time, we were by ourselves.
*He was nice and lent me his during 'key moments'. ;)
PD
I usually walk around the neighborhood, but there used to be a nice nature trail near our house, but it hasn't been used in years. I used to walk on this trail a good bit. I also used to walk a good bit around the shore of Lake Lanier, which is also nearby:
(https://lakelanier.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/lanier.jpg)
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 24, 2020, 08:03:35 AM
I usually walk around the neighborhood, but there used to be a nice nature trail near our house, but it hasn't been used in years. I used to walk on this trail a good bit. I also used to walk a good bit around the shore of Lake Lanier, which is also nearby:
(https://lakelanier.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/lanier.jpg)
Is it a case that there aren't any volunteers to maintain the trail?
PD
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 24, 2020, 08:03:35 AM
I usually walk around the neighborhood, but there used to be a nice nature trail near our house, but it hasn't been used in years. I used to walk on this trail a good bit. I also used to walk a good bit around the shore of Lake Lanier, which is also nearby:
(https://lakelanier.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/lanier.jpg)
How beautiful!
PD not sure about Poison Ivy - not aware of any. That trail over Swaledale is never busy. Today we did a walk on the South Downs which went past the Long Man of Wilmington:
(//)
Amazing idea for a thread!
One of my favourite walks ever was to start in Lewes, Sussex, head out to Glyndebourne via country hills and fields, and then dip south to the South Downs Way and get a view of the Channel. Another was through the woods around Wendover and Chequers, although the main appeal there, a pub in Wendover with excellent hamburgers, is long since closed. Living in London, I would while away an afternoon just walking 4-5 miles around town, seeing whatever there was to see.
Here in Dallas, we're not well set up for walks: too hot from June through September, and too many wide streets. But out west, I loved a 10-mile loop hike around Pinnacles National Park (including across the top of the namesake mountains), a walk to the Continental Divide in Colorado which took us to the source of the Colorado River (the same one that goes through the Grand Canyon), and the Hoh River Rain Forest trail in Washington.
Actually, since Herman mentions it, one of my favourite cities to go walking in is, well, Leiden. Antwerp's not bad, either, or Delft. We got lost in Haarlem, though. ;D
Quote from: Brian on July 24, 2020, 12:22:08 PM
Amazing idea for a thread!
One of my favourite walks ever was to start in Lewes, Sussex, head out to Glyndebourne via country hills and fields, and then dip south to the South Downs Way and get a view of the Channel. Another was through the woods around Wendover and Chequers, although the main appeal there, a pub in Wendover with excellent hamburgers, is long since closed. Living in London, I would while away an afternoon just walking 4-5 miles around town, seeing whatever there was to see.
Here in Dallas, we're not well set up for walks: too hot from June through September, and too many wide streets. But out west, I loved a 10-mile loop hike around Pinnacles National Park (including across the top of the namesake mountains), a walk to the Continental Divide in Colorado which took us to the source of the Colorado River (the same one that goes through the Grand Canyon), and the Hoh River Rain Forest trail in Washington.
Actually, since Herman mentions it, one of my favourite cities to go walking in is, well, Leiden. Antwerp's not bad, either, or Delft. We got lost in Haarlem, though. ;D
Thanks! Thought it might make a change from Coronavirus etc. Lewes is very local and we drove past Glyndebourne today. There's a great circular walk from Glynde up to Mount Caburn and ending up on the golf course above Lewes.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 23, 2020, 11:18:18 PM
Nice! Is this where you mean Karl? How far can you walk?
(//)
Yes, indeed. At a guess, 5 miles.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 24, 2020, 04:19:56 PM
Thanks! Thought it might make a change from Coronavirus etc. Lewes is very local and we drove past Glyndebourne today. There's a great circular walk from Glynde up to Mount Caburn and ending up on the golf course above Lewes.
Mount Caburn was part of my walk and when I was there, people were parasailing off the top onto the land below. A cool sight.
Quote from: Brian on July 24, 2020, 05:40:37 PM
Mount Caburn was part of my walk and when I was there, people were parasailing off the top onto the land below. A cool sight.
Oh yes, they also parasail near Firle Beacon which is somewhere else where I often go walking.
it's nowhere near as stunning as the previous entries, but I like walking in LaBagh Woods, in the Northwestern outskirts of Chicago
(https://i.imgur.com/Me5BPQO.jpg)
There are so many great walks in and around London, many on the Thames alone. It's wonderful for example walking along from the South Bank to Southwark Cathedral, past the Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and the reconstruction of Francis Drake's Golden Hinde, with views across to the City and St Paul's, and ending up in one of the many excellent eateries around there. Or crossing Tower Bridge and down to St Katharine's Dock e.g. These walks are sadly going to be slightly different since coronavirus, as they are often buzzing with activity and people.
Some of the most spectacular 'walks' I had recently were in Yosemite National Park, California. The Porcupine Creek Trail springs to mind, where one emerges at the end, from dark, wooded slopes onto the heart-stoppingly glorious sight of Half Dome, Clouds Rest and plunging views of Yosemite Valley. All in brilliant sunshine when we were there.
(http://loomisadventures.com/sites/default/files/images/blog/north-dome-15-large-06.24.11.jpg)
Half Dome at the end of Porcupine Creek Trail (from the internet)
Quote from: Brian on July 24, 2020, 12:22:08 PM
Another was through the woods around Wendover and Chequers, although the main appeal there, a pub in Wendover with excellent hamburgers, is long since closed.
Lots of nice walks around there in the Chilterns. Do you remember the name of the pub?
Quote from: kitsune on July 25, 2020, 06:28:18 AM
it's nowhere near as stunning as the previous entries, but I like walking in LaBagh Woods, in the Northwestern outskirts of Chicago(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/y6r3P_tsMdenjXbcISjHcaSRTu2j22dp5iAgHA_QEBQAXko_-v-rOLab_Nh-T-tVnKJbDtAkY9evc3oEMf65Z9VnZNgkNXaNr7hR-cwrPhFVQuuxZzHaCxQZ9XmTtVrkYgvohZgxoHL6kxgqaMdBkjLHDaPHuerShGElfJusqH8S6CYTk4PAK78)
Looks very nice to me.
Quote from: Iota on July 25, 2020, 07:04:26 AM
There are so many great walks in and around London, many on the Thames alone. It's wonderful for example walking along from the South Bank to Southwark Cathedral, past the Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and the reconstruction of Francis Drake's Golden Hinde, with views across to the City and St Paul's, and ending up in one of the many excellent eateries around there. Or crossing Tower Bridge and down to St Katharine's Dock e.g. These walks are sadly going to be slightly different since coronavirus, as they are often buzzing with activity and people.
Some of the most spectacular 'walks' I had recently were in Yosemite National Park, California. The Porcupine Creek Trail springs to mind, where one emerges at the end, from dark, wooded slopes onto the heart-stoppingly glorious sight of Half Dome, Clouds Rest and plunging views of Yosemite Valley. All in brilliant sunshine when we were there.
(http://loomisadventures.com/sites/default/files/images/blog/north-dome-15-large-06.24.11.jpg)
Half Dome at the end of Porcupine Creek Trail (from the internet)
Lots of nice walks around there in the Chilterns. Do you remember the name of the pub?
How great! Never (sadly) been to USA but I can relate very much to your London walks as I grew up in Central London (Earl's Court - according to myself and my brother and 'South Kensington' according to our parents) and I went to school very close to St Paul's, in Blackfriars. In my younger days I used to meet an old school friend at the school (by Blackfriars Bridge) and after playing 5-a-side football in the old school gym we'd go jogging along the Embankment and cross over either Westminster or Hungerford Bridge and return the other side of the River. Happy days!
Quote from: Spotted Horses on July 25, 2020, 07:41:07 AM
The George Mitchell Nature Preserve which, perhaps ironically, was named after the guy who basically invented fracking.
Very nice. Thanks. Reminds me of some of my local walks.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on July 24, 2020, 08:14:56 AM
Is it a case that there aren't any volunteers to maintain the trail?
PD
I suppose so, PD. I haven't walked this trail in probably 20 years or more.
Quote from: kitsune on July 25, 2020, 06:28:18 AM
it's nowhere near as stunning as the previous entries, but I like walking in LaBagh Woods, in the Northwestern outskirts of Chicago(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/y6r3P_tsMdenjXbcISjHcaSRTu2j22dp5iAgHA_QEBQAXko_-v-rOLab_Nh-T-tVnKJbDtAkY9evc3oEMf65Z9VnZNgkNXaNr7hR-cwrPhFVQuuxZzHaCxQZ9XmTtVrkYgvohZgxoHL6kxgqaMdBkjLHDaPHuerShGElfJusqH8S6CYTk4PAK78)
Looks cool and inviting to me! :)
PD
Quote from: Iota on July 25, 2020, 07:04:26 AM
There are so many great walks in and around London, many on the Thames alone. It's wonderful for example walking along from the South Bank to Southwark Cathedral, past the Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and the reconstruction of Francis Drake's Golden Hinde, with views across to the City and St Paul's, and ending up in one of the many excellent eateries around there. Or crossing Tower Bridge and down to St Katharine's Dock e.g. These walks are sadly going to be slightly different since coronavirus, as they are often buzzing with activity and people.
Some of the most spectacular 'walks' I had recently were in Yosemite National Park, California. The Porcupine Creek Trail springs to mind, where one emerges at the end, from dark, wooded slopes onto the heart-stoppingly glorious sight of Half Dome, Clouds Rest and plunging views of Yosemite Valley. All in brilliant sunshine when we were there.
(http://loomisadventures.com/sites/default/files/images/blog/north-dome-15-large-06.24.11.jpg)
Half Dome at the end of Porcupine Creek Trail (from the internet)
Lots of nice walks around there in the Chilterns. Do you remember the name of the pub?
Haven't been to Yosemite before, but would love to go there. I miss walking around London. Haven't walked along the Thames before, but your walk sounds wonderful (including food)! :)
Quote from: Spotted Horses on July 25, 2020, 07:41:07 AM
The George Mitchell Nature Preserve which, perhaps ironically, was named after the guy who basically invented fracking.
Looks like you have the whole place to yourself? :)
PD
Quote from: Iota on July 25, 2020, 07:04:26 AM
Lots of nice walks around there in the Chilterns. Do you remember the name of the pub?
The Village Gate. Unfortunately it was destroyed by fire. Only proper cheeseburger I had in my year of UK life, and also a spot where I chatted with a fellow who wasn't quite ready to go home to his wife and kids and somehow downed 7 pints during our conversation. As an American, I was called on to settle a bar argument - which politician was more attractive, Condoleezza or Hillary ??? ??? ???
Quote from: vandermolen on July 25, 2020, 07:40:15 AMI grew up in Central London (Earl's Court - according to myself and my brother and 'South Kensington' according to our parents)
Haha, great importance hangs by such distinctions!
Quote from: vandermolen on July 25, 2020, 07:40:15 AMI went to school very close to St Paul's, in Blackfriars. In my younger days I used to meet an old school friend at the school (by Blackfriars Bridge) and after playing 5-a-side football in the old school gym we'd go jogging along the Embankment and cross over either Westminster or Hungerford Bridge and return the other side of the River. Happy days!
That sounds like a really nice routine. Such rituals can inspire real fondness for me too, particularly when looked back on from some distance.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on July 25, 2020, 08:31:20 AM
Haven't been to Yosemite before, but would love to go there. I miss walking around London. Haven't walked along the Thames before, but your walk sounds wonderful (including food)! :)
Yes the food's a nice part of it! 8) Whether en famille, or just one or two of you, there's really a fantastic choice!
Quote from: Brian on July 25, 2020, 10:18:39 AM
The Village Gate. Unfortunately it was destroyed by fire. Only proper cheeseburger I had in my year of UK life, and also a spot where I chatted with a fellow who wasn't quite ready to go home to his wife and kids and somehow downed 7 pints during our conversation.
Ah, not a pub I know/knew. The one I was trying to think of and couldn't when I was typing my post, was The Wellhead also in Wendover and which also closed. It had something of a 'Bohemian' reputation at one point.
I used to play squash with a guy, a few years older than me, who downed eight pints or more almost every night, for most of his drinking life! He's still going strong though and can regularly be seen riding around on his mountain bike! Though beer consumption has radically reduced ..
Quote from: Brian on July 25, 2020, 10:18:39 AM
As an American, I was called on to settle a bar argument - which politician was more attractive, Condoleezza or Hillary ??? ??? ???
A vital question after seven pints I imagine .. ::)
Quote from: Spotted Horses on July 25, 2020, 10:46:12 AM
The photo is perhaps 50 meters off the trail, and we pretty much have the place to ourselves there. Waling the usual 2.6 km loop we might encounter half a dozen people.
Our parks can look just like that, with a typical temperature of 37 centigrade. It feels cooler under the canopy of trees. I still come out drenched in sweat.
Ooh! Ouch! I'm feeling sunburnt already! And, yes, in the summertime, it's important to exercise/hike early in the morning...or a stroll after dinner.
PD
Quote from: Spotted Horses on July 25, 2020, 03:20:08 PM
Actually we can complete the entire walk without being exposed to direct sunlight. Very dense canopy of trees. We just get steamed by the heat and humidity.
Do you try and go out early these days?
Quote from: Brian on July 25, 2020, 10:18:39 AM
The Village Gate. Unfortunately it was destroyed by fire. Only proper cheeseburger I had in my year of UK life, and also a spot where I chatted with a fellow who wasn't quite ready to go home to his wife and kids and somehow downed 7 pints during our conversation. As an American, I was called on to settle a bar argument - which politician was more attractive, Condoleezza or Hillary ??? ??? ???
Yes, it occurred to me that Mount Caburn near Glynde was a long way to come for a walk from Texas 8)
Quote from: Iota on July 25, 2020, 11:10:06 AM
Haha, great importance hangs by such distinctions!
That sounds like a really nice routine. Such rituals can inspire real fondness for me too, particularly when looked back on from some distance.
Yes the food's a nice part of it! 8) Whether en famille, or just one or two of you, there's really a fantastic choice!
Ah, not a pub I know/knew. The one I was trying to think of and couldn't when I was typing my post, was The Wellhead also in Wendover and which also closed. It had something of a 'Bohemian' reputation at one point.
I used to play squash with a guy, a few years older than me, who downed eight pints or more almost every night, for most of his drinking life! He's still going strong though and can regularly be seen riding around on his mountain bike! Though beer consumption has radically reduced ..
A vital question after seven pints I imagine .. ::)
Yes, those central London jogging excursions with my old school friend were very nice, especially when we ended up in a pub afterwards.
Some lovely entries here. I tend to cycle a lot, and such trips would be outside the thread's subject, but besides many, mostly one-time walks when abroad, I am currently in Zentral Zealand for some days, away from Copenhagen, and the Åmosen area near Jyderup has been quite a discovery, with traditional, undulating and rural Danish scenery along Jyderupstien/The Jyderup Hiking Path. The path in itself is 59 km, but there are many options besides that one.
Quote from: MusicTurner on July 26, 2020, 01:09:44 AM
Some lovely entries here. I tend to cycle a lot, and such trips would be outside the thread's subject, but besides many, mostly one-time walks when abroad, I am currently in Zentral Zealand for some days, away from Copenhagen, and the Åmosen area near Jyderup has been quite a discovery, with traditional, undulating and rural Danish scenery along Jyderupstien/The Jyderup Hiking Path. The path in itself is 59 km, but there are many options besides that one.
Ah, I can hear Nielsen's music accompanying the landscape! I have taken up cycling again after a 40 year break, at the instigation of my wife. I have had some fairly traumatic experiences on a bike, not least being knocked off (not literally) my bike by a low flying Dutch military jet whilst working on a farm in Zeeland (NL) between school and university. Actually the jet gave me such a fright that I drove my bike off the road and into a dyke (ditch).
Quote from: vandermolen on July 26, 2020, 08:47:25 AM
Ah, I can hear Nielsen's music accompanying the landscape! I have taken up cycling again after a 40 year break, at the instigation of my wife. I have had some fairly traumatic experiences on a bike, not least being knocked off (not literally) my bike by a low flying Dutch military jet whilst working on a farm in Zeeland (NL) between school and university. Actually the jet gave me such a fright that I drove my bike off the road and into a dyke (ditch).
Ouch! I broke an elbow on a cobbled street in Kosice, Slovakia, once when cycling, and was also once torpedoed by an unconcentrated car driver just 50 m from my home address, but the resulting knee injuries didn't last, luckily. The pros outweigh the cons as regards cycling, I think - but with the new, fast and rather heavy electric bikes and scooters, the city traffic environment has become less safe and predictable at times ... walks are mostly safe when in safe terrain, and it isn't dark. But I might not be here to post, if an evening driver on that Italian road where I took a walk back in December had decided to cross the road, suddenly and very speedily to a sideroad, just 50 cm away from the route he actually took ...
Quote from: MusicTurner on July 26, 2020, 09:06:11 AM
Ouch! I broke an elbow on a cobbled street in Kosice, Slovakia, once when cycling, and was also once torpedoed by an unconcentrated car driver just 50 m from my home address, but the resulting knee injuries didn't last, luckily. The pros outweigh the cons as regards cycling, I think - but with the new, fast and rather heavy electric bikes and scooters, the city traffic environment has become less safe and predictable at times ... walks are mostly safe when in safe terrain, and it isn't dark. But I might not be here to post, if an evening driver on that Italian road where I took a walk back in December had decided to cross the road, suddenly and very speedily to a sideroad, just 50 cm away from the route he actually took ...
I tend to keep to special cycle routes where possible, although it often isn't in England. My wife is far more confident on a bike. My first experience of driving abroad (Italy) last year was very nerve-wracking for me.
I nearly turned my bike into a river in Austria some years ago after I set off with the handlebars the wrong way round and discovered that there was nothing where the breaks had once been. Instead I wobbled into a wall and fell off. My wife and daughter were besides themselves with laughter.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on July 25, 2020, 08:22:34 AM
Looks cool and inviting to me! :)
PD
It is; a part of the North branch of the Chicago River runs through the woods which attracts lots of deer and other wildlife. One of the last times I went I watched a mama deer and her faun grazing peacefully. :)
Whenever the weather permits, we like to walk to Lake Michigan, usually with the dog accompanying us. Summer:
(https://jwcdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/sunrise_beach_lake-Bluff.jpg)
Winter:
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQLFV8YEAbUYAVPkjAU6cqJOn7JLty1bBZ6Ug&usqp=CAU)
Quote from: kitsune on July 28, 2020, 07:13:53 AM
It is; a part of the North branch of the Chicago River runs through the woods which attracts lots of deer and other wildlife. One of the last times I went I watched a mama deer and her faun grazing peacefully. :)
Sweet! Trust that you spray & check yourself for ticks afterwards? I've had several friends get Lyme disease...some with some really bad consequences as they diagnosed it quite late. About a month or so ago, I happened to see a mom and her faun crossing the road headed to a quiet side street; I rarely see them in my area. :) A sign of the times. Though I did see a bear (around 200 lbs?) checking out my veggie garden a few days ago. It (wisely) decided that my hot peppers were not really food [and thankfully, it didn't try to open up my new composter around the corner!].
PD
Quote from: Archaic Torso of Apollo on July 28, 2020, 07:36:57 AM
Whenever the weather permits, we like to walk to Lake Michigan, usually with the dog accompanying us. Summer:
(https://jwcdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/sunrise_beach_lake-Bluff.jpg)
Winter:
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQLFV8YEAbUYAVPkjAU6cqJOn7JLty1bBZ6Ug&usqp=CAU)
Nice photos! Looks very inviting!
PD
Quote from: Archaic Torso of Apollo on July 28, 2020, 07:36:57 AM
Whenever the weather permits, we like to walk to Lake Michigan, usually with the dog accompanying us. Summer:
(https://jwcdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/sunrise_beach_lake-Bluff.jpg)
Winter:
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQLFV8YEAbUYAVPkjAU6cqJOn7JLty1bBZ6Ug&usqp=CAU)
Very nice images. Today I took this photo on an 8 mile walk locally, near Isfield, Sussex, UK. I was quite pleased with the photo:
(//)
Lovely photo Jeffrey!
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 03, 2020, 02:54:52 AM
Lovely photo Jeffrey!
Yes PD it did come out better than expected, if I say so myself!
Thank you :)
My wife said I should get it printed.
Hope all is well with you.
Great thread idea, Jeffrey, and I've only been slow to respond through having been away... walking... Where we went, the Isles of Scilly (UK's only Covid-free region), there isn't a lot else to do and, lovely though it was, I don't think any walk there is going to turn into a favourite. Too much sea for my taste - I don't mind a day or two of coastal walking, but after that it tends just to become more of the same.
Anyway, to your recommendation first: it's Pennine Way country, isn't it, or very nearly, so well known to me. There's some great old mining country up the top of Nidderdale, too, and further north up around Nenthead. (And a note to PD - thankfully, Poison Ivy is not found in the UK. I read some nasty things about it a few years ago before going walking in the Appalachians, but didn't encounter any.)
And if I had one walk left to do before I died, it would be from Kinlochewe to Dundonnell in Wester Ross. You can either go down the north side of Loch Maree to Letterewe, then over the top to Shenavall, or via the Heights of Kinlochewe to Loch an Nid. Ideally a 2-day trip, during which it's possible to see no other human beings at all. Either way, there's the inspiring sight of An Teallach's mighty peaks to keep you going, but the whole area contains a dozen or so above the 3000-foot mark. I haven't been there for years, and just writing about it makes me long to get back.
And on a much gentler level, we have a pleasant 1-mile ramble from our new house that takes in a fairly impressive medieval motte:
(http://www.ecastles.co.uk/penrhos960a.jpg)
Quote from: DaveF on August 05, 2020, 12:44:49 PM
Great thread idea, Jeffrey, and I've only been slow to respond through having been away... walking... Where we went, the Isles of Scilly (UK's only Covid-free region), there isn't a lot else to do and, lovely though it was, I don't think any walk there is going to turn into a favourite. Too much sea for my taste - I don't mind a day or two of coastal walking, but after that it tends just to become more of the same.
Anyway, to your recommendation first: it's Pennine Way country, isn't it, or very nearly, so well known to me. There's some great old mining country up the top of Nidderdale, too, and further north up around Nenthead. (And a note to PD - thankfully, Poison Ivy is not found in the UK. I read some nasty things about it a few years ago before going walking in the Appalachians, but didn't encounter any.)
And if I had one walk left to do before I died, it would be from Kinlochewe to Dundonnell in Wester Ross. You can either go down the north side of Loch Maree to Letterewe, then over the top to Shenavall, or via the Heights of Kinlochewe to Loch an Nid. Ideally a 2-day trip, during which it's possible to see no other human beings at all. Either way, there's the inspiring sight of An Teallach's mighty peaks to keep you going, but the whole area contains a dozen or so above the 3000-foot mark. I haven't been there for years, and just writing about it makes me long to get back.
And on a much gentler level, we have a pleasant 1-mile ramble from our new house that takes in a fairly impressive medieval motte:
(http://www.ecastles.co.uk/penrhos960a.jpg)
Thank you for the information regarding poison ivy NOT being in the UK as I'm allergic to it! And what a cool photo! Hope that you are enjoying your new home Dave.
Best wishes,
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 05, 2020, 12:50:08 PM
Thank you for the information regarding poison ivy NOT being in the UK as I'm allergic to it! And what a cool photo! Hope that you are enjoying your new home Dave.
Best wishes,
PD
Yes that looks like a great default walk when you're not able to travel further :).
We're currently spending a lot of time at this bioscience office park which has beautiful and varied woods away from the offices, a sunny pond with benches where we sit and have our picnic or in a shelter with tables if it's raining. It's a 25 minute drive from home to where we park at an old church 5 minutes walk away, starting about 7:45 so we generally have it all to ourselves :D.
https://www.alderleypark.co.uk/ (https://www.alderleypark.co.uk/)
Quote from: vandermolen on July 22, 2020, 01:17:46 PM
In these difficult times we have been encouraged to get out of doors and walk for exercise. Where do you like walking? My favourite walk is a ten mile walk from Gunnerside, a village in N.Yorkshire in the North of England where I have spent numerous holidays from age 19. The Yorkshire Dales is my favourite location in England, especially due to the great contrast between the bleak and rugged scenery at the top,of the dales and the pastoral landscapes in the valley bottoms. There are quite a few abandoned lead mines in the area, so the walk is full of history as well:
[/img]
Jeffrey, this is so beautiful! I will check some pics on Goole Map.
I jog 2 miles every morning, but it's an average residential area.
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on August 09, 2020, 07:25:17 AM
Jeffrey, this is so beautiful! I will check some pics on Goole Map.
I jog 2 miles every morning, but it's an average residential area.
Ah, Goole :-*
Quote from: DaveF on August 05, 2020, 12:44:49 PM
Great thread idea, Jeffrey, and I've only been slow to respond through having been away... walking... Where we went, the Isles of Scilly (UK's only Covid-free region), there isn't a lot else to do and, lovely though it was, I don't think any walk there is going to turn into a favourite. Too much sea for my taste - I don't mind a day or two of coastal walking, but after that it tends just to become more of the same.
Anyway, to your recommendation first: it's Pennine Way country, isn't it, or very nearly, so well known to me. There's some great old mining country up the top of Nidderdale, too, and further north up around Nenthead. (And a note to PD - thankfully, Poison Ivy is not found in the UK. I read some nasty things about it a few years ago before going walking in the Appalachians, but didn't encounter any.)
And if I had one walk left to do before I died, it would be from Kinlochewe to Dundonnell in Wester Ross. You can either go down the north side of Loch Maree to Letterewe, then over the top to Shenavall, or via the Heights of Kinlochewe to Loch an Nid. Ideally a 2-day trip, during which it's possible to see no other human beings at all. Either way, there's the inspiring sight of An Teallach's mighty peaks to keep you going, but the whole area contains a dozen or so above the 3000-foot mark. I haven't been there for years, and just writing about it makes me long to get back.
And on a much gentler level, we have a pleasant 1-mile ramble from our new house that takes in a fairly impressive medieval motte:
(http://www.ecastles.co.uk/penrhos960a.jpg)
Great photo Dave and interesting walk observations. Yes, Gunnerside is near Pennine Way country. Actually I walked the whole of the Pennine Way with my brother in 1979. It took three weeks - probably the best holiday that I ever had. My wife's grandparents lived in Nidderdale and we would often visit there. Her grandmother dies a few year's ago aged 103. Your local walk looks very nice and I share PD's liking for the photo.
(//)
I visit Tokyo and Kyoto almost every year. Over-there, I jog 2-3 miles every morning.
The pics of my jog route in Kyoto here.
Kyoto jog No. 2.
Nice, is it busy when you do that jog?
Quote from: steve ridgway on August 11, 2020, 05:24:48 AM
Nice, is it busy when you do that jog?
It's a tourist area packed with tons of people from many countries.
I jog before 9am and it's not bad.
We are staying near Glastonbury for a week. Today's walk was from where we are staying to the top of Glastonbury Tor and then on to Glastonbury Abbey, where King Arthur is allegedly buried - very Arthurian!
(//)
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on August 10, 2020, 02:20:22 PM
Kyoto jog No. 2.
Very nice. Yes, parts of Kyoto, especially in the area of the temple districts, have a surprisingly green and very relaxed environment. We have stayed in those areas when visiting, and IMO it is to be preferred, if possible.
Glastonbury Abbey
(//)
'King Arthur's' Tomb, Glastonbury Abbey
(//)
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 16, 2020, 07:09:29 AM
Very nice. Yes, parts of Kyoto, especially in the area of the temple districts, have a surprisingly green and very relaxed environment. We have stayed in those areas when visiting, and IMO it is to be preferred, if possible.
Many tourists in Kyoto are upperclass/intellectual people from all over the world. I met composers, conductors, writers, psychiatrists, etc. it is a favorite city of David Bowie, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and others. The price is higher than Tokyo/New York though.
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on August 16, 2020, 07:34:49 AM
Wow! I am envious. :) :)
It was fun and we enjoyed being steeped in Arthuiran legend for the day!
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on August 16, 2020, 07:34:04 AM
Many tourists in Kyoto are upperclass/intellectual people from all over the world. I met composers, conductors, writers, psychiatrists, etc. it is a favorite city of David Bowie, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and others. The price is higher than Tokyo/New York though.
We just stayed at modest B&Bs twice, breakfast included, run by expats, & generally didn't spend a lot of money; such places might be more expensive now. I'm pretty sure it was around or less than 100 Euros/night for two people. This was around a decade ago. Flights to Osaka were down to around 500 Euros return from Copenhagen. Bikes were ridiculously cheap to rent & we felt comfortable going around the quieter parts of the city on them. But: though it's The Land of the Rising Sun, it's also The Country of Low-placed Bike Saddles :)
Yesterday we walked around Wells and visited the cathedral, now opened once again. On Tuesday evening there is a free organ recital By Barry Rose of Guildford Cathedral which we might try to get to. I have a recording of him doing Vaughan Williams's 'Fantasia on Christmas Carols':
Interior of Cathedral with 'Scissors Arch':
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on August 16, 2020, 10:08:31 AM
Yesterday we walked around Wells and visited the cathedral, now opened once again. On Tuesday evening there is a free organ recital By Barry Rose of Guildford Cathedral which we might try to get to. I have a recording of him doing Vaughan Williams's 'Fantasia on Christmas Carols':
(//)
Late Gothic- my favorite architecture. Built around the 15th-16th century perhaps?
Quote from: vandermolen on August 16, 2020, 10:08:31 AM
Yesterday we walked around Wells and visited the cathedral, now opened once again. On Tuesday evening there is a free organ recital By Barry Rose of Guildford Cathedral which we might try to get to. I have a recording of him doing Vaughan Williams's 'Fantasia on Christmas Carols':
Interior of Cathedral with 'Scissors Arch':
(//)
Looks glorious. I once did a bike+camping tour westwards from London, but weather was often poor. Stopped at Bath, Wells, Glastonbury and Yeovil etc. too, but reached only Minehead as the westernmost poin, so didn't reach Cornwall ... :(. As far as I remember, I stayed at a camp site near Wokey Hole.
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on August 11, 2020, 05:50:44 AM
It's a tourist area packed with tons of people from many countries.
I jog before 9am and it's not bad.
Kyoto is a beautiful area (and also lots of amazing artists live there--beautiful work....*traditional and natural indigo dying and more)..so much to see and appreciate...temples, etc. Would love to go back there. Do you have relatives there and/or friends?
*I purchased some gorgeous pieces from a wonderful and rightfully renowned artist there at one point in time...still enjoying them. :)
Best wishes,
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on August 16, 2020, 07:01:31 AM
We are staying near Glastonbury for a week. Today's walk was from where we are staying to the top of Glastonbury Tor and then on to Glastonbury Abbey, where King Arthur is allegedly buried - very Arthurian!
Nice Jeffrey! I'm glad that you are enjoying your visit. Would love to check out these areas/sites/towns someday!
PD
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on August 16, 2020, 07:46:29 AM
It was fun and we enjoyed being steeped in Arthuiran legend for the day!
A friend took me to the supposed "Knights of the Round Table" some years ago. :)
PD
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on August 16, 2020, 10:11:23 AM
Late Gothic- my favorite architecture. Built around the 15th-16th century perhaps?
Between 1176 and 1450
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Cathedral
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 16, 2020, 10:26:16 AM
Looks glorious. I once did a bike+camping tour westwards from London, but weather was often poor. Stopped at Bath, Wells, Glastonbury and Yeovil etc. too, but reached only Minehead as the westernmost poin, so didn't reach Cornwall ... :(. As far as I remember, I stayed at a camp site near Wokey Hole.
How very nice! Weather a bit variably but much better than the unbearable heat of last week. We kept dry on our c.7 mile walk from the farm we are staying at to the top of Glastonbury Tor and then to the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey yesterday. I studied in Exeter for a year and have very good friends in Shaftesbury, but don't ever recall coming here before. There's a very friendly donkey called 'Arthur' on the farm where we are staying to whom we fee carrots (with the owner's permission).
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 16, 2020, 02:45:31 PM
A friend took me to the supposed "Knights of the Round Table" some years ago. :)
PD
Yes and of course there is Tintagel in Cornwall, the subject on Bax's famous orchestral tone poem.
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on August 16, 2020, 11:17:23 PM
How very nice! Weather a bit variably but much better than the unbearable heat of last week. We kept dry on our c.7 mile walk from the farm we are staying at to the top of Glastonbury Tor and then to the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey yesterday. I studied in Exeter for a year and have very good friends in Shaftesbury, but don't ever recall coming here before. There's a very friendly donkey called 'Arthur' on the farm where we are staying to whom we fee carrots (with the owner's permission).
That sounds perfect 😄 - it must be a very enjoyable time for you.
Quote from: vandermolen on August 16, 2020, 11:17:23 PM
How very nice! Weather a bit variably but much better than the unbearable heat of last week. We kept dry on our c.7 mile walk from the farm we are staying at to the top of Glastonbury Tor and then to the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey yesterday. I studied in Exeter for a year and have very good friends in Shaftesbury, but don't ever recall coming here before. There's a very friendly donkey called 'Arthur' on the farm where we are staying to whom we fee carrots (with the owner's permission).
Makes both the donkey and you happy and feeling good! :)
Cooler here too (with a spot of rain yesterday; it felt sooo good! And nice cool morning here today....ahhh!
Would love to visit Tintagal someday.
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on August 16, 2020, 07:01:31 AM
We are staying near Glastonbury for a week. Today's walk was from where we are staying to the top of Glastonbury Tor and then on to Glastonbury Abbey, where King Arthur is allegedly buried - very Arthurian!
Sounds nice, very wise of you not to go abroad :).
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 16, 2020, 02:43:31 PM
Kyoto is a beautiful area (and also lots of amazing artists live there--beautiful work....*traditional and natural indigo dying and more)..so much to see and appreciate...temples, etc. Would love to go back there. Do you have relatives there and/or friends?
*I purchased some gorgeous pieces from a wonderful and rightfully renowned artist there at one point in time...still enjoying them. :)
Best wishes,
PD
I have friends and relatives in Tokyo. But mostly every year, I take a bullet train to Kyoto (2hrs) and stay there about a week. Yes many artists live there. Also there are several classical music cafe bars. The North side of Kyoto is popular, but the South side has many nice Zen temples and good family restaurants, and it is less pricy.
Yesterday we did a six mile walk around the top of the Cheddar (as in the cheese) Gorge. It was very up and down but good exercise with added drama when my wife lost her mobile phone en route (a kind member of the public heard it ringing in a bush and returned it to her). It looked like a tropical storm was going to break out when I reached the top (a long way behind my wife, as usual) but we managed to miss it:
(//)
That photo is top-notch!
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 18, 2020, 01:08:22 AM
That photo is top-notch!
+1!
And what a wonderful spot that would be to paint too!
Jeffrey,
So glad that she managed to get her phone back. How did that manage to happen? Was she asking everyone she bumped into along the way?
PD
p.s. I'd bring that to a place that does digital printing (if they still exist?) and/or buy some good quality photograph stock and print it at home. And then frame it with pride. :)
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 18, 2020, 01:08:22 AM
That photo is top-notch!
Thanks although not my photo - found on the Internet.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 18, 2020, 02:59:57 AM
+1!
And what a wonderful spot that would be to paint too!
Jeffrey,
So glad that she managed to get her phone back. How did that manage to happen? Was she asking everyone she bumped into along the way?
PD
p.s. I'd bring that to a place that does digital printing (if they still exist?) and/or buy some good quality photograph stock and print it at home. And then frame it with pride. :)
I phoned her mobile and someone happened to hear it in a bush! She headed back to where she was last aware of using it (to tell me to get a move on of course ::)) but in the meantime I heard that a mobile had been found and then someone came along with it.
Quote from: vandermolen on August 18, 2020, 11:38:46 AM
I phoned her mobile and someone happened to hear it in a bush! She headed back to where she was last aware of using it (to tell me to get a move on of course ::)) but in the meantime I heard that a mobile had been found and then someone came along with it.
Ah, smart thinking! :)
Quote from: vandermolen on August 18, 2020, 11:35:36 AMThanks although not my photo - found on the Internet.
Hmmm...well, perhaps future inspiration then for you re photographing there? ;)
When I am not astral-travelling to Pluto:
(https://i.postimg.cc/Hk3FBMj9/plutonian-Surface.jpg)
I walk in the lane to feed the deer:
(https://i.postimg.cc/N0cL7W9H/000-0005.jpg)
Quote from: Scion7 on August 18, 2020, 12:08:28 PM
When I am not astral-travelling to Pluto:
(https://i.postimg.cc/Hk3FBMj9/plutonian-Surface.jpg)
I walk in the lane to feed the deer:
(https://i.postimg.cc/N0cL7W9H/000-0005.jpg)
We have local deers as well.
This is a genuine photo from myself, its authenticity guaranteed by the fact that I've also photographed the cover of my mobile phone case (additional black arch at top). The photo is at Wells Cathedral and that is my wife through the archway:
(//)
Quote from: Scion7 on August 18, 2020, 12:08:28 PM
When I am not astral-travelling to Pluto:
(https://i.postimg.cc/Hk3FBMj9/plutonian-Surface.jpg)
I walk in the lane to feed the deer:
(https://i.postimg.cc/N0cL7W9H/000-0005.jpg)
Hi Scion7,
Um, it's sweet that you care about the deer. Are they starving where you live? I love nature, animals, etc., but that's possibly (and sorry, I hate to say this) mucking up things re the balance and more? In my country, deer are in some areas very plentiful and have become serious pests...becoming too used to humans (which wild animals shouldn't become under normal circumstances) and can help spreading things like the very debilidating Lyme Disease and leaving them at a risk of being too trusting of humans too. And, I'm truly asking this kindly, are they o.k. on their own? It sounds like you're a very caring person? Perhaps, instead, look to helping/volunteering at a local wildlife institute? :) Pardon, not trying to hurt your feelings, but I'm trying to help to make your efforts matter (as best that I can...I'm certainly no expert). I just want your love of wildlife to matter. :)
Best wishes,
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on August 18, 2020, 01:58:53 PM
This is a genuine photo from myself, its authenticity guaranteed by the fact that I've also photographed the cover of my mobile phone case (additional black arch at top). The photo is at Wells Cathedral and that is my wife through the archway:
(//)
;D
Any walk would be a joy for me as I have just developed a back problem that has put me on crutches but fingers crossed it wont be permanent ...
Quote from: Andante on August 19, 2020, 03:12:22 AM
Any walk would be a joy for me as I have just developed a back problem that has put me on crutches but fingers crossed it wont be permanent ...
Very sorry to hear that! Hope that you heal quickly. :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 19, 2020, 03:36:41 AM
Very sorry to hear that! Hope that you heal quickly. :)
PD
Thank you, most kind.
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on August 10, 2020, 02:19:21 PM
I visit Tokyo and Kyoto almost every year. Over-there, I jog 2-3 miles every morning.
The pics of my jog route in Kyoto here.
Here's a view of the city of Kyoto.
(https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/42194692_10156648082251240_7292207663713091584_o.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=Avl7z17wIPIAX8RY3_c&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=fed11967d47c5d50963c70af24cf9e08&oe=5F67E271)
Which direction might your jog be? Left or right?
As for favorite walks, this will do:
(https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/42275843_10156648082991240_2071045247449694208_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=KsaejJczxkgAX9MVzsB&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=56320b37e28e43f34aae82e3f321a218&oe=5F675D3A)
Quote from: greg on August 22, 2020, 09:45:40 AM
Here's a view of the city of Kyoto.
(https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/42194692_10156648082251240_7292207663713091584_o.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=Avl7z17wIPIAX8RY3_c&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=fed11967d47c5d50963c70af24cf9e08&oe=5F67E271)
Which direction might your jog be? Left or right?
As for favorite walks, this will do:
(https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/42275843_10156648082991240_2071045247449694208_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=KsaejJczxkgAX9MVzsB&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=56320b37e28e43f34aae82e3f321a218&oe=5F675D3A)
😍😍😍
I usually jog around Imperial Palace, Heian Shrine and Maruyama Park.
The pic below is a Matcha ice cream in Kyoto.
Quote from: Andante on August 19, 2020, 03:12:22 AM
Any walk would be a joy for me as I have just developed a back problem that has put me on crutches but fingers crossed it wont be permanent ...
I hope not and hope that you are out walking again soon.
Quote from: greg on August 22, 2020, 09:45:40 AM
Here's a view of the city of Kyoto.
(https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/42194692_10156648082251240_7292207663713091584_o.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=Avl7z17wIPIAX8RY3_c&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=fed11967d47c5d50963c70af24cf9e08&oe=5F67E271)
Which direction might your jog be? Left or right?
As for favorite walks, this will do:
(https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/42275843_10156648082991240_2071045247449694208_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=KsaejJczxkgAX9MVzsB&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=56320b37e28e43f34aae82e3f321a218&oe=5F675D3A)
Great photos + DBK's ice cream shot. :)
According to her FB post today, Ms. AS Mutter is hiking Alps now. I guess/hope she has recovered from Covid19.
No. 2
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on August 24, 2020, 07:25:54 PM
According to her FB post today, Ms. AS Mutter is hiking Alps now. I guess/hope she has recovered from Covid19.
Nice.
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on August 24, 2020, 07:25:54 PM
According to her FB post today, Ms. AS Mutter is hiking Alps now. I guess/hope she has recovered from Covid19.
Good to hear. It looks like a scene from 'The Sound of Music'. She doesn't seem to be in hiking gear ;D
Quote from: vandermolen on August 23, 2020, 10:49:23 PM
I hope not and hope that you are out walking again soon.
Thank you sir, you are most kind all I can say is that growing old is not for the faint hearted.
Quote from: vandermolen on August 24, 2020, 11:20:21 PM
She doesn't seem to be in hiking gear ;D
😄😄😄
The below is her message Yesterday:
The Austrian Alps – my favorite place by far ...
Hiking here is such a present – as will be to finally perform again soon!! The Wildpark in Aurach is a magical place. Look at these flowers! And one more of these Austrian desserts and my dirndl is going to explode 😀
Quote from: Andante on August 25, 2020, 03:04:52 AM
Thank you sir, you are most kind all I can say is that growing old is not for the faint hearted.
Yes, I can relate to that!
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on August 25, 2020, 07:26:10 AM
😄😄😄
The below is her message Yesterday:
The Austrian Alps – my favorite place by far ...
Hiking here is such a present – as will be to finally perform again soon!! The Wildpark in Aurach is a magical place. Look at these flowers! And one more of these Austrian desserts and my dirndl is going to explode 😀
I have had two lovely holidays hiking in the Austrian Alps. Including getting stuck in the revolving door of our hotel, with my rucksack, on two consecutive days. On the second occasion a fellow hotel guest jumped up and announced 'Did you see that? He did the same thing yesterday!' Presumably he thought that I'd been employed by the hotel to provide the comic entertainment for fellow guests.
Quote from: vandermolen on August 25, 2020, 09:01:32 AM
I have had two lovely holidays hiking in the Austrian Alps. Including getting stuck in the revolving door of our hotel, with my rucksack, on two consecutive days. On the second occasion a fellow hotel guest jumped up and announced 'Did you see that? He did the same thing yesterday!' Presumably he thought that I'd been employed by the hotel to provide the comic entertainment for fellow guests.
Oh, no! lol So, I'm guessing that the next time, you decided to take your sack off of your back before going through the door? I'm guessing that that was the issue? ;)
Love her comment about the Austrian desserts...made me laugh! Though to be fair, I'll have to watch it with tart baking; even though they are savory, there's a goodly bit of butter in the crusts and cheese of some sort (goat cheese lately) in the filling! :(
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on August 25, 2020, 09:01:32 AM
I have had two lovely holidays hiking in the Austrian Alps. Including getting stuck in the revolving door of our hotel, with my rucksack, on two consecutive days. On the second occasion a fellow hotel guest jumped up and announced 'Did you see that? He did the same thing yesterday!' Presumably he thought that I'd been employed by the hotel to provide the comic entertainment for fellow guests.
I don't like revolving doors. They make me dizzy. There are scenes of people stuck in revolving doors in numerous movies. In Godfather, one of Mafia dons was shot in a revolving door.
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on August 25, 2020, 06:47:11 PM
I don't like revolving doors. They make me dizzy. There are scenes of people stuck in revolving doors in numerous movies. In Godfather, one of Mafia dons was shot in a revolving door.
Careful now! You'll be making Jeffrey
even more paranoid about going through revolving doors! ;)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 26, 2020, 02:45:53 AM
Careful now! You'll be making Jeffrey even more paranoid about going through revolving doors! ;)
PD
;D
That was the same holiday during which I set off on my bicycle with the handlebars the wrong way round, crashed into a wall and toppled off, whilst my wife and daughter looked on in a state of hysterical laughter.
My daughter loves telling everyone about 'The Austrian Bike Ride' it has become a legendary event in family history.
Quote from: vandermolen on August 24, 2020, 11:20:21 PM
Good to hear. It looks like a scene from 'The Sound of Music'. She doesn't seem to be in hiking gear ;D
On many routes, they mostly put on the hiking gear for indicating hiking; usually, it's not really necessary, since everything is pretty well-organized and neat, facilities good, etc. So she has just chosen one type of traditional dress in stead of another ;D
Quote from: vandermolen on August 26, 2020, 03:26:50 AM
;D
That was the same holiday during which I set off on my bicycle with the handlebars the wrong way round, crashed into a wall and toppled off, whilst my wife and daughter looked on in a state of hysterical laughter.
My daughter loves telling everyone about 'The Austrian Bike Ride' it has become a legendary event in family history.
Poor Jeffrey!
A great weekend break to hitherto unvisited areas in the Jutland region, staying at the excellent Pallisgaard B&B near Struer town, resulted in selected walks in some unusually grand landscapes, by Danish standards - the Toftum Bjerge fiord viewpoint; the Bovbjerg Fyr lighthouse sandy coast by the North Sea; the Hald Sø lake; and the Hanklit coastal hills on Mors island.
A really refreshing trip.
Looks inviting MT!
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 31, 2020, 01:46:11 PM
A great weekend break to hitherto unvisited areas in the Jutland region, staying at the excellent Pallisgaard B&B near Struer town, resulted in selected walks in some unusually grand landscapes, by Danish standards - the Toftum Bjerge fiord viewpoint; the Bovbjerg Fyr lighthouse sandy coast by the North Sea; the Hald Sø lake; and the Hanklit coastal hills on Mors island.
A really refreshing trip.
Great places! Beautiful.
Thank you, we really enjoyed it.
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 31, 2020, 01:46:11 PM
A great weekend break to hitherto unvisited areas in the Jutland region, staying at the excellent Pallisgaard B&B near Struer town, resulted in selected walks in some unusually grand landscapes, by Danish standards - the Toftum Bjerge fiord viewpoint; the Bovbjerg Fyr lighthouse sandy coast by the North Sea; the Hald Sø lake; and the Hanklit coastal hills on Mors island.
A really refreshing trip.
Nice pictures, Music Turner, displaying the athmosphere of the locations very well. When younger I lived in this area for about a dozen years and used of course the opportunity to visit much of the landscape.
Quote from: (: premont :) on September 01, 2020, 01:32:28 PM
Nice pictures, Music Turner, displaying the athmosphere of the locations very well. When younger I lived in this area for about a dozen years and used of course the opportunity to visit much of the landscape.
Tak.
If there are/were other places there you've found particularly rewarding, it would be nice hearing about it. I could see myself paying a visit again.
On Sunday my wife and I did a 7.5 mile walk to Cissbury Ring on the South Downs. It is an ancient hill fort. I always associate these kinds of places with the music of John Ireland who lived locally (in a windmill). Photo from Internet:
(//)
There's some information about it here.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cissbury-ring
The good thing about this walk is that the route is very clear so, unusually for us, we didn't get lost.
Quote from: vandermolen link=topi c=30052.msg1319328#msg1319328 date=1600152357
On Sunday my wife and I did a 7.5 mile walk to Cissbury Ring on the South Downs. It is an ancient hill fort. I always associate these kinds of places with the music of John Ireland who lived locally (in a windmill). Photo from Internet:
(//)
There's some information about it here.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cissbury-ring
The good thing about this walk is that the route is very clear so, unusually for us, we didn't get lost.
This takes me back to my school years in England we did a school trip to south England and visited a hill fort called Maiden Castle in Dorset dates back to the iron age I think and parts go back to Neolithic man, oh those were the days mad impetuous youth. :)
Quote from: Andante on September 15, 2020, 03:34:15 AM
This takes me back to my school years in England we did a school trip to south England and visited a hill fort called Maiden Castle in Dorset dates back to the iron age I think and parts go back to Neolithic man, oh those were the days mad impetuous youth. :)
Maiden Castle inspired Ireland's work
Mai-Dun
Quote from: vandermolen on September 14, 2020, 10:45:57 PM
On Sunday my wife and I did a 7.5 mile walk to Cissbury Ring on the South Downs. It is an ancient hill fort. I always associate these kinds of places with the music of John Ireland who lived locally (in a windmill). Photo from Internet:
(//)
There's some information about it here.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cissbury-ring
The good thing about this walk is that the route is very clear so, unusually for us, we didn't get lost.
Nice! Did you see the ponies at work there Jeffrey? :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 15, 2020, 05:08:54 AM
Nice! Did you see the ponies at work there Jeffrey? :)
PD
I did indeed PD although I'm not sure they were 'at work' unless that definition includes their clear interest in each other! :o We sat at the top of the hill fort with our backs to the ponies, who suddenly seemed rather interested in our packed lunch!
Quote from: Andante on September 15, 2020, 03:34:15 AM
This takes me back to my school years in England we did a school trip to south England and visited a hill fort called Maiden Castle in Dorset dates back to the iron age I think and parts go back to Neolithic man, oh those were the days mad impetuous youth. :)
Nice! Where did you go to school?
Quote from: vandermolen on September 15, 2020, 08:37:29 AM
Nice! Where did you go to school?
A boy's boarding school just outside of Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire nothing elete just a normal school for boys only.
Quote from: vandermolen on September 15, 2020, 08:36:15 AM
I did indeed PD although I'm not sure they were 'at work' unless that definition includes their clear interest in each other! :o We sat at the top of the hill fort with our backs to the ponies, who suddenly seemed rather interested in our packed lunch!
lol :) I suspect that they might have been fed some bits of apple and carrots by some there? Or maybe 'at home'? Reading about them on the website, I wondered if perhaps a few goats might be helpful in some of the more awkward to reach areas?
Is the rampart fairly steep and/or high? Hard to tell by the photo. And interesting to read that it was used even as late as WWII!
Best,
PD
p.s. Nothing too exciting around here....though (whilst on a short walk with a friend), we spied several herons flying by. The other day, I also looked up and saw two red-tailed hawks flying over a local building (circling)....that made my day! :)
Quote from: Andante on September 15, 2020, 01:59:32 PM
A boy's boarding school just outside of Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire nothing elete just a normal school for boys only.
Interesting. Thanks
Quote from: Biffo on September 15, 2020, 03:51:00 AM
Maiden Castle inspired Ireland's work Mai-Dun
Thanks for that Biffo I had no idea
Quote from: Andante on September 16, 2020, 02:33:45 AM
Thanks for that Biffo I had no idea
It's one of my favourite works by Ireland along with 'The Forgotten Rite'
Off a short pier. 8)
On this the last day on the island of Møn, it was time to re-visit parts of the famous walk along the ridges of the white, forested cliffs, rising up to 120 m from the blue and green sea. They are mostly beech forests. Weather was beautiful too. There's a chalet and a park from the 18-19th century there, 'Liselund', with various follies and a path down to the stony beach below. They've now introduced picturesque herds of goats in the hills too, giving an almost South-European impression. One of the best scenic spots in the country. Did about 1/3 of the total hiking route.
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 19, 2020, 10:26:11 AM
On this the last day on the island of Møn, it was time to re-visit parts of the famous walk along the ridges of the white, forested cliffs, rising up to 120 m from the blue and green sea. They are mostly beech forests. Weather was beautiful too. There's a chalet and a park from the 18-19th century there, 'Liselund', with various folies and a path down to the stony beach below. They've now installed picturesque herds of goats in the hills too, giving an almost South-European impression. One of the best scenic spots in the country. Did about 1/3 of the total hiking route.
Beautiful, MT. :)
Myself, I enjoy hiking in the Green Mountains here in Vermont, though this summer I've done precious little, partly due to prepping for online classes and partly due to racing to finish my latest piece before classes started. Mostly I have been limited to local hikes. From my house I can leave town on foot and hike up into the hill country to the east, covered with mixed New England forests (oak, maple, ash, birch, and several different species of conifers). Unfortunately the Green Mountains require a car to get to, but they're quite inspiring with 3 summits that stick up above timberline. The Worcester Range is also very beautiful and rugged, makes for challenging hiking even in dry weather.
The Vermont forests, especially in Autumn, are definitely one of the places I'd like to see if visiting the Northern US; also, you have the reputation for lovely, rural landscapes, and low-key neighbourhoods, as a contrast to the biggest cities. I've only been to New York, but hope to maybe-maybe visit in the future ... I guess some cycling is even an option there too, in the easier valleys etc. Nice with the mentioning of some of your favourites.
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 19, 2020, 10:26:11 AM
On this the last day on the island of Møn, it was time to re-visit parts of the famous walk along the ridges of the white, forested cliffs, rising up to 120 m from the blue and green sea. They are mostly beech forests. Weather was beautiful too. There's a chalet and a park from the 18-19th century there, 'Liselund', with various follies and a path down to the stony beach below. They've now introduced picturesque herds of goats in the hills too, giving an almost South-European impression. One of the best scenic spots in the country. Did about 1/3 of the total hiking route.
Beautiful images. Where is the Island of Møn?
Yesterday, on a local walk, I came across the grave of former Prime Minister Harold MacMillan:
Some parts of the church at Horsted Keynes go back to the 12th Century.
(//)
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 20, 2020, 12:58:10 AM
The Vermont forests, especially in Autumn, are definitely one of the places I'd like to see if visiting the Northern US; also, you have the reputation for lovely, rural landscapes, and low-key neighbourhoods, as a contrast to the biggest cities. I've only been to New York, but hope to maybe-maybe visit in the future ... I guess some cycling is even an option there too, in the easier valleys etc. Nice with the mentioning of some of your favourites.
Yes, Vermont is very much a rural state, with even the largest city, Burlington, having a population a little under 43,000. I live in a small college town near the center of the state. My neighbors keep chickens (illegal inside city limits in most states) and there are farms and rolling fields within walking distance.
And yes, bicycling is very popular here. Until the highway was torn up two summers ago for construction, I did a 12-km each way ride up the valley to the next town and back on a regular basis. Now the construction is finished and my bicycle is sitting unused because it needs maintenance, and so few bike stores are open (due to the pandemic) that the waiting list is several months long. :( So I hike as much as I can. :D
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 19, 2020, 10:26:11 AM
On this the last day on the island of Møn, it was time to re-visit parts of the famous walk along the ridges of the white, forested cliffs, rising up to 120 m from the blue and green sea. They are mostly beech forests. Weather was beautiful too. There's a chalet and a park from the 18-19th century there, 'Liselund', with various follies and a path down to the stony beach below. They've now introduced picturesque herds of goats in the hills too, giving an almost South-European impression. One of the best scenic spots in the country. Did about 1/3 of the total hiking route.
Wow, such a wonderful place! I am envious.
Quote from: vandermolen on September 20, 2020, 01:04:34 AM
Beautiful images. Where is the Island of Møn?
(...)
Yes, due to the peculiar spelling, it might be a bit difficult to find on the various web sources. But it's roughly 100 km directly to the south of Copenhagen (as the crow flies), and there's a free bridge from Sjælland/Zealand, the blob-island where Copenhagen is situated.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B8n
Lots of sights, besides the white cliffs of
Møns Klint; also a series of medieval, frescoed churches (Fanefjord, Elmelunde, Keldby etc.), nice beaches, pretty villages (Nyord, Stege), galleries, ceramics places, and some local gastronomy/food products ... well worth a visit/stay for a few days, or longer. I had to go home after 6 nights, but could easily have stayed for another week, or more - particularly with the lovely weather, that still allowed swimming.
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 21, 2020, 05:12:23 AM
Yes, due to the peculiar spelling, it might be a bit difficult to find on the various web sources. But it's soughly 100 km directly to the south of Copenhagen (as the crow flies), and there's a free bridge from Zealand, the blob-island where Copenhagen is situated.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B8n
Lots of sights, besides the white cliffs of Møns Klint; also a series of medieval, frescoed churches (Fanefjord, Elmelunde, Keldby etc.), nice beaches, pretty villages (Nyord, Stege), galleries, ceramics places, and some local gastronomy/food products ... well worth a visit/stay for a few days, or longer. I had to go home after 6 nights, but could easily have stayed for another week, or more - particularly with the lovely weather, that still allowed swimming.
Of all of the countries in Europe, the two I've been most keen on visiting have been France (the southern part, le Midi) and Denmark... the latter partly because two of the top composers in my pantheon are Danish. I wonder what has become of the property Vagn Holmboe owned on Lake Arresø? I always wanted to see the setting where Holmboe composed the vast majority of his works.
A long stroll in the streets of Montreal's Mile End area with my son this weekend. Being the Jewish New Year, shtreimels and talits were very much on display (for the men of course). It was a beautiful fall afternoon. I brought back a dozen Montreal bagels :D.
Quote from: krummholz on September 21, 2020, 07:04:55 AM
Of all of the countries in Europe, the two I've been most keen on visiting have been France (the southern part, le Midi) and Denmark... the latter partly because two of the top composers in my pantheon are Danish. I wonder what has become of the property Vagn Holmboe owned on Lake Arresø? I always wanted to see the setting where Holmboe composed the vast majority of his works.
I've sent you a PM with some info on the matter ...
One of my favourite walks is simply from my home to an Ice Age morene landscape nearby, a slope next to a 'sandr', topped with five tumuli, the remains of a paleolithic (c. 3300 BC) settlement. Most times with our dog [not the one on the photo], who has free movement here. Always a sense of eternity when the wind blows and the views from the top are wide and liberating:
(https://f.jwwb.nl/public/w/p/f/temp-nedrcqgskhoeucnbrdzo/57bcyc/DSC04722.jpg)
A view from the top must be a rare occurence indeed in the Netherlands ! :D
Quote from: André on September 21, 2020, 10:51:47 AM
A view from the top must be a rare occurence indeed in the Netherlands ! :D
Was wondering whether it's perhaps a bit to the south in the Netherlands ? And it looks quite forested?
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 21, 2020, 10:54:41 AM
Was wondering whether it's perhaps a bit to the south in the Netherlands ? And it looks quite forested?
No it is the - almost exact - geographical centre of The Netherlands, quite forested indeed and the hill tops are just 50 meters over sea level. But that's enough for terrific views, I'm fond of them and enjoy the walk very much. The landscape resembles the Sussex Downs where Jeffrey is often found BTW. :)
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 21, 2020, 05:12:23 AM
Yes, due to the peculiar spelling, it might be a bit difficult to find on the various web sources. But it's roughly 100 km directly to the south of Copenhagen (as the crow flies), and there's a free bridge from Sjælland/Zealand, the blob-island where Copenhagen is situated.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B8n
Lots of sights, besides the white cliffs of Møns Klint; also a series of medieval, frescoed churches (Fanefjord, Elmelunde, Keldby etc.), nice beaches, pretty villages (Nyord, Stege), galleries, ceramics places, and some local gastronomy/food products ... well worth a visit/stay for a few days, or longer. I had to go home after 6 nights, but could easily have stayed for another week, or more - particularly with the lovely weather, that still allowed swimming.
Thank you - it looks like a very attractive spot indeed.
Quote from: André on September 21, 2020, 09:13:29 AM
A long stroll in the streets of Montreal's Mile End area with my son this weekend. Being the Jewish New Year, shtreimels and talits were very much on display (for the men of course). It was a beautiful fall afternoon. I brought back a dozen Montreal bagels :D.
Sounds like a very nice thing to do.
Quote from: Christo on September 21, 2020, 10:58:07 AM
No it is the - almost exact - geographical centre of The Netherlands, quite forested indeed and the hill tops are just 50 meters over sea level. But that's enough for terrific views, I'm fond of them and enjoy the walk very much. The landscape resembles the Sussex Downs where Jeffrey is often found BTW. :)
Indeed - or at least in a nearby pub (until they are all closed down again).
Quote from: vandermolen on September 21, 2020, 11:21:04 AM
Indeed - or at least in a nearby pub (until they are all closed down again).
Do many pubs over there serve fish and chips? What kind of fish do they offer? Maybe cod (my fav)?? Is the sauce tartar sauce?
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on September 21, 2020, 04:39:59 PM
Do many pubs over there serve fish and chips? What kind of fish do they offer? Maybe cod (my fav)?? Is the sauce tartar sauce?
OT
Yes, we also have a van which turns up in the village every Wednesday and serves fish and chips. Many pubs will serve cod and chips but there is usually a range of fish dishes. Fish Pie seems to be a popular pub meal. Not sure about the tartar sauce but I expect that you are right. Speaking personally, I'm addicted to tomato ketchup, which I have on almost everything (not breakfast cereal or porridge however). ;D
My wife takes a dim view of my ketchup addiction ::)
Can you still get 'Draught Bass' it was my beer of choice when I was in England?
Quote from: vandermolen on September 21, 2020, 11:14:02 PM
OT
Yes, we also have a van which turns up in the village every Wednesday and serves fish and chips. Many pubs will serve cod and chips but there is usually a range of fish dishes. Fish Pie seems to be a popular pub meal. Not sure about the tartar sauce but I expect that you are right. Speaking personally, I'm addicted to tomato ketchup, which I have on almost everything (not breakfast cereal or porridge however). ;D
My wife takes a dim view of my ketchup addiction ::)
The fish van sounds wonderful. I am envious. I live in the deep south in the U.S.A. and effectively there is no sea food restaurant. I haven't seen fish pie, but that sounds great and I would like to try one day. I ate good fish and chips at Heathrow Airport a few times, but it costed around €30. The best fish and chips I ate were those at my favorite pub in Vancouver. They were Cod, Halibut, and Sockeye Salmon. While I like tartar sauce, I like squeezed lemon as well. I imagine there are many local ales at pubs in your area. Such a great place. One day I will visit England, Wales, and Scotland, look at Gothic buildings during day, and eat fish pie with ale during night.
Quote from: Andante on September 22, 2020, 02:26:28 AM
Can you still get 'Draught Bass' it was my beer of choice when I was in England?
I think so but no sure. My favourite beer is 'Old' - a very dark local Sussex beer from the Harvey's Brewery in Lewes.
Here's one of the village pubs with their beer delivery van:
(//)
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on September 22, 2020, 08:03:39 AM
The fish van sounds wonderful. I am envious. I live in the deep south in the U.S.A. and effectively there is no sea food restaurant. I haven't seen fish pie, but that sounds great and I would like to try one day. I ate good fish and chips at Heathrow Airport a few times, but it costed around €30. The best fish and chips I ate were those at my favorite pub in Vancouver. They were Cod, Halibut, and Sockeye Salmon. While I like tartar sauce, I like squeezed lemon as well. I imagine there are many local ales at pubs in your area. Such a great place. One day I will visit England, Wales, and Scotland, look at Gothic buildings during day, and eat fish pie with ale during night.
If you come to England I'll buy you a fish pie. :)
Yes, I'd imagine that fish and chips at Heathrow would be horribly over-priced. The fish van is much cheaper!
Quote from: vandermolen on September 22, 2020, 09:37:21 AM
I think so but no sure. My favourite beer is 'Old' - a very dark local Sussex beer from the Harvey's Brewery in Lewes.
Here's one of the village pubs with their beer delivery van:
(//)
As for "Irish" ale, Joseph Mitchell's well-known story maintains that it is supposed to be heated/warmed up and served in authentic way. I imagine they all are served cold in the U.K. today.
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on September 22, 2020, 09:57:00 AM
As for "Irish" ale, Joseph Mitchell's well-known story maintains that it is supposed to be heated/warmed up and served in authentic way. I imagine they all are served cold in the U.K. today.
Yes, probably true.
Quote from: vandermolen on September 22, 2020, 09:37:21 AM
I think so but no sure. My favourite beer is 'Old' - a very dark local Sussex beer from the Harvey's Brewery in Lewes.
Here's one of the village pubs with their beer delivery van:
(//)
Hope to take one during our next visit! ;D
Quote from: Christo on September 24, 2020, 05:33:57 AM
Hope to take one during our next visit! ;D
That would be very nice indeed - and hopefully as less traumatic visit than last time!
Mine are in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, where I live. This is a shot of me enjoying one of them: a descent down a long ridge from Grace Mountain. I ascended via the valley below to the left and up an old landslide track. The return is down the ridge and then a plunge left back into the valley:
Here's the ascent up the landslide track:
Quote from: BasilValentine on September 24, 2020, 09:29:17 PM
Mine are in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, where I live. This is a shot of me enjoying one of them: a descent down a long ridge from Grace Mountain. I ascended via the valley below to the left and up an old landslide track. The return is down the ridge and then a plunge left back into the valley:
I wrote a monograph on my compatriot Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920), who did an American tour in 1898. As an alternative for the Alps he normally would visit, he chose the Adirondack Mountains and found them not high, but pleasant walking and with enough fresh air. :)
Quote from: BasilValentine on September 24, 2020, 09:29:17 PM
Mine are in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, where I live. This is a shot of me enjoying one of them: a descent down a long ridge from Grace Mountain. I ascended via the valley below to the left and up an old landslide track. The return is down the ridge and then a plunge left back into the valley:
That is superb & not quite what I expected of scenery up there. Lovely.
Quote from: BasilValentine on September 24, 2020, 09:29:17 PM
Mine are in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, where I live. This is a shot of me enjoying one of them: a descent down a long ridge from Grace Mountain. I ascended via the valley below to the left and up an old landslide track. The return is down the ridge and then a plunge left back into the valley:
Great photos, although not sure that I fancy the 'landslide track'!
Quote from: BasilValentine on September 24, 2020, 09:29:17 PM
Mine are in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, where I live. This is a shot of me enjoying one of them: a descent down a long ridge from Grace Mountain. I ascended via the valley below to the left and up an old landslide track. The return is down the ridge and then a plunge left back into the valley:
Beautiful! As an aside, the scenery in Vermont is very similar, maybe a bit craggier in places. New Hampshire is even more spectacular and almost "alpine", with many summits sticking up well above timberline. I have many pictures taken in the New England mountains but it's hard to choose one as the best! I will try to come up with something...
Quote from: vandermolen on September 24, 2020, 11:42:18 PM
Great photos, although not sure that I fancy the 'landslide track'!
The Adirondacks are prone to large landslides. After Hurricane Irene in 2011 there were more than 20 major slides in a matter of days. It was like an amusement park opening up. So many new routes to walk! Here is one of the most famous Adirondack routes, on Mt. Colden. From a deep glacial lake surrounded by thousand foot cliffs one ascends the defile in the lower middle-frame, then out onto that bright white slide track (new in 2011) nearly to the summit.
Very impressive. Reminds me of my youth ::).
Quote from: BasilValentine on September 25, 2020, 05:46:30 AM
The Adirondacks are prone to large landslides. After Hurricane Irene in 2011 there were more than 20 major slides in a matter of days. It was like an amusement park opening up. So many new routes to walk! Here is one of the most famous Adirondack routes, on Mt. Colden. From a deep glacial lake surrounded by thousand foot cliffs one ascends the defile in the lower middle-frame, then out onto that bright white slide track (new in 2011) nearly to the summit.
Extraordinary!
Today, as a belated 90th birthday present for my father-in-law we took my in laws to Hampton Court Palace, sometime home of Henry VIII. It has beautiful grounds.
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on September 26, 2020, 12:12:48 PM
Extraordinary!
Today, as a belated 90th birthday present for my father-in-law we took my in laws to Hampton Court Palace, sometime home of Henry VIII. It has beautiful grounds.
(//)
Oh, neat! I'd love to see that sometime. Hope that everyone, especially your father-in-law, enjoyed it?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 26, 2020, 12:28:08 PM
Oh, neat! I'd love to see that sometime. Hope that everyone, especially your father-in-law, enjoyed it?
PD
Yes, we all had a great day thank you PD. My mother-in-law has already been on the phone saying that they would like to go again. The staff were brilliant (especially as 50% of them are about to be made redundant) in accommodating my in law's wheel chairs and finding special routes and lifts for us. I hope that you too get there one day PD.
Installation at Hampton Court Palace
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on September 26, 2020, 12:32:17 PM
Yes, we all had a great day thank you PD. My mother-in-law has already been on the phone saying that they would like to go again. The staff were brilliant (especially as 50% of them are about to be made redundant) in accommodating my in law's wheel chairs and finding special routes and lifts for us. I hope that you too get there one day PD.
Installation at Hampton Court Palace
(//)
I'm happy to hear that things went so well....yeah staff!!! I feel horrible that 50% of them will be laid off though!! Any system in place in which they will be hired back when things are normal? At least first offerings (I imagine that at least a goodly amount of them will be trying to find new jobs)?
And, I'll make it there....somehow, someday. Thanks Jeffrey for your kind wishes.
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 26, 2020, 01:18:42 PM
I'm happy to hear that things went so well....yeah staff!!! I feel horrible that 50% of them will be laid off though!! Any system in place in which they will be hired back when things are normal? At least first offerings (I imagine that at least a goodly amount of them will be trying to find new jobs)?
And, I'll make it there....somehow, someday. Thanks Jeffrey for your kind wishes.
PD
Hi PD I had a chat with one of the guides and she told me that there was a good chance that they will be re-appointed when and if things return to normal. It is the current uncertainly which is dispiriting for them. I've twice had to reapply for my job and I know how stressful that is.
Quote from: vandermolen on September 27, 2020, 06:49:18 AM
Hi PD I had a chat with one of the guides and she told me that there was a good chance that they will be re-appointed when and if things return to normal. It is the current uncertainly which is dispiriting for them. I've twice had to reapply for my job and I know how stressful that is.
You've had to reapply for your current teaching position? And twice?! ???
PD
By coincidence at my office, 50% of us are being laid off next month and we are all re-applying for our own jobs right now...
Quote from: Brian on September 27, 2020, 02:20:30 PM
By coincidence at my office, 50% of us are being laid off next month and we are all re-applying for our own jobs right now...
Wow! :( All the best to you Brian. I hope that everything works out well in the end for you.
PD
The economic and psychological impact of lay-off could substantially differ depending upon the governmental unemployment insurance policy of the nation one live. If you live in the U.S.A., you have to constantly worry about lay-off until you retire and you will economically suffer a lot when you are laid-off.
https://www.statista.com/chart/21701/jobless-benefits-selected-countries-oecd/
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 27, 2020, 02:18:52 PM
You've had to reapply for your current teaching position? And twice?! ???
PD
No, my previous one PD. On both occasions I managed to hang on to my job. Once was when there was a merger with another school and the other time was when they thought that we simply were not good enough. It was incredibly divisive (intentionally I suspect) and worrying.
You can see why I like long walks in the countryside!
Quote from: vandermolen on September 29, 2020, 10:21:30 AM
No, my previous one PD. On both occasions I managed to hang on to my job. Once was when there was a merger with another school and the other time was when they thought that we simply were not good enough. It was incredibly divisive (intentionally I suspect) and worrying.
You can see why I like long walks in the countryside!
You?! No way!!
And, yes, keep moving! Get those endorphins going. :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 29, 2020, 12:13:55 PM
You?! No way!!
And, yes, keep moving! Get those endorphins going. :)
PD
Thanks PD ;D
Actually yesterday I did a great walk over the South Downs, over Windover Hill. The weather was fine and there were some great views. I took quite a few photos on my mobile but I'm having problems emailing them to myself. Anyway I found a couple of images online of the route - that's the sea in the distance. 'SDW' on the lower image finger-post stands for South Downs Way:
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on October 12, 2020, 12:33:19 PM
Thanks PD ;D
Actually yesterday I did a great walk over the South Downs, over Windover Hill. The weather was fine and there were some great views. I took quite a few photos on my mobile but I'm having problems emailing them to myself. Anyway I found a couple of images online of the route - that's the sea in the distance. 'SDW' on the lower image finger-post stands for South Downs Way:
(//)
I do envy your walks Jeffrey; you have such beautiful countryside....and so close too!
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 12, 2020, 03:05:45 PM
I do envy your walks Jeffrey; you have such beautiful countryside....and so close too!
PD
Yes PD - we are lucky to live here. I was walking in the village yesterday on a shopping errand to buy some parsnips (my life is so exciting); my car was in the garage for a service (no doubt incredibly expensive) and as I was walking I could hear cows and it occurred to me just how rural it is round here. We are about a 30 minute drive to the South Downs and it's easy to get up to London on the train. We only live here (I'm from central London) because at the time when we moved it was an equidistant location between my wife's job and my own.
PS I managed to email some of my own photos from that walk - so, here goes:
(//)
I've included the nice church at Jevington, where I popped in for a few moments. We spent a bit longer in the pub at the end of our walk :).
Beautiful! Looks very tranquil. :)
PD
Really lovely scenes & photos there ... so the silvery sea can be seen in the background?
Earth and clouds communing. Makes one feel so close to nature...
Quote from: MusicTurner on October 13, 2020, 04:48:23 AM
Really lovely scenes & photos there ... so the silvery sea can be seen in the background?
Yes, it was quite beautiful with the light reflecting on the water and a quite fantastic cloudscape, although it was a fine and quite warm and sunny day for walking. The first and third photos show the sea in the background. The order in which the photos were taken were 2,3,1,4.
Quote from: André on October 13, 2020, 05:22:19 AM
Earth and clouds communing. Makes one feel so close to nature...
Yes, I agree.
As part of my new health regime I've decided that I should go for a walk every day. So, this afternoon, despite the fact that it was bucketing down with rain I drove up to Ashdown Forest (home of Winnie-the Pooh). Amazingly, as I approached the car park the rain stopped and I took some photos:
(http://[img][img])[/img][/img]
A good sign then (rain stopping). :) Was your hike very soggy/muddy?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 28, 2020, 08:25:52 AM
A good sign then (rain stopping). :) Was your hike very soggy/muddy?
PD
Well, I was up there again today and got caught in a hailstorm but otherwise it was fine!
Quote from: vandermolen on October 28, 2020, 11:29:18 AM
Well, I was up there again today and got caught in a hailstorm but otherwise it was fine!
Good for you with sticking with the regular walks/hikes Jeffrey! :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 29, 2020, 12:45:07 PM
Good for you with sticking with the regular walks/hikes Jeffrey! :)
PD
Since we couldn't see family over Christmas we did more walks that usual. Since I've now entered the 20th Century ( 8)) and have worked out how to send photos from my mobile phone to the laptop I thought that I'd show some photos here. They are all of local walks on Ashdown Forest (Memorial stone for A A Milne and E H Shepherd of 'Winnie the Pooh' fame) or of Firle Beacon on the South Downs or of the coast near Pevensey near where William the Conqueror landed in Pre-Brexit Britain.
More
Those are some lovely photos & impressive landscapes!
Nice Jeffrey! :)
And is that the 'other half' in one of your photos?
PD
Quote from: MusicTurner on January 06, 2021, 07:48:09 AM
Those are some lovely photos & impressive landscapes!
Thank you - I enjoy taking the photos on my walks.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on January 06, 2021, 08:46:13 AM
Nice Jeffrey! :)
And is that the 'other half' in one of your photos?
PD
Indeed it is PD, although I'm fairly sure that neither of us have ever referred to the other one as 'my other half' ;D
The photo was taken in the village of Firle, Sussex before we walked up Firle Beacon (which you can see in the next photo and then the views from the top). I took the photo as the start of the walk, which is usually the only time that we are actually together as she is invariably miles ahead of me and we communicate by mobile phone!
Usually we walk round the streets of our little Yorkshire town - there are green verges, a market square, lots of Georgian houses, also a field-and-woodland community park. We can also be walking through country fields in five minutes from our house. Or we can drive to several picturesque villages within five or ten miles of where we live, and it's one of those photos that I hope to share now.
(https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/129005562_3434585079972859_2065050091682573819_o.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=2&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_ohc=KgLc7KHyYToAX8ZZpxb&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=f8377a243db8790a9832bd8855d71ea9&oe=6019E829)
Sutton-on-the-Forest this November.
Quote from: Rosalba on January 06, 2021, 12:31:25 PM
Usually we walk round the streets of our little Yorkshire town - there are green verges, a market square, lots of Georgian houses, also a field-and-woodland community park. We can also be walking through country fields in five minutes from our house. Or we can drive to several picturesque villages within five miles of where we live, and it's one of those photos that I hope to share now.
(https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/129005562_3434585079972859_2065050091682573819_o.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=2&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_ohc=KgLc7KHyYToAX8ZZpxb&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=f8377a243db8790a9832bd8855d71ea9&oe=6019E829)
Sutton-on-the-Forest this November.
How nice! I like the look of the pub over the road. We look forward to the day when, after a walk, we can drop into the pub for a drink as in 'the good old days'. I hope that we never take these little, but important, pleasures for granted ever again.
Quote from: vandermolen on January 06, 2021, 12:57:50 PM
How nice! I like the look of the pub over the road. We look forward to the day when, after a walk, we can drop into the pub for a drink as in 'the good old days'. I hope that we never take these little, but important, pleasures for granted ever again.
Hear hear!!!
Here are some recent local walks during lockdown featuring 'my other/better half' in two locations. The frosty day pictures are near a village called Groombridge in Kent. In the photo featuring my wife standing by a direction sign you can see a Second World War pill-box (Gun emplacment) in the background to the right. The farmers/landowners are (fortunately) not allowed to demolish them due to their historical importance. They were there to guard the railway line which is immediately behind me (not in the photo). The two other images were taken on nearby Ashdown Forest. The hills in the background in the third photo down are the South Downs and beyond them is the English Channel. In the lowest picture you can see quite a few other people around. More people are getting out into the countryside for exercise and mental relaxation as there is not much else to do. We are lucky to have nice countryside near to us:
I like # 2. Nice subject and nice shot !
Quote from: André on January 21, 2021, 12:25:48 PM
I like # 2. Nice subject and nice shot !
Thanks André. I was pleased with that one too.
Any new walks or trips for anyone here? I really want to venture further afield to see more nature sites and places whether for birding or just to get a good walk/hike in and see some new topography. Have also been thinking how much I miss going to museums, but perhaps that's for another thread. Weather has been warming up nicely, so I hope to soon put some air in my bike's tires and getting more active. Need to check into rules too re masks and special bike trails....no idea what the current rules are. Do many countries have rules about wearing masks whilst biking?
PD
Have had some problems with my foot, so no long walks recently, but luckily cycling is still fine. Went in a car with a relative to the southern tip of the Amager island suburb of Copenhagen on Sunday, and did a small walk in an old fortress/moat area there, where we never were before, and the sky was impressive. There was also an area with houseboats and alternative housing projects in containers etc.
Masks are only indoors and in queues here in DK, not when biking.
Quote from: MusicTurner on March 23, 2021, 02:04:54 PM
Have had some problems with my foot, so no long walks recently, but luckily cycling is still fine. Went in a car with a relative to the southern tip of the Amager island suburb of Copenhagen on Sunday, and did a small walk in an old fortress/moat area there, where we never were before, and the sky was impressive. There was also an area with houseboats and alternative housing projects in containers etc.
How beautiful!
And, I'm so sorry to hear about your foot....hopefully it's temporary?
Best wishes,
PD
Thanks, well, I got a diagnosis of some osteoarthritis in one foot, and also got a really hard hit on a toe recently, before the diagnosis. Add to this a swollen right hand for some days, when recently falling on my bike at a crossing with humid, irregular cobblestones, so that I had to go to the emergency unit. And that fall was on the evening before a small operation for some not so dangerous skin cancer. So overall it's been a bit messy recently ... :)
But luckily, things are improving now ... and I'm looking forward to being more outdoors during the Spring.
Quote from: MusicTurner on March 23, 2021, 02:36:01 PM
Thanks, well, I got a diagnosis of some osteoarthritis in one foot, and also got a really hard hit on a toe recently, before the diagnosis. Add to this a swollen right hand for some days, when recently falling on my bike at a crossing with humid, irregular cobblestones, so that I had to go to the emergency unit. And that fall was on the evening before a small operation for some not so dangerous skin cancer. So overall it's been a bit messy recently ... :)
But luckily, things are improving now ... and I'm looking forward to being more outdoors during the Spring.
I feel for you....that is a bunch of bad news and falls all in a row. Just please, take skin cancer seriously. Hopefully, it was a minor event. But do mind your sunscreen and visiting a dermatologist regularly.
All the best to you,
PD
Yes, I will. Thank you for your thoughts :)
Quote from: MusicTurner on March 23, 2021, 02:36:01 PM
Thanks, well, I got a diagnosis of some osteoarthritis in one foot, and also got a really hard hit on a toe recently, before the diagnosis. Add to this a swollen right hand for some days, when recently falling on my bike at a crossing with humid, irregular cobblestones, so that I had to go to the emergency unit. And that fall was on the evening before a small operation for some not so dangerous skin cancer. So overall it's been a bit messy recently ... :)
But luckily, things are improving now ... and I'm looking forward to being more outdoors during the Spring.
Wishing you well MT.
I have arthritis in my foot - it comes and goes but if I wear walking boots it's fine. I used to get bad pain in my knee and I was worried about not being able to go walking in the countryside. Then, a colleague at work recommended Glucosamine and Chondroitin tablets and, for whatever reason, the pain went away.
Recently, my wife had a bad accident, fell down the stairs, knocked herself unconscious, broke her clavicle, two ribs and punctured a lung. Luckily I was here to call for an ambulance. After a week in hospital and an operation she is recovering well. So, we have been on some local walks, to Sheffield Park and to Burwash, the home of Rudyard Kipling, the writer. I was delighted to discover a new sculpture of him sitting on a bench in the village. We often visit his home 'Batemans' which is open to the public. Kipling's son John (Jack) who was killed at the Battle of Loos in the First World War is featured on the war memorial in the village. There is a drama 'My boy Jack' about his life. Here are some photos (Kipling's home is the bottom picture and Sheffield Park is the second one down):
(http://[img][img])[/img][/img]
Here's another photo of Sheffield Park and a surprising new addition to the pond in Kipling's garden!
[/img]
Quote from: vandermolen on March 24, 2021, 01:42:57 AM
Wishing you well MT.
I have arthritis in my foot - it comes and goes but if I wear walking boots it's fine. I used to get bad pain in my knee and I was worried about not being able to go walking in the countryside. Then, a colleague at work recommended Glucosamine and Chondroitin tablets and, for whatever reason, the pain went away.
Recently, my wife had a bad accident, fell down the stairs, knocked herself unconscious, broke her clavicle, two ribs and punctured a lung. Luckily I was here to call for an ambulance. After a week in hospital and an operation she is recovering well. So, we have been on some local walks, to Sheffield Park and to Burwash, the home of Rudyard Kipling, the writer. I was delighted to discover a new sculpture of him sitting on a bench in the village. We often visit his home 'Batemans' which is open to the public. Kipling's son John (Jack) who was killed at the Battle of Loos in the First World War is featured on the war memorial in the village. There is a drama 'My boy Jack' about his life. Here are some photos (Kipling's home is the bottom picture and Sheffield Park is the second one down):
(http://[img][img])[/img][/img]
Jeffrey,
Oh, no! How horrible! Glad that she is recovering well though. So this happened at your home? That must have been quite frightening for both of you. Glad that you were there when it happened though.
Batemans looks like a very lovely home and estate.
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on March 24, 2021, 01:42:57 AM
Wishing you well MT.
I have arthritis in my foot - it comes and goes but if I wear walking boots it's fine. I used to get bad pain in my knee and I was worried about not being able to go walking in the countryside. Then, a colleague at work recommended Glucosamine and Chondroitin tablets and, for whatever reason, the pain went away.
Recently, my wife had a bad accident, fell down the stairs, knocked herself unconscious, broke her clavicle, two ribs and punctured a lung. Luckily I was here to call for an ambulance. After a week in hospital and an operation she is recovering well. So, we have been on some local walks, to Sheffield Park and to Burwash, the home of Rudyard Kipling, the writer. I was delighted to discover a new sculpture of him sitting on a bench in the village. We often visit his home 'Batemans' which is open to the public. Kipling's son John (Jack) who was killed at the Battle of Loos in the First World War is featured on the war memorial in the village. There is a drama 'My boy Jack' about his life. Here are some photos (Kipling's home is the bottom picture and Sheffield Park is the second one down):
Nasty one, Jeffrey. Speedy recovery wishes to Madame Vandermolen :)
Your mention of Batemans took me right back. I spent a week holiday visiting East Sussex (back in 2004 !!) and Batemans was one of my visits. I just had a look at my pictures archives. Did a lot that week. Hastings, Battle, Rye, Batemans, Bexhill, Beachy Head, Alfriston, Birling Gap, Bodiam Castle, Eastbourne, Pevensey Castle, Saint Leonards, Winchelsea.
Batemans & Rye were really the high points. 8)
I also took a drive down to Dungeness. Now, that was eerie. ???
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on March 24, 2021, 02:22:41 AM
Jeffrey,
Oh, no! How horrible! Glad that she is recovering well though. So this happened at your home? That must have been quite frightening for both of you. Glad that you were there when it happened though.
Batemans looks like a very lovely home and estate.
PD
Thanks PD.
Batemans is one of our favourite local places to visit and, even as of now, when the house is shut there are some lovely local walks from the house, which are well signposted. Yes, it was in our house. The staircase is quite steep and she was carrying a glass and a bowl of popcorn which meant that she wasn't holding the bannister and she came down backwards. Although she is very slim and small it sounded like a fridge had been thrown down the stairs. I found her lying unconscious surrounded by popcorn. As soon as I'd consumed the popcorn I put her into the recovery position and called for an ambulance (I didn't really consume the popcorn ;D). Yes, it was frightening and I was not allowed to go with her to hospital. Anyway, she is progressing very well.
Quote from: Papy Oli on March 24, 2021, 02:51:17 AM
Nasty one, Jeffrey. Speedy recovery wishes to Madame Vandermolen :)
Your mention of Batemans took me right back. I spent a week holiday visiting East Sussex (back in 2004 !!) and Batemans was one of my visits. I just had a look at my pictures archives. Did a lot that week. Hastings, Battle, Rye, Batemans, Bexhill, Beachy Head, Alfriston, Birling Gap, Bodiam Castle, Eastbourne, Pevensey Castle, Saint Leonards, Winchelsea.
Batemans & Rye were really the high points. 8)
I also took a drive down to Dungeness. Now, that was eerie. ???
Thanks Olivier!
All those places, apart from Dungeness are familiar to us. We had a nice few days away in Winchelsea some years ago. Rye is very nice as is Battle, if you have been there.
Typical british humour even in the most upsetting circumstances. Couldn't help laughing at your popcorn munching pause even as the whole scene must have been heart-stoppingly scary. All best wishes for a full recovery :-*
Quote from: André on March 24, 2021, 04:42:53 AM
Typical british humour even in the most upsetting circumstances. Couldn't help laughing at your popcorn munching pause even as the whole scene must have been heart-stoppingly scary. All best wishes for a full recovery :-*
Thanks André :)
Actually, you'll be pleased to hear that it's an example of Canadian humour!
I stole the comment from my daughter's Canadian boyfriend who, when hearing about the incident, commented 'I wouldn't have been able to resist eating the popcorn!'
A few favorite walks, well at local state parks.
Cheraw:
(https://www.scpictureproject.org/wp-content/uploads/cheraw-state-park-boardwalk.jpg)
Myrtle Beach:
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1c/80/b0/1c80b0ccfe76be6b6244b76971ad4ce9.png)
Huntington Beach:
(https://scpictureproject.org/wp-content/uploads/huntington-beach-state-park-sc-sunset-marsh.jpg)
Quote from: vandermolen on March 24, 2021, 01:42:57 AM
Wishing you well MT.
I have arthritis in my foot - it comes and goes but if I wear walking boots it's fine. I used to get bad pain in my knee and I was worried about not being able to go walking in the countryside. Then, a colleague at work recommended Glucosamine and Chondroitin tablets and, for whatever reason, the pain went away.
Recently, my wife had a bad accident, fell down the stairs, knocked herself unconscious, broke her clavicle, two ribs and punctured a lung. Luckily I was here to call for an ambulance. After a week in hospital and an operation she is recovering well. So, we have been on some local walks, to Sheffield Park and to Burwash, the home of Rudyard Kipling, the writer. I was delighted to discover a new sculpture of him sitting on a bench in the village. We often visit his home 'Batemans' which is open to the public. Kipling's son John (Jack) who was killed at the Battle of Loos in the First World War is featured on the war memorial in the village. There is a drama 'My boy Jack' about his life. Here are some photos (Kipling's home is the bottom picture and Sheffield Park is the second one down):
(http://[img][img])[/img][/img]
Sorry to hear about your troubles but glad to hear your wife is recovering well. Hope you will soon be able to get out and about.
We're looking forward to revisiting a lot of favourite places from next Monday when some of the lockdown restrictions in England are eased. It's not easy to work out what's actually allowed in the confusing mix of actual laws and government "advice" but I'm hoping we'll be able to travel a lot further in England without the police being able to arbitrarily fine us depending on what the individual officer feels at that moment is "unreasonable" (i.e. the seaside, Lake District, well known beauty spots etc.). I'm going to take the good camera and get plenty of photos while I have the chance in case the "irreversible" lifting of restrictions goes into reverse again.
Quote from: Biffo on March 24, 2021, 06:02:08 AM
Sorry to hear about your troubles but glad to hear your wife is recovering well. Hope you will soon be able to get out and about.
Thanks so much - she is already much more mobile and complaining about my slow pace on our walks - so that is more like 'business as usual'.
Quote from: DavidW on March 24, 2021, 05:27:23 AM
A few favorite walks, well at local state parks.
Cheraw:
(https://www.scpictureproject.org/wp-content/uploads/cheraw-state-park-boardwalk.jpg)
Myrtle Beach:
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1c/80/b0/1c80b0ccfe76be6b6244b76971ad4ce9.png)
Huntington Beach:
(https://scpictureproject.org/wp-content/uploads/huntington-beach-state-park-sc-sunset-marsh.jpg)
Amazing photos!
Quote from: steve ridgway on March 24, 2021, 07:56:17 AM
We're looking forward to revisiting a lot of favourite places from next Monday when some of the lockdown restrictions in England are eased. It's not easy to work out what's actually allowed in the confusing mix of actual laws and government "advice" but I'm hoping we'll be able to travel a lot further in England without the police being able to arbitrarily fine us depending on what the individual officer feels at that moment is "unreasonable" (i.e. the seaside, Lake District, well known beauty spots etc.). I'm going to take the good camera and get plenty of photos while I have the chance in case the "irreversible" lifting of restrictions goes into reverse again.
Yes, it's very confusing!
Quote from: vandermolen on March 24, 2021, 01:42:57 AM
Wishing you well MT.
I have arthritis in my foot - it comes and goes but if I wear walking boots it's fine. I used to get bad pain in my knee and I was worried about not being able to go walking in the countryside. Then, a colleague at work recommended Glucosamine and Chondroitin tablets and, for whatever reason, the pain went away.
Recently, my wife had a bad accident, fell down the stairs, knocked herself unconscious, broke her clavicle, two ribs and punctured a lung. Luckily I was here to call for an ambulance. After a week in hospital and an operation she is recovering well. So, we have been on some local walks, to Sheffield Park and to Burwash, the home of Rudyard Kipling, the writer. I was delighted to discover a new sculpture of him sitting on a bench in the village. We often visit his home 'Batemans' which is open to the public. Kipling's son John (Jack) who was killed at the Battle of Loos in the First World War is featured on the war memorial in the village. There is a drama 'My boy Jack' about his life. Here are some photos (Kipling's home is the bottom picture and Sheffield Park is the second one down):
(http://[img][img])[/img][/img]
Thank you for the sympathy, I'm also still in the age where a good deal of recovering is an option, and it's really nice to hear that your wife is doing better too, following that nasty accident. Especially when active outdoor life means so much for us people ... I've heard about the benefits of glucosamine & will definitely try it later, currently it's what we call 'fish oil' tablets I'm trying, and I've also bought Nigella seeds oil, recommended by someone, and will be buying some improved shoes. Chondroitin I don't know, will explore. I went for a foot X-ray today, but am actually feeling better than in quite a long time, even after cycling quite a bit yesterday.
Thank you for the interesting posts, it's always nice with those shapshots of quintessentially English scenes, to explore and bring back good memories of one's own travels and other acquaintances with the British heritage ! :)
Quote from: MusicTurner on March 25, 2021, 02:51:44 AM
I've heard about the benefits of glucosamine & will definitely try it later, currently it's what we call 'fish oil' tablets I'm trying, and I've also bought Nigella seeds oil, recommended by someone, and will be buying some improved shoes. Chondroitin I don't know, will explore.
We started our first dog on Glucosamine and Chondroitin tablets which helped with her joint problems. When we told the vet he said yes he'd used them on his dog successfully but wasn't allowed to mention them first as they hadn't been approved by the authorities. ::)
As my wife is now recovering from her bad accident (fell down stairs, broke ribs and clavicle, punctured lung, unconscious, one week in hospital, operation to repair clavicle) we are starting to get out more and the other day we went for a walk around Penshurst Place, which is local. It is 14th Century and was the birthplace of the Elizabethan Poet Sir Philip Sidney. The House is closed but the gardens are open and there are some great walks nearby. As you can see, it was unusually quiet:
Beautiful grounds!
PD
Quote from: MusicTurner on March 25, 2021, 02:51:44 AM
Thank you for the sympathy, I'm also still in the age where a good deal of recovering is an option, and it's really nice to hear that your wife is doing better too, following that nasty accident. Especially when active outdoor life means so much for us people ... I've heard about the benefits of glucosamine & will definitely try it later, currently it's what we call 'fish oil' tablets I'm trying, and I've also bought Nigella seeds oil, recommended by someone, and will be buying some improved shoes. Chondroitin I don't know, will explore. I went for a foot X-ray today, but am actually feeling better than in quite a long time, even after cycling quite a bit yesterday.
Thank you for the interesting posts, it's always nice with those shapshots of quintessentially English scenes, to explore and bring back good memories of one's own travels and other acquaintances with the British heritage ! :)
My pleasure and hope that you continue to make good progress. If I'm wearing my 'Hi-Tec' walking boots I usually have no pain at all on our various expeditions.
Penshurst Place looks wonderful to have to oneself. ;D
I've started taking one or other of the dogs for an extra walk from the house after lunch and took the camera along today.
Looks like a fun place to explore.
And cute dog! :)
PD
Thank you PD, that is Milka.🐺🇷🇴
Quote from: steve ridgway on April 24, 2021, 06:08:00 AM
Thank you PD, that is Milka.🐺🇷🇴
Is Milka a Romanian raven sheepdog? How old is she and what's her story? :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on April 24, 2021, 02:07:06 PM
Is Milka a Romanian raven sheepdog? How old is she and what's her story? :)
She looks like one of those but much smaller. Four years old now and one of those street dogs that various animal charities rescue from places like Romania, Spain, Greece and Cyprus and bring to the UK. She's generally happy here, loves the garden and walks although she's very wary of other people, particularly children, so we need to keep away from playgrounds and schools.
Quote from: steve ridgway on April 23, 2021, 07:15:32 AM
Penshurst Place looks wonderful to have to oneself. ;D
I've started taking one or other of the dogs for an extra walk from the house after lunch and took the camera along today.
Very nice Steve - is that in Cheshire. Your dog seems to be enjoying it.
Quote from: vandermolen on April 24, 2021, 10:33:24 PM
Very nice Steve - is that in Cheshire. Your dog seems to be enjoying it.
Yes, we don't take any notice of that "Greater Manchester" nonsense - it's at the very north end and we sometimes walk over the border into Lancashire.
Quote from: steve ridgway on April 24, 2021, 09:33:04 PM
She looks like one of those but much smaller. Four years old now and one of those street dogs that various animal charities rescue from places like Romania, Spain, Greece and Cyprus and bring to the UK. She's generally happy here, loves the garden and walks although she's very wary of other people, particularly children, so we need to keep away from playgrounds and schools.
Sounds like she found a good home--and wise dog-parents. :)
PD
Joe went to one of the nearby parks this afternoon.
Quote from: steve ridgway on April 25, 2021, 08:17:15 AM
Joe went to one of the nearby parks this afternoon.
Excellent! We went for a nice walk today. I hope to post some photos soon.
This afternoon's walk from home.
Quote from: steve ridgway on April 26, 2021, 07:37:24 AM
This afternoon's walk from home.
Lovely and nicely contrasted, colourful images.
We did another walk from Penshurst recently and here are some snaps. There was a car rally going on in the car park and I was delighted to see my favourite car on display - a two-tone grey Citroen 2CV6. I once owned a yellow one - it was always breaking down but I loved it.
The wider river is the Eden and the smaller one is the Medway:
(//)
Here are some more images:
The top photo has a 'Pill Box' World War Two defence bunker in the middle of the field. Some of them are used as bat sanctuaries now. The archway is the entrance to Penshurst Place:
Looks like you made the most of the sunny weather Jeffrey. It's gone all grey here today.
Lovely photos Jeffrey! And looks like you're getting your walks in too.
Quote from: steve ridgway on April 28, 2021, 06:23:06 AM
Looks like you made the most of the sunny weather Jeffrey. It's gone all grey here today.
Same here Steve. It was colder than it looks. For the first time in a year we were able to visit a pub :) :) :)
However we had to freeze at an outside, socially-distanced table with our drinks. Still, was great to be able to go to the pub again.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on April 28, 2021, 08:34:11 AM
Lovely photos Jeffrey! And looks like you're getting your walks in too.
Thanks PD and I enjoy the walks and the therapeutic affects of being outside in nice countryside - especially now that we can go to the pub afterwards ;D
Quote from: vandermolen on April 28, 2021, 10:46:08 AM
Thanks PD and I enjoy the walks and the therapeutic affects of being outside in nice countryside - especially now that we can go to the pub afterwards ;D
Yes, getting outdoors is important to keep ones sanity--particularly in these times! Glad that you were able to enjoy your pub visit (albeit a rather cold one).
PD
Nice photos and congrats, good to hear.
Had a lovely walk round the Karlstrup Kalkbrud old quarry lake, around 20 km south from Copenhagen. It's a local place, not very well-known, but quite exotically looking, with some huge fish in the crystal clear, turquoise waters. Could be a lot of other places than Denmark. Some people were fishing, though it wasn't allowed, cf. the signs there.
The first really warm day this year, weather has been mostly chilly, for longer than average.
We also visited some open art studios at a former airforce base in Værløse, very interesting, with some talkative/informative people around.
EDIT: Turns out that fishing is allowed if you have a special club membership.
Yesterday I cycled out to Dragør (20 km away) an old fishing village, now an upscale place, where locals are grumpy about the likely prospect of becoming a UNESCO site, due to increased tourist invasion. I toured the village and the sea front on foot. It was a quiet day with a friendly atmosphere, and a couple sitting on their terrace invited me in to see their grounds, when they saw my interest in their cosy house designs.
Quote from: MusicTurner on May 09, 2021, 10:39:29 AM
Had a lovely walk round the Karlstrup Kalkbrud old quarry lake, around 20 km south from Copenhagen.
Quote from: MusicTurner on May 09, 2021, 10:52:43 AM
Yesterday I cycled out to Dragør (20 km away) an old fishing village, now an upscale place..
Very nice MT. :)
Yes it looks lovely in Denmark, very bright and clean. :)
Quote from: MusicTurner on May 09, 2021, 10:39:29 AM
Had a lovely walk round the Karlstrup Kalkbrud old quarry lake, around 20 km south from Copenhagen. It's a local place, not very well-known, but quite exotically looking, with some huge fish in the crystal clear, turquoise waters. Could be a lot of other places than Denmark. Some people were fishing, though it wasn't allowed, cf. the signs there.
The first really warm day this year, weather has been mostly chilly, for longer than average.
We also visited some open art studios at a former airforce base in Værløse, very interesting, with some talkative/informative people around.
EDIT: Turns out that fishing is allowed if you have a special club membership.
What beautiful waters! :)
PD
Quote from: MusicTurner on May 09, 2021, 10:52:43 AM
Yesterday I cycled out to Dragør (20 km away) an old fishing village, now an upscale place, where locals are grumpy about the likely prospect of becoming a UNESCO site, due to increased tourist invasion. I toured the village and the sea front on foot. It was a quiet day with a friendly atmosphere, and a couple sitting on their terrace invited me in to see their grounds, when they saw my interest in their cosy house designs.
Very nice photos! + the quarry lake. I've only been to Denmark once (day-trip 'mini-cruse' to Esjberg). The sea was terribly rough, so that by the time we got to Esjberg we, more-or-less, had to get back on the ship for the return journey! My friend, rather unwisely, eat a large smorgasbord meal whilst we were still in port and was then ill all the way back. My brother has been to visit Nielsen's home - a more successful trip I think.
Quote from: vandermolen on May 11, 2021, 01:21:44 AM
Very nice photos! + the quarry lake. I've only been to Denmark once (day-trip 'mini-cruse' to Esjberg). The sea was terribly rough, so that by the time we got to Esjberg we, more-or-less, had to get back on the ship for the return journey! My friend, rather unwisely, eat a large smorgasbord meal whilst we were still in port and was then ill all the way back. My brother has been to visit Nielsen's home - a more successful trip I think.
I once spent a week in Svendborg for work. We successfully ate loads of smorgasbord (washed down with akvavit and lager) although were dying for a curry when we got back. :P
Thanks folks. I did some further research on the inviting quarry lake with the blue water at Karlstrup.They say that it's deep, and the water tends to be surprisingly cold just a bit below the surface, making the contrast in temperature even unexpectedly dangerous for swimmers. But they won't be introducing a ban on any swimming there. The lake was an unexpected find, and looks more southern or outlandish than much of our local scenery. A bloke and his son were climbing almost vertical cliffs there with a hammer, hunting for fossils ...
Esbjerg is probably not the most charming place in DK, it's a new town, but those UK ferries are missed these days, in spite of the rough waters there were at times. I also went to Nielsen's birthplace on Funen last year, but it's rather sparse, and the surroundings include a highway right next to it, yet still it's nice to know that he actually lived there. Generally, we could do better as regards museums dealing with our classical music heritage. Composers have often had interesting lives, knowing many people, and there are actually quite a few such potential Danish candidates ... I visited the Svendborg area just a month ago, including staying at a B&B on the nearby island of Tåsinge, the place for the original Elvira Madigan story, commemorated ever since. It's a nice, often pretty, and diverse region, recommendable. I might be going there again this summer, including to some of the smaller islands.
Alderley Edge this morning, including entrance to ancient copper mines and view to Jodrell Bank radio telescope.
Back on tranquil, unpretentious Agersø island for a couple of nights with a tent at a campsite. Did a tour today, including some walks, the lush scenery of course being a contrast to the austerity of April and early Springtime earlier this year.
Here's a farm booth selling hand-knitted socks (cheap, around 5-7 Euros; 'penge' means 'money'), typical Danish rapeseed fields, and a sauna barrell (5 persons maximum !) at the island harbour ...
Quote from: steve ridgway on June 04, 2021, 04:56:24 AM
Alderley Edge this morning, including entrance to ancient copper mines and view to Jodrell Bank radio telescope.
Ah, so you're in that part of Cheshire. Are you an Alan Garner fan (I hope)?
Quote from: DaveF on June 05, 2021, 12:36:15 PM
Ah, so you're in that part of Cheshire. Are you an Alan Garner fan (I hope)?
I did read
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen many years ago and these woods are on his map. I've also been on a couple of tours of the mines which were very atmospheric, particularly as they've never been brought up to visitor attraction standard. We were round there again this morning.
Quote from: MusicTurner on June 05, 2021, 12:12:33 PM
Here's a farm booth selling hand-knitted socks (cheap, around 5-7 Euros; 'penge' means 'money'), typical Danish rapeseed fields, and a sauna barrell (5 persons maximum !) at the island harbour ...
This looks very nice although I'm not a fan of the yellow weed. :'(
Quote from: MusicTurner on June 05, 2021, 12:05:18 PM
Back on tranquil, unpretentious Agersø island for a couple of nights with a tent at a campsite. Did a tour today, including some walks, the lush scenery of course being a contrast to the austerity of April and early Springtime earlier this year.
Quote from: MusicTurner on June 05, 2021, 12:12:33 PM
Here's a farm booth selling hand-knitted socks (cheap, around 5-7 Euros; 'penge' means 'money'), typical Danish rapeseed fields, and a sauna barrell (5 persons maximum !) at the island harbour ...
Beautiful! Are you able to swim around there? How's the water temp?
Hadn't heard of a sauna barrel before. How are they?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on June 07, 2021, 05:51:00 AM
Beautiful! Are you able to swim around there? How's the water temp?
Hadn't heard of a sauna barrel before. How are they?
PD
Sea water is now 18-19 degrees C, but the current heat wave will make it warmer soon. I only took a morning swim, which was certainly doable. Just had 1 whole day and two halfdays there. Beaches on Agersø apparently weren't really top notch, last year nearby Omø had better ones. Hope to do many more trips around the country this summer, since going abroad will be cancelled, or very limited.
I don't know much about the sauna barrell, but it was a funny feature for users of the harbour and summer guests on the island :). The price is apparently modest, DKK 40 or less than 5 Euros per hour. Generally, Finns, Swedes and Norwegians are probably more into saunas than we are. But here you could jump right into the water afterwards.
Quote from: MusicTurner on June 07, 2021, 05:56:16 AM
Sea water is now 18-19 degrees C, but the current heat wave will make it warmer soon. I only took a morning swim, which was certainly doable. Just had 1 whole day and two halfdays there. Beaches on Agersø apparently weren't really top notch, last year nearby Omø had better ones. Hope to do many more trips around the country this summer, since going abroad will be cancelled, or very limited.
I don't know much about the sauna barrell, but it was a funny feature for users of the harbour and summer guests on the island :). The price is apparently modest, DKK 40 or less than 5 Euros per hour. Generally, Finns, Swedes and Norwegians are probably more into saunas than we are. But here you could jump right into the water afterwards.
Interesting to read about their pros and cons....particularly during wintertime. I enjoyed using one when I belonged to a gym that had one.
https://www.saunatimes.com/building-a-sauna/types-of-saunas/10-things-you-may-want-to-know-about-barrel-saunas/
Went outside to water my veg/herb garden and to fill up the bird bath. Already toasty at 8-something this morning! Yesterday I did see my first cherry tomato forming on a plant though. :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on June 07, 2021, 06:12:36 AM
Interesting to read about their pros and cons....particularly during wintertime. I enjoyed using one when I belonged to a gym that had one.
https://www.saunatimes.com/building-a-sauna/types-of-saunas/10-things-you-may-want-to-know-about-barrel-saunas/
Went outside to water my veg/herb garden and to fill up the bird bath. Already toasty at 8-something this morning! Yesterday I did see my first cherry tomato forming on a plant though. :)
PD
Lovely with all the delights of summer now, following such a harsh year. The host at the camp site was very much into birds and talked of the owls residing there, and there was also a hare with her 3 offsprings, who'd play shyly on the tenting grounds every evening, in spite of the people and dogs there.
Thanks for the link, I didn't know barrell saunas was that much a thing. So they probably bought a complete one for Agersø too, and didn't manufacture it by themselves ...
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on June 07, 2021, 06:12:36 AM
Interesting to read about their pros and cons....particularly during wintertime. I enjoyed using one when I belonged to a gym that had one.
https://www.saunatimes.com/building-a-sauna/types-of-saunas/10-things-you-may-want-to-know-about-barrel-saunas/
Went outside to water my veg/herb garden and to fill up the bird bath. Already toasty at 8-something this morning! Yesterday I did see my first cherry tomato forming on a plant though. :)
PD
Way ahead of me PD. :P
Quote from: MusicTurner on June 05, 2021, 12:05:18 PM
Back on tranquil, unpretentious Agersø island for a couple of nights with a tent at a campsite. Did a tour today, including some walks, the lush scenery of course being a contrast to the austerity of April and early Springtime earlier this year.
Very nice images. The last one reminds me of a setting for an Edvard Munch painting.
Quote from: steve ridgway on June 04, 2021, 04:56:24 AM
Alderley Edge this morning, including entrance to ancient copper mines and view to Jodrell Bank radio telescope.
Very nice Steve but where is Jodrell Bank?
Quote from: Irons on June 08, 2021, 11:12:33 PM
Way ahead of me PD. :P
Well, there are at least a few benefits from the heatwave and storms that we've been having lately...the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants like it; personally, I've hated the times that I've gone out lately and am doing my best to hang out by my a/c! Your current weather sounds heavenly Irons!
PD
Quote from: steve ridgway on June 04, 2021, 04:56:24 AM
Alderley Edge this morning, including entrance to ancient copper mines and view to Jodrell Bank radio telescope.
If I looked out of my window, I could probably wave to you.
Well, almost...
Quote from: foxandpeng on June 10, 2021, 04:48:33 AM
If I looked out of my window, I could probably wave to you.
Well, almost...
I just googled Alderley Edge and read about a fascinating legend involving a farmer, a white horse and an old man. :) Is it well known? At least in the area?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alderley_Edge#Notable_residents
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on June 08, 2021, 11:36:37 PM
Very nice Steve but where is Jodrell Bank?
It's not so obvious in that photo; this one was taken not far away but with a much larger telephoto lens.
Quote from: foxandpeng on June 10, 2021, 04:48:33 AM
If I looked out of my window, I could probably wave to you.
Well, almost...
We actually live 15 miles away in Sale but visit this part of Cheshire a lot as well as closer areas such as the airport and Wilmslow. The last few days though I've been walking the dogs from home, one at a time as it's a much more relaxing experience and different walks are better suited to each of them. Today Ralph went round the nearby park, Joe along the canal and Miko to the woods.
Lovely, the scenery looks very fresh and lush.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on June 10, 2021, 05:01:27 AM
I just googled Alderley Edge and read about a fascinating legend involving a farmer, a white horse and an old man. :) Is it well known? At least in the area?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alderley_Edge#Notable_residents
PD
I suspect it might be true as Ralph the dog once ran off in the woods and came back pouring blood from a long, clean and straight cut to his ear - just like a sword might inflict. :o
Quote from: steve ridgway on June 11, 2021, 07:37:52 AM
I suspect it might be true as Ralph the dog once ran off in the woods and came back pouring blood from a long, clean and straight cut to his ear - just like a sword might inflict. :o
??? Poor dog! And lucky you! Three dogs to choose from when taking a walk. ;) :)
I tried getting my cats used to being on a leash outside...that didn't go over well! One of them kept circling around one of my rose bushes which made it quite challenging for the walker.
PD
Quote from: steve ridgway on June 11, 2021, 07:20:13 AM
We actually live 15 miles away in Sale but visit this part of Cheshire a lot as well as closer areas such as the airport and Wilmslow. The last few days though I've been walking the dogs from home, one at a time as it's a much more relaxing experience and different walks are better suited to each of them. Today Ralph went round the nearby park, Joe along the canal and Miko to the woods.
Ah, we're not quite close enough to wave, then. We're just outside Sandbach, so we'd need to turn up the music pretty loud to be able to hear one another.
Quote from: foxandpeng on June 11, 2021, 11:17:42 AM
Ah, we're not quite close enough to wave, then. We're just outside Sandbach, so we'd need to turn up the music pretty loud to be able to hear one another.
Allegaeon it is then. 8)
(https://img.discogs.com/1uLn0Hbm2jssTn0Ilq646OM69h4=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-13019187-1546571795-7160.jpeg.jpg)
Quote from: steve ridgway on June 11, 2021, 09:18:46 PM
Allegaeon it is then. 8)
(https://img.discogs.com/1uLn0Hbm2jssTn0Ilq646OM69h4=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-13019187-1546571795-7160.jpeg.jpg)
Ah, buddy. What a great choice. A man of taste. My non-classical choice this morning is Uada.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on June 11, 2021, 08:09:44 AM
I tried getting my cats used to being on a leash outside...that didn't go over well! One of them kept circling around one of my rose bushes which made it quite challenging for the walker.
LOL we once saw someone in Lancashire taking a ferret for a walk on a leash. They'd need to keep a sharp lookout for dogs. :o
I'm making an effort to do different walks from home so today Joe's been to the lake - and in it.
Quote from: steve ridgway on June 12, 2021, 03:43:36 AM
LOL we once saw someone in Lancashire taking a ferret for a walk on a leash. They'd need to keep a sharp lookout for dogs. :o
I'm making an effort to do different walks from home so today Joe's been to the lake - and in it.
I know someone who has two cats (Bengals I believe) which he puts on leashes. The older male one (which he acquired first) is fairly adventurous and they'll take short walks around their neighborhood. The more recently acquired and younger female has gotten used to the leash but is much more people afraid and is reluctant to leave their yard. They also have two stakes in their yard to which they have attached long leads(?). They'll bring their cats outside when they (the couple) are hanging out in their yard. The cats seem to enjoy it (and have access to shady areas out of the sun)...watching the birds, etc. (but can't get at them).
Yes, dogs love to go splashing around in the water...particularly on warm days. :)
PD
There is a 26-mile forested walking/biking trail near where I live, and we use it all of the time. Today, the girls and I went out geocaching along the way, which they like to call treasure hunting. The verge was pretty high and I got caught up in some gooseberries. Now it looks like I was attacked by a Liger.
It was a good time regardless, a beautiful day to be out and about, and the flora and fauna are always giving us surprises, like a fawn that leapt out and scared me out of my wits. The girls think it is hilarious when inevitably, at the end of each of our excursions, I lament needing blood-pressure medicine for our adventures.
-picture included-
Quote from: VonStupp on June 17, 2021, 11:22:39 AM
There is a 26-mile forested walking/biking trail near where I live, and we use it all of the time. Today, the girls and I went out geocaching along the way, which they like to call treasure hunting. The verge was pretty high and I got caught up in some gooseberries. Now it looks like I was attacked by a Liger.
It was a good time regardless, a beautiful day to be out and about, and the flora and fauna are always giving us surprises, like a fawn that leapt out and scared me out of my wits. The girls think it is hilarious when inevitably, at the end of each of our excursions, I lament needing blood-pressure medicine for our adventures.
That looks good, nice to have some shade from the sun. We've stumbled across a few of those geocaches over the years, they have all sorts of treasure in them. :)
Quote from: VonStupp on June 17, 2021, 11:22:39 AM
There is a 26-mile forested walking/biking trail near where I live, and we use it all of the time. Today, the girls and I went out geocaching along the way, which they like to call treasure hunting. The verge was pretty high and I got caught up in some gooseberries. Now it looks like I was attacked by a Liger.
It was a good time regardless, a beautiful day to be out and about, and the flora and fauna are always giving us surprises, like a fawn that leapt out and scared me out of my wits. The girls think it is hilarious when inevitably, at the end of each of our excursions, I lament needing blood-pressure medicine for our adventures.
-picture included-
Quote from: steve ridgway on June 17, 2021, 09:10:25 PM
That looks good, nice to have some shade from the sun. We've stumbled across a few of those geocaches over the years, they have all sorts of treasure in them. :)
Hadn't heard of geocaching before now...had to go and look it up. Sounds like it could be fun! What kinds of things have you guys found and what have you added to them?
PD
Quote from: steve ridgway on June 11, 2021, 07:12:21 AM
It's not so obvious in that photo; this one was taken not far away but with a much larger telephoto lens.
Great image! Thanks Steve.
:)
Quote from: VonStupp on June 17, 2021, 11:22:39 AM
There is a 26-mile forested walking/biking trail near where I live, and we use it all of the time. Today, the girls and I went out geocaching along the way, which they like to call treasure hunting. The verge was pretty high and I got caught up in some gooseberries. Now it looks like I was attacked by a Liger.
It was a good time regardless, a beautiful day to be out and about, and the flora and fauna are always giving us surprises, like a fawn that leapt out and scared me out of my wits. The girls think it is hilarious when inevitably, at the end of each of our excursions, I lament needing blood-pressure medicine for our adventures.
-picture included-
Had to look up 'Geocaching' - how interesting!
Quote from: vandermolen on June 18, 2021, 06:39:09 AM
Had to look up 'Geocaching' - how interesting!
Nice to know that I'm not alone! ;D
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on June 18, 2021, 05:37:11 AM
Hadn't heard of geocaching before now...had to go and luck it up. Sounds like it could be fun! What kinds of things have you guys found and what have you added to them?
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on June 18, 2021, 06:39:09 AM
Had to look up 'Geocaching' - how interesting!
Quote from: steve ridgway on June 17, 2021, 09:10:25 PM
That looks good, nice to have some shade from the sun. We've stumbled across a few of those geocaches over the years, they have all sorts of treasure in them. :)
We started
geocaching to add a little fun to our daily constitutionals with the children, and they enjoyed the added mystery aspect of being out and about. But, it has really been a great way to explore areas that we would have never found or looked for on our own.
Last week, we went to an 1800's cemetery that was in the middle of nowhere. This particular geocache had you use the dates on the gravestones to point you to a specific GPS coordinate, although they were so untouched by the passage of time, it was very challenging to decipher. In this case, it was fun exploring an homage to the past in this area, and a great way to connect with the natural world. The cemetery was in the middle of a forest, a ghost-town location I was unaware of. My girls were fascinated by an inchworm most of the time.
The
treasures are usually for children, where you can exchange doodads. But, there are also special
medals you can put in that can be tracked across the country to see who picks it up and where it goes. Otherwise, you log yourself on a paper provided when you find it and you can use the geocaching website to keep track of your finds and connect with the larger geocaching community. Some caches range from easy, humorous locations, to microscopic challenging finds, to multi-step, clue-based searches, to history/geology lessons.
It has been a good time since we discovered this activity. If you have a little detective burgeoning within, it adds the physical outdoors and community exploration to a curious mind and a body wanting to get out and about.
We've been walking round Wythenshawe Park a lot lately, it's less than 3 miles from home and has plenty of open parkland and wooded areas. Rather cloudy today but no actual rain.
Quote from: steve ridgway on July 08, 2021, 03:34:53 AM
We've been walking round Wythenshawe Park a lot lately, it's less than 3 miles from home and has plenty of open parkland and wooded areas. Rather cloudy today but no actual rain.
We get a lot of wild parrots in the garden - they make a hell of a noise. Outside my house there's an enormous plane tree, a street tree, with a hole in it, which they use every year as a nesting spot. The contrast of the green of the parrot and the dappled peeling bark of the plane is rather nice.
Quote from: steve ridgway on July 08, 2021, 03:34:53 AM
We've been walking round Wythenshawe Park a lot lately, it's less than 3 miles from home and has plenty of open parkland and wooded areas. Rather cloudy today but no actual rain.
Beautiful!
Quote from: Mandryka on July 08, 2021, 03:43:16 AM
We get a lot of wild parrots in the garden - they make a hell of a noise. Outside my house there's an enormous plane tree, a street tree, with a hole in it, which they use every year as a nesting spot. The contrast of the green of the parrot and the dappled peeling bark of the plane is rather nice.
We've only been seeing many of these parakeets in the last couple of years but they're pretty common now. It's more crows, wood pigeons and sparrows in our garden.
Yet again staying a few days on the Stevns peninsula a bit south of Copenhagen, with the coastal cliffs that have become a UNESCO site, due to their geological interest.
Today I walked along a good part of the lovely 'Stevns Trampesti' hiking path, from Rødvig village, where I'm staying on a farm, about 6km up to Højerup village with the cliff-hanging, medieval church. This was a new section of the path for me. Having pulled my bike, I then cycled back. Glad that I could in spite of my at times aching foot.
The old limestone quarries include a gigantic, round hall for storing crushed stone powder, that would be dumped from the top center of the roof there.
Out on the sea, the Danish queen's old ship 'Dannebrog' was moving around, a beautiful sight, but photo-wise not that interesting.
There are also large Cold War underground fortifications dug out in a part of the cliffs, with guns etc., now a museum.
One can see up to Copenhagen and the bridge to Sweden, and southwards, down to the island of Møn.
There are no roads along the cliffs, only footpaths, I think about 20 km totally.
We've had a heat wave, but today was windy, yet beautiful and sunny.
Quote from: MusicTurner on July 18, 2021, 11:05:49 AM
Yet again staying a few days on the Stevns peninsula a bit south of Copenhagen, with the coastal cliffs that have become a UNESCO site, due to their geological interest.
Today I walked along a good part of the lovely 'Stevns Trampesti' hiking path, from Rødvig village, where I'm staying on a farm, about 6km up to Højerup village with the cliff-hanging, medieval church. This was a new section of the path for me. Having pulled my bike, I then cycled back. Glad that I could in spite of my at times aching foot.
The old limestone quarries include a gigantic, round hall for storing crushed stone powder, that would be dumped from the top center of the roof there.
Out on the sea, the Danish queen's old ship 'Dannebrog' was moving around, a beautiful sight, but photo-wise not that interesting.
There are also large Cold War underground fortifications dug out in a part of the cliffs, with guns etc., now a museum.
One can see up to Copenhagen and the bridge to Sweden, and southwards, down to the island of Møn.
There are no roads along the cliffs, only footpaths, I think about 20 km totally.
We've had a heat wave, but today was windy, yet beautiful and sunny.
Terrific photos - I assume that the third photo down is the Cold War bunker.
The interior is actually the quarry-related deposit hall from this round, peculiar, hat-like building (doors just stand open ...).
Quote from: MusicTurner on July 18, 2021, 08:37:23 PM
The interior is actually the quarry-related deposit hall from this round, peculiar, hat-like building (doors just stand open ...).
Going by the two figures walking away it is big.
Last Friday we did a three mile walk from Rudyard Kipling's house 'Bateman's' which is not far away. I liked the wooden sculpture of Kipling:
(//)
On Saturday, as it was hot, we set off early and did a c.7 mile walk on the South Downs near Firle. Look our for the WW2 bomb crater at the top right of one photo - a surreal sight up there. That's the English Channel in the distance, looking unusually blue:
(//)
Quote from: Irons on July 19, 2021, 03:37:02 AM
Going by the two figures walking away it is big.
Got the measurements - the pyramid hall is 20 m high and 60 m wide. It dates from 1967. The whole quarry is being refurbished, in relation to future tourist visits and UNESCO obligations. They found some minute traces of old asbest in the floor sections, and it was thus closed for some time during investigations, but it has been measured not to be a danger to the public.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 19, 2021, 03:58:09 AM
On Saturday, as it was hot, we set off early and did a c.7 mile walk on the South Downs near Firle. Look our for the WW2 bomb crater at the top right of one photo - a surreal sight up there. That's the English Channel in the distance, looking unusually blue:
(//)
Beautiful scenery, and with a certain desolate, hilly grandeur in spite of the agriculture. Perhaps a high summer landscape one doesn't typically associate with England, maybe-maybe with say central France a bit more ...
Quote from: MusicTurner on July 20, 2021, 02:04:46 AM
Got the measurements - the pyramid hall is 20 m high and 60 m wide. It dates from 1967. The whole quarry is being refurbished, in relation to future tourist visits and UNESCO obligations. They found some minute traces of old asbest in the floor sections, and it was thus closed for some time during investigations, but it has been measured not to be a danger to the public.
Thanks. Most impressive.
Quote from: MusicTurner on July 20, 2021, 02:09:01 AM
Beautiful scenery, and with a certain desolate, hilly grandeur in spite of the agriculture. Perhaps a high summer landscape one doesn't typically associate with England, maybe-maybe with say central France a bit more ...
Thanks. It's fairly typical of rural Sussex but obviously high up.
Recently we've been in Lincolnshire to visit a recently bereaved university friend of my wife and we took the opportunity to have a few days away. Lincolnshire is not somewhere I know well but we had a very good time, including one or two nice walks. We were surprised how quiet the roads were even on weekdays. Included are photos that I took of the Humber Bridge and the statue of the poet Tennyson (complete with dog) at Lincoln Cathedral. The impressive sculpture (so much better than the naff one of Princess Diana and Mary Wollstonecraft in London) was by a great artist G.F. Watts (Stanford 6th Symphony was in his memory):
My favourite walk is along the coast from Aldeburgh to Thorpeness and back but being aware of one's limitations is sensible. The knees are not up to it anymore. Instead we clocked up a fair distance locating Britten's grave in the cemetery of Aldeburgh Parish Church. I found it surprising that both BB (on the left) and Peter Pears gravestone are so plain, name and birth/death dates that is all. The grave in the middle at the rear is Imogen Holst. Quite by accident in another part of the cemetery we stumbled on the grave of the music critic John Amis.
(https://i.imgur.com/UfCaGJT.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/AxTHMuG.jpg)
Any visit to Aldeburgh has to include the tribute to BB in the form of "Scallop Shell" - how can you miss it! Unlike most sculptures I think the shell is more impressive from distance with the surrounding coastline then up close.
(https://i.imgur.com/uWGQSqD.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/tzaS4w7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yxKwGMj.jpg)
That "Scallop Shell" stands out very well on the flat beach. I was reading only yesterday that scallops have up to 200 very small eyes that don't operate by means of the usual lenses, but are actually constructed of parabolic mirrors. And they have a double layered retina . :o
I guess you could compare it to an advanced smiley :)
Quote from: Irons on August 24, 2021, 07:13:21 AM
My favourite walk is along the coast from Aldeburgh to Thorpeness and back but being aware of one's limitations is sensible. The knees are not up to it anymore. Instead we clocked up a fair distance locating Britten's grave in the cemetery of Aldeburgh Parish Church. I found it surprising that both BB (on the left) and Peter Pears gravestone are so plain, name and birth/death dates that is all. The grave in the middle at the rear is Imogen Holst. (...)
Any visit to Aldeburgh has to include the tribute to BB in the form of "Scallop Shell" - how can you miss it! Unlike most sculptures I think the shell is more impressive from distance with the surrounding coastline then up close.
(...)
That's interesting. One almost expects that lonely peacock-like shell thing on the beach to start moving ... a daring placement.
Quote from: Irons on August 24, 2021, 07:13:21 AM
My favourite walk is along the coast from Aldeburgh to Thorpeness and back but being aware of one's limitations is sensible. The knees are not up to it anymore. Instead we clocked up a fair distance locating Britten's grave in the cemetery of Aldeburgh Parish Church. I found it surprising that both BB (on the left) and Peter Pears gravestone are so plain, name and birth/death dates that is all. The grave in the middle at the rear is Imogen Holst. Quite by accident in another part of the cemetery we stumbled on the grave of the music critic John Amis.
(https://i.imgur.com/UfCaGJT.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/AxTHMuG.jpg)
Any visit to Aldeburgh has to include the tribute to BB in the form of "Scallop Shell" - how can you miss it! Unlike most sculptures I think the shell is more impressive from distance with the surrounding coastline then up close.
(https://i.imgur.com/uWGQSqD.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/tzaS4w7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yxKwGMj.jpg)
I'm glad to see that you were able to make your yearly visit to Aldeburgh Irons! The Scallop is great; love the shape and the words that were carved into it (tribute to Britten).
And thank you for the graveyard shots too! :)
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on July 19, 2021, 03:58:09 AM
That's the English Channel in the distance, looking unusually blue:
(https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=30052.0;attach=75687)
True! The bluest I've ever seen the Channel was in Hythe, Kent about three years ago, it quite took my breath away. I'm so used to the usual grey/green.
Quote from: Irons on August 24, 2021, 07:13:21 AMI found it surprising that both BB (on the left) and Peter Pears gravestone are so plain, name and birth/death dates that is all.
(https://i.imgur.com/UfCaGJT.jpg)
I agree that is surprising. But actually on reflection, it does seem somehow appropriate considering the general aura of his character and music. Touchingly so.
Thanks for posting the pics, nice to see.
Interesting, thanks! We didn't having swimming stuff with us at the time, but if we had I'd have been sorely tempted. It looked so inviting! Perhaps the depth explains the unusual blue-ness?
Can't remember any anglers, but agree swimming and fishing hooks not a good mix! Anyway, will be better prepared next time! :)
Quote from: steve ridgway on August 24, 2021, 07:45:14 AM
That "Scallop Shell" stands out very well on the flat beach. I was reading only yesterday that scallops have up to 200 very small eyes that don't operate by means of the usual lenses, but are actually constructed of parabolic mirrors. And they have a double layered retina . :o
The wonder of nature!
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 24, 2021, 08:59:55 AM
That's interesting. One almost expects that lonely peacock-like shell thing on the beach to start moving ... a daring placement.
Don't know how anchored but the shell is solid as a rock. Kids are often climbing all over it.
Quote from: Irons on August 24, 2021, 07:13:21 AM
My favourite walk is along the coast from Aldeburgh to Thorpeness and back but being aware of one's limitations is sensible. The knees are not up to it anymore. Instead we clocked up a fair distance locating Britten's grave in the cemetery of Aldeburgh Parish Church. I found it surprising that both BB (on the left) and Peter Pears gravestone are so plain, name and birth/death dates that is all. The grave in the middle at the rear is Imogen Holst. Quite by accident in another part of the cemetery we stumbled on the grave of the music critic John Amis.
Any visit to Aldeburgh has to include the tribute to BB in the form of "Scallop Shell" - how can you miss it! Unlike most sculptures I think the shell is more impressive from distance with the surrounding coastline then up close.
(https://i.imgur.com/yxKwGMj.jpg)
It is a very special place there. Loved that walk all the way to the boat lake and the House in the Clouds.
Thank you for posting those, Lol.
You can take the boy out of Suffolk, etc etc... :)
Quote from: Irons on August 24, 2021, 07:13:21 AM
My favourite walk is along the coast from Aldeburgh to Thorpeness and back but being aware of one's limitations is sensible. The knees are not up to it anymore. Instead we clocked up a fair distance locating Britten's grave in the cemetery of Aldeburgh Parish Church. I found it surprising that both BB (on the left) and Peter Pears gravestone are so plain, name and birth/death dates that is all. The grave in the middle at the rear is Imogen Holst. Quite by accident in another part of the cemetery we stumbled on the grave of the music critic John Amis.
(https://i.imgur.com/UfCaGJT.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/AxTHMuG.jpg)
Any visit to Aldeburgh has to include the tribute to BB in the form of "Scallop Shell" - how can you miss it! Unlike most sculptures I think the shell is more impressive from distance with the surrounding coastline then up close.
(https://i.imgur.com/uWGQSqD.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/tzaS4w7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yxKwGMj.jpg)
Very nice Lol - I was there a couple of years ago although I never got to the cemetery.
Have been to Bornholm island for a couple of stays recently, but am now in Northern Jutland for a few days with a family member, and took a walk along the North Sea in the sunset, from the B&B to Thorup Strand hamlet. One of the last places in Denmark where they pull up the fishing boats on the beach with a wire system and 'park' them there, since there's no harbour.
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 25, 2021, 12:20:50 PM
Have been to Bornholm island for a couple of stays recently, but am now in Northern Jutland for a few days with a family, and took a walk along the North Sea in the sunset, from the B&B to Thorup Strand hamlet. One of the last places in Denmark where they pull up the fishing boats on the beach with a wire system and 'park' them there, since there's no harbour.
Looks very calm and lovely! Enjoy your trip! :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 26, 2021, 03:50:43 AM
Looks very calm and lovely! Enjoy your trip! :)
PD
Thank you. Today's photos were better & we had a great evening fish dish in an unpretentious eating hall next to the ships, the sea was raging, but there was evening sun too.
Quote from: Papy Oli on August 25, 2021, 01:05:53 AM
It is a very special place there. Loved that walk all the way to the boat lake and the House in the Clouds.
Thank you for posting those, Lol.
You can take the boy out of Suffolk, etc etc... :)
Is the house in the clouds the windmill, Olivier?
Quote from: vandermolen on August 25, 2021, 03:40:50 AM
Very nice Lol - I was there a couple of years ago although I never got to the cemetery.
We would never have found Britten's grave, only my wife had the brilliant idea of finding an image on Google. After that, relatively easy.
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 26, 2021, 11:48:56 AM
Thank you. Today's photos were better & we had a great evening fish dish in an unpretentious eating hall next to the ships, the sea was raging, but there was evening sun too.
Lovely photo.
Quote from: Irons on August 27, 2021, 12:00:00 AM
Is the house in the clouds the windmill, Olivier?
Yes the red and black former windmill, turned into flats, sticking out of the trees. Lovely conversion, except for taking the shopping up ;D
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 25, 2021, 12:20:50 PM
Have been to Bornholm island for a couple of stays recently, but am now in Northern Jutland for a few days with a family member, and took a walk along the North Sea in the sunset, from the B&B to Thorup Strand hamlet. One of the last places in Denmark where they pull up the fishing boats on the beach with a wire system and 'park' them there, since there's no harbour.
Looks absolutely beautiful.
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 26, 2021, 11:48:56 AM
Thank you. Today's photos were better & we had a great evening fish dish in an unpretentious eating hall next to the ships, the sea was raging, but there was evening sun too.
Wonderful! Looks like a painting by J M W Turner (maybe a relative of yours? ;D).
Quote from: Papy Oli on August 27, 2021, 12:05:32 AM
Yes the red and black former windmill, turned into flats, sticking out of the trees. Lovely conversion, except for taking the shopping up ;D
Ahh, thanks.
I usually take a walk up a ridge in East Honolulu that is about 4 miles round trip.
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 26, 2021, 11:48:56 AM
Thank you. Today's photos were better & we had a great evening fish dish in an unpretentious eating hall next to the ships, the sea was raging, but there was evening sun too.
Fresh fish....yummmm! ;D Looks like a beautiful place to visit.
PD
Quote from: flyingdutchman on August 28, 2021, 11:35:53 PM
I usually take a walk up a ridge in East Honolulu that is about 4 miles round trip.
I'll bet that that is a beautiful hike!
PD
Here are some images from a walk that my wife and I went on last Saturday (I would have been quite happy to stay at home, read the newspaper, play with the cat and listen to my CDs ::)) Anyway, it was a beautiful walk and good exercise. It started from the village of East Dean on the South Coast and then follows the 'Seven Sisters' cliffs for a few miles, with spectacular views of the cliffs and the English Channel. Sections were a bit steep and maybe not the wisest choice for someone currently suffering from vertigo and balance problems! On Saturday we are going to Stockholm but that, sadly, is for my brother-in-law's funeral. We are staying for few nights so might get a chance to look around the city and the beautiful archipelago. If so I'll try to take some photos:
Quote from: vandermolen on August 29, 2021, 10:39:54 PM
Here are some images from a walk that my wife and I went on last Saturday (I would have been quite happy to stay at home, read the newspaper, play with the cat and listen to my CDs ::)) Anyway, it was a beautiful walk and good exercise. It started from the village of East Dean on the South Coast and then follows the 'Seven Sisters' cliffs for a few miles, with spectacular views of the cliffs and the English Channel. Sections were a bit steep and maybe not the wisest choice for someone currently suffering from vertigo and balance problems! On Saturday we are going to Stockholm but that, sadly, is for my brother-in-law's funeral. We are staying for few nights so might get a chance to look around the city and the beautiful archipelago. If so I'll try to take some photos:
Take care, Jeffrey. I was reading yesterday that there is surprisingly a gang culture in Stockholm that has got out of control.
That's first and foremost in some Stockholm suburbs, possibly with some problems near the Central Station too.
Stockholm is a beautiful city, of course especially the centre of Gamla Stan. Very expensive, though - and budget options are few and far between.
Well done for completing the walk Jeffrey. 8)
Quote from: steve ridgway on August 30, 2021, 08:21:53 AM
Well done for completing the walk Jeffrey. 8)
Thanks Steve - it was a relief not to have call out Air-Sea Rescue ;D
Quote from: Irons on August 30, 2021, 01:09:52 AM
Take care, Jeffrey. I was reading yesterday that there is surprisingly a gang culture in Stockholm that has got out of control.
I read that too Lol. Perfect timing for my visit!
Quote from: steve ridgway on August 30, 2021, 08:21:53 AM
Well done for completing the walk Jeffrey. 8)
+1 Though the cat might have been annoyed at with you for less playtime; or then again, happy to have been able to have taken [yet another] nap. ;)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 30, 2021, 10:42:49 AM
+1 Though the cat might have been annoyed at with you for less playtime; or then again, happy to have been able to have taken [yet another] nap. ;)
PD
;D
Another walk yesterday - 6 miles around Bodiam Castle. The river is the Rother from where the village I live in gets its name:
(//)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodiam_Castle
Quote from: vandermolen on August 31, 2021, 12:21:26 AM
Another walk yesterday - 6 miles around Bodiam Castle. The river is the Rother from where the village I live in gets its name:
(//)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodiam_Castle
No shortcuts through the castle then. ;)
Quote from: steve ridgway on August 31, 2021, 03:54:33 AM
No shortcuts through the castle then. ;)
Perhaps added exercise: rowing over to it? :)
PD
Quote from: steve ridgway on August 31, 2021, 03:54:33 AM
No shortcuts through the castle then. ;)
Haha - no but we did visit the castle after our walk and, as there is a bridge across, I didn't have to swim!
My wife liked to look at the potted plants for sale at the castle; personally I was much more interested in the second-hand bookshop (with strict instructions not to buy anything - 'YOU DON'T NEED ANY MORE BOOKS!') ::)
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 31, 2021, 03:57:01 AM
Perhaps added exercise: rowing over to it? :)
PD
We saw quite a few people in canoes on the River Rother yesterday.
On a walk near me - a disused quarry in Somerset - one for the group's geologists!
Quote from: Roasted Swan on August 31, 2021, 05:23:39 AM
On a walk near me - a disused quarry in Somerset - one for the group's geologists!
Very nice.
Quote from: Roasted Swan on August 31, 2021, 05:23:39 AM
On a walk near me - a disused quarry in Somerset - one for the group's geologists!
Very obvious layers there. :)
Quote from: vandermolen on August 31, 2021, 05:04:34 AM
Haha - no but we did visit the castle after our walk and, as there is a bridge across, I didn't have to swim!
My wife liked to look at the potted plants for sale at the castle; personally I was much more interested in the second-hand bookshop (with strict instructions not to buy anything - 'YOU DON'T NEED ANY MORE BOOKS!') ::)
Looks like that's Bodiam Castle?
I did a quick read-through the Wiki article about it and noticed that they have done restoration work on it over the years. Bet that it's interesting to explore.
And now how many books did you manage to smuggle home Jeffrey? ;)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 31, 2021, 05:56:07 AM
Looks like that's Bodiam Castle?
I did a quick read-through the Wiki article about it and noticed that they have done restoration work on it over the years. Bet that it's interesting to explore.
And now how many books did you manage to smuggle home Jeffrey? ;)
PD
Hi PD - yes, it's Bodiam Castle - I placed the Wiki link to it above. Sadly no books as I left my rucksack with my wife, which negated any smuggling opportunities. Still, I saw a couple of History and Art History books of interest, so, next time... >:D
I was in Stockholm, earlier this week for a sad reason (my brother-in-law's funeral) but I had a lovely day with the British/Swedish family walking around Stockholm, including, on my own, visiting the amazing Vasa Museum where the battleship, which sunk almost immediately after being launched in 1628, is 98% perfectly preserved - it was like being able to go back 400 years in time:
Quote from: vandermolen on September 08, 2021, 12:57:38 AM
I was in Stockholm, earlier this week for a sad reason (my brother-in-law's funeral) but I had a lovely day with the British/Swedish family walking around Stockholm, including, on my own, visiting the amazing Vasa Museum where the battleship, which sunk almost immediately after being launched in 1628, is 98% perfectly preserved - it was like being able to go back 400 years in time:
I remember going there years ago. Yes, it is cool to see that ship. :)
Again, sorry for the reason for your sad trip, but glad that you were able to and feeling like exploring a bit.
PD
p.s. What did you see/experience regarding Covid restrictions, etc. whilst you were there?
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 08, 2021, 01:08:25 AM
I remember going there years ago. Yes, it is cool to see that ship. :)
Again, sorry for the reason for your sad trip, but glad that you were able to and feeling like exploring a bit.
PD
p.s. What did you see/experience regarding Covid restrictions, etc. whilst you were there?
OT
Thank you PD.
Actually, quite apart from the very sad reason for the trip, the logistics of getting there through the Covid regulations was very stressful in itself. You have to have a test within 48 hours of departure. To do that I've had to miss some of my teaching commitments, which I was not prepared to do. So we had to get to the airport (London Heathrow) very early to get the test there. That was very straightforward and I received the negative result after 45 minutes - It's the 'Fit to travel Test' (Sweden is an Orange List country). You also have to show that you have arranged a test to be done in Sweden within 72 hours of departure. This was a DIY test and you have to scan the results to the company in the UK who email a certificate back (had I been positive I'd have had to stay in Sweden in quarantine, teaching my lessons remotely from a laptop from a Swedish hotel - a nightmare scenario for me). Then to get back into the UK you have to show proof that you've booked another test to be done within two days after returning home, which I will do later today. Fortunately my kindly, very well-organised, Canadian son-in-law was with us to help make sense of the administrative tangle!
Quote from: vandermolen on September 08, 2021, 02:12:51 AM
OT
Thank you PD.
Actually, quite apart from the very sad reason for the trip, the logistics of getting there through the Covid regulations was very stressful in itself. You have to have a test within 48 hours of departure. To do that I've had to miss some of my teaching commitments, which I was not prepared to do. So we had to get to the airport (London Heathrow) very early to get the test there. That was very straightforward and I received the negative result after 45 minutes - It's the 'Fit to travel Test' (Sweden is an Orange List country). You also have to show that you have arranged a test to be done in Sweden within 72 hours of departure. This was a DIY test and you have to scan the results to the company in the UK who email a certificate back (had I been positive I'd have had to stay in Sweden in quarantine, teaching my lessons remotely from a laptop from a Swedish hotel - a nightmare scenario for me). Then to get back into the UK you have to show proof that you've booked another test to be done within two days after returning home, which I will do later today. Fortunately my kindly, very well-organised, Canadian son-in-law was with us to help make sense of the administrative tangle!
Sounds like a nightmare, but necessary alas! Trying to remember, but if I'm recalling correctly, they were still spraying the ship back then (took a quick look on their website). Tempted to look at an old passport which would tell me when I was there last, but I believe that it is in a safety deposit box. Pretty certain that they were still doing so as I *remember climbing metal stairs with handrails and I think bumps on the stairs to aid with traction and I think either reading and/or being told to be careful, etc.? Haven't seen the "newly built museum" where it was moved to in 1988 alas. *Who knows, my memory could be off though! I do remember seeing it though. :) Well worth the time.
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 08, 2021, 02:51:02 AM
Sounds like a nightmare, but necessary alas! Trying to remember, but if I'm recalling correctly, they were still spraying the ship back then (took a quick look on their website). Tempted to look at an old passport which would tell me when I was there last, but I believe that it is in a safety deposit box. Pretty certain that they were still doing so as I *remember climbing metal stairs with handrails and I think bumps on the stairs to aid with traction and I think either reading and/or being told to be careful, etc.? Haven't seen the "newly built museum" where it was moved to in 1988 alas. *Who knows, my memory could be off though! I do remember seeing it though. :) Well worth the time.
PD
Interesting PD. They certainly still have to treat the ship to delay the inevitable deterioration - seeing it was a most extraordinary experience.
Quote from: vandermolen on September 08, 2021, 04:09:49 AM
Interesting PD. They certainly still have to treat the ship to delay the inevitable deterioration - seeing it was a most extraordinary experience.
There's a fascinating timeline here. It shows what they have done to the ship over the years--figuring out how to preserve it. https://www.vasamuseet.se/en/research/how-we-preserve-vasa/preservation-timeline :)
PD
Stockholm has material for a good deal of visits - those pictures made me wish for a second one, since Vasa wasn't included in the first ... and Swedish rural landscapes, though quite uniform with forested, lake-abundant scenery and those wooden, usually red-painted houses, are just wonderful.
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 08, 2021, 04:22:29 AM
Stockholm has material for a good deal of visits - those pictures made me wish for a second one, since Vasa wasn't included in the first ... and Swedish rural landscapes, though quite uniform with forested, lake-abundant scenery and those wooden, usually red-painted houses, are just wonderful.
Yes, I'd love to go back there--and check out more of Scandinavia while I'm at it too. :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 08, 2021, 04:40:45 AM
Yes, I'd love to go back there--and check out more of Scandinavia while I'm at it too. :)
PD
So you're quite acquainted with Stockholm? It's certainly one of the most scenic cities we have in the region, maybe the best introduction also; Copenhagen for example is a bit more German or Dutch-looking.
Alas, my Sweden visits, Sweden being just across the strait, have been put on a halt for a long time now, due to corona.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 08, 2021, 04:13:49 AM
There's a fascinating timeline here. It shows what they have done to the ship over the years--figuring out how to preserve it. https://www.vasamuseet.se/en/research/how-we-preserve-vasa/preservation-timeline :)
PD
Most interesting - thanks PD.
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 08, 2021, 09:49:33 AM
So you're quite acquainted with Stockholm? It's certainly one of the most scenic cities we have in the region, maybe the best introduction also; Copenhagen for example is a bit more German or Dutch-looking.
Alas, my Sweden visits, Sweden being just across the strait, have been put on a halt for a long time now, due to corona.
Yes, we were only allowed in due to special circumstances - I intend to go back. I was there in 2013 in happier circumstances when I arrived on the ship crossing from Helsinki. Sailing through the archipelago was a wonderful experience.
Quote from: vandermolen on September 08, 2021, 10:56:27 AM
Yes, we were only allowed in due to special circumstances - I intend to go back. I was there in 2013 in happier circumstances when I arrived on the ship crossing from Helsinki. Sailing through the archipelago was a wonderful experience.
Sounds tempting, Jeffrey. We enjoy cruises. Looking up the P & O website, Swedish cruises look tempting indeed. How was the weather?
Quote from: vandermolen on September 08, 2021, 10:56:27 AM
Yes, we were only allowed in due to special circumstances - I intend to go back. I was there in 2013 in happier circumstances when I arrived on the ship crossing from Helsinki. Sailing through the archipelago was a wonderful experience.
Bet that that would have been a cool experience! Do you remember about how long the crossing took? Just curious.
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 08, 2021, 09:49:33 AM
So you're quite acquainted with Stockholm? It's certainly one of the most scenic cities we have in the region, maybe the best introduction also; Copenhagen for example is a bit more German or Dutch-looking.
Alas, my Sweden visits, Sweden being just across the strait, have been put on a halt for a long time now, due to corona.
Only that one trip alas. :(
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 09, 2021, 03:17:32 AM
Bet that that would have been a cool experience! Do you remember about how long the crossing took? Just curious.
Only that one trip alas. :(
PD
Yes it was a cool experience PD. About 11.5 hours for the crossing. I woke up in the night to find that the ship had docked at the Aaland Islands, which I also thought was cool. In the morning the journey through the archipelago to Stockholm should not be missed. Weather in Stockholm was pleasantly warm (about 15 to 19 degrees).
A few photos from our walk on the South Downs yesterday:
Great photos, and beautiful views down the valley. It looks like your wife is feeling better?
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 13, 2021, 10:20:02 AM
Great photos, and beautiful views down the valley. It looks like your wife is feeling better?
Thank you! Yes, she's doing ok - just having her lunch in the photo. The valley, which you suddenly come across (bottom photo), is quite dramatic in its way.
Another couple of photos from my walk over the weekend. Basically, the walk follows the path and then turns left up the hill ahead to reach a junction with the South Downs Way which it then follows for a couple of miles with fine views over the Downs and Sea before descending to the village of Jevington and then follows the valley back to Folkington where the walk starts. The 'Long Man of Wilmington' (Hill figure) is just ahead on the left, but not in the photos. The walk is c.6 miles but, with an extension, it can go on to 8.5 miles:
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on September 09, 2021, 04:48:03 AM
Yes it was a cool experience PD. About 11.5 hours for the crossing. I woke up in the night to find that the ship had docked at the Aaland Islands, which I also thought was cool. In the morning the journey through the archipelago to Stockholm should not be missed. Weather in Stockholm was pleasantly warm (about 15 to 19 degrees).
You must have a thick skin! I prefer hiking at those temperatures, but they definitely feel cool to me when standing still.
Looks superb indeed, great photos.
Quote from: krummholz on September 17, 2021, 07:44:41 PM
You must have a thick skin! I prefer hiking at those temperatures, but they definitely feel cool to me when standing still.
Maybe it was a bit warmer. I checked the temperatures before going to Stockholm - but it felt warmer when we were there.
I'd like you to think that this is a scene from my local village walk but it is actually Niagara Falls ;D
My daughter is in Canada visiting the family of her new Canadian husband in Hamilton Ontario (by a weird coincidence my father trained there with the RAF in World War Two) and she sent this photo. I gather that that is the USA in the background - I am most jealous of her!
(//)
Cool photo!
Quote from: vandermolen on September 18, 2021, 11:59:18 PM
I'd like you to think that this is a scene from my local village walk but it is actually Niagara Falls ;D
My daughter is in Canada visiting the family of her new Canadian husband in Hamilton Ontario (by a weird coincidence my father trained there with the RAF in World War Two) and she sent this photo. I gather that that is the USA in the background - I am most jealous of her!
Yup. Canadian falls on the right, american falls on the left. I believe this must be taken from the Skylon Tower. It didn't exist when I visited - sometime in the 1980s.
(//%3Cbr%20/%3Ehttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Skylon-2.jpg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Skylon-2.jpg)
Quote from: André on September 19, 2021, 11:10:39 AM
Yup. Canadian falls on the right, american falls on the left. I believe this must be taken from the Skylon Tower. It didn't exist when I visited - sometime in the 1980s.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Skylon-2.jpg)
Thanks André
I never knew that the Falls was on the Canada/USA border.
Here she is again:
(//)
Closer to home I did a lot of walking round central London yesterday as I was on a school trip to the Tate Modern and Tate Britain art galleries. I also used the Uber River Ferry for the first time - I was unaware that they existed - it's a nice way to travel in London.
The building in the second photo, although not of great architectural importance, is where I went to school as a boy:
Quote from: vandermolen on September 20, 2021, 10:27:55 PM
Closer to home I did a lot of walking round central London yesterday as I was on a school trip to the Tate Modern and Tate Britain art galleries. I also used the Uber River Ferry for the first time - I was unaware that they existed - it's a nice way to travel in London.
The building in the second photo, although not of great architectural importance, is where I went to school as a boy:
Oh, nice! Were the museums very crowded? And any special policies in place?
Hadn't heard of Uber River Ferry before now either. Do they have a standardized route?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 21, 2021, 02:06:49 AM
Oh, nice! Were the museums very crowded? And any special policies in place?
Hadn't heard of Uber River Ferry before now either. Do they have a standardized route?
PD
Galleries were, unsurprisingly perhaps, unusually quiet with no queues for anything.
It's called 'Uber Boat' I see.
Yes, there's a set route - here's the map;
https://www.thamesclippers.com/plan-your-journey/route-map
Quote from: vandermolen on September 21, 2021, 02:26:03 AM
Galleries were, unsurprisingly perhaps, unusually quiet with no queues for anything.
It's called 'Uber Boat' I see.
Yes, there's a set route - here's the map;
https://www.thamesclippers.com/plan-your-journey/route-map
Oh, cool! I remember years ago taking a trip with my father on the Thames--purely for site seeing, but we both enjoyed it. :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 21, 2021, 02:35:37 AM
Oh, cool! I remember years ago taking a trip with my father on the Thames--purely for site seeing, but we both enjoyed it. :)
PD
Yes, I always used to take visiting friends on that trip - from Charing Cross to Greenwich, have a look round Greenwich - lunch in a pub and then back again.
:)
Quote from: vandermolen on September 21, 2021, 04:11:03 AM
Yes, I always used to take visiting friends on that trip - from Charing Cross to Greenwich, have a look round Greenwich - lunch in a pub and then back again.
:)
This past time was strictly a river cruise, but even further back in time, I do remember a visit to Greenwich to see the Royal Observatory--how we got there, no idea! lol :)
PD
I took my pups for a walk by a nearby river this morning. Very peaceful.
Quote from: Szykneij on September 21, 2021, 08:46:35 AM
I took my pups for a walk by a nearby river this morning. Very peaceful.
Very pretty! :)
PD
Quote from: Szykneij on September 21, 2021, 08:46:35 AM
I took my pups for a walk by a nearby river this morning. Very peaceful.
Very nice!
Quote from: Szykneij on September 21, 2021, 08:46:35 AM
I took my pups for a walk by a nearby river this morning. Very peaceful.
That's nice. Seems to be a quite rural place, rather than a city park; surely peaceful.
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 21, 2021, 10:10:32 AM
That's nice. Seems to be a quite rural place, rather than a city park; surely peaceful.
As long as the pups don't wade in. ;D
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 21, 2021, 10:10:32 AM
That's nice. Seems to be a quite rural place, rather than a city park; surely peaceful.
Quote from: Irons on September 21, 2021, 11:57:42 PM
As long as the pups don't wade in. ;D
There are busy roads on either side, but some nice walking paths in between. Definitely not water the pups or anyone would want to swim in, but popular for kayaking.
Quote from: Szykneij on September 22, 2021, 02:43:53 AM
There are busy roads on either side, but some nice walking paths in between. Definitely not water the pups or anyone would want to swim in, but popular for kayaking.
I expect that the swans wouldn't be exactly cordial to dogs swimming around them either.
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 22, 2021, 03:55:09 AM
I expect that the swans wouldn't be exactly cordial to dogs swimming around them either.
PD
Nope, or the Canada Geese that can be especially nasty.
A few years ago, I was driving along the same river during a snowstorm when cars ahead of me were driving around a swan in the middle of the road. I pulled over to try to bring it to safety and discovered that swans are like icebergs -- there's way more of them under water than above! It looked like a big white goose with the same temperment. It hissed and pecked towards me as I tried to guide it to safety. Cars started to pull over to see what the crazy man dancing in the middle of the street during a blizzard was up to. I finally got it to move away from traffic and continued on my way, but I've never looked at swans the same way ever since.
Quote from: Szykneij on September 22, 2021, 05:32:56 AM
Nope, or the Canada Geese that can be especially nasty.
A few years ago, I was driving along the same river during a snowstorm when cars ahead of me were driving around a swan in the middle of the road. I pulled over to try to bring it to safety and discovered that swans are like icebergs -- there's way more of them under water than above! It looked like a big white goose with the same temperment. It hissed and pecked towards me as I tried to guide it to safety. Cars started to pull over to see what the crazy man dancing in the middle of the street during a blizzard was up to. I finally got it to move away from traffic and continued on my way, but I've never looked at swans the same way ever since.
You're too kind for your own good (or safety)! ;) :)
PD
My wife's birthday yesterday and spent the day in the capital, first visit since Covid struck. Walked from the Embankment to Trafalgar Square with water fountains in full operation and a bizarre statue of an ice cream, cherry, drone and fly! Then on to Leicester Square where they were gearing up for the premiere of "The Last Duel", if I had known Jodie Comer was to walk the red carpet I may have waited for her appearance :P. Followed by a very busy China Town where we had a meal then a frantic dash to St Martins Lane for "2.22 A Ghost Story" at the Noel Coward Theatre.
A Chinese meal sounds good. :P
Quote from: Irons on September 24, 2021, 07:09:20 AM
My wife's birthday yesterday and spent the day in the capital, first visit since Covid struck. Walked from the Embankment to Trafalgar Square with water fountains in full operation and a bizarre statue of an ice cream, cherry, drone and fly! Then on to Leicester Square where they were gearing up for the premiere of "The Last Duel", if I had known Jodie Comer was to walk the red carpet I may have waited for her appearance :P. Followed by a very busy China Town where we had a meal then a frantic dash to St Martins Lane for "2.22 A Ghost Story" at the Noel Coward Theatre.
That sounds like a fun-filled day! And yes that is a strange statue! Permanent or non? I'll have to google the play. Was it very crowded? And did they have any distance/seating restrictions in place?
PD
p.s. And please with Mrs. Irons a very happy birthday from me too! :)
Quote from: steve ridgway on September 24, 2021, 08:35:23 AM
A Chinese meal sounds good. :P
No messing. B Set Meal for Two. :)
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 24, 2021, 09:33:21 AM
That sounds like a fun-filled day! And yes that is a strange statue! Permanent or non? I'll have to google the play. Was it very crowded? And did they have any distance/seating restrictions in place?
PD
p.s. And please with Mrs. Irons a very happy birthday from me too! :)
Thankfully not permanent. Previously a cockerel.
Two things struck me. Obviously the lack of tourists and lots of young people. Bars and restaurants were doing a roaring trade. Warm, with tables on pavements it was like strolling around Italy or Spain. Social distancing was non-existent. London's esteemed mayor Sadiq Khan decreed it compulsory for face masks to be worn on the Underground. Easily less then 50% bothered. I did not see one face mask in the theatre which was packed.
Mrs P asked me to pass on her thanks for your good wishes.
Quote from: Irons on September 24, 2021, 07:09:20 AM
My wife's birthday yesterday and spent the day in the capital, first visit since Covid struck. Walked from the Embankment to Trafalgar Square with water fountains in full operation and a bizarre statue of an ice cream, cherry, drone and fly! Then on to Leicester Square where they were gearing up for the premiere of "The Last Duel", if I had known Jodie Comer was to walk the red carpet I may have waited for her appearance :P. Followed by a very busy China Town where we had a meal then a frantic dash to St Martins Lane for "2.22 A Ghost Story" at the Noel Coward Theatre.
Sounds like a nice day Lol and I hope that you and your wife enjoyed it.
The 'Fourth Plinth' in Trafalgar Square has produced some excellent thought-provoking works. I have taught about it as part of a History of Art A Level course:
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/shorthand/fourth_plinth/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_plinth,_Trafalgar_Square
'The Invisible Enemy Should not Exist' made from used date cans and Mark Wallinger's 'Ecce Homo' are two of my favourites.
Yesterday my wife and I went for a walk around Churchill's country house 'Chartwell' and visited the house (I have been there many times). Here are some images I took (some of the film 'The Gathering Storm' was filmed there):
(//)
Looks like a lovely day there Jeffrey. :)
Quote from: steve ridgway on October 05, 2021, 04:13:22 AM
Looks like a lovely day there Jeffrey. :)
It was very nice thanks Steve. We were lucky with the weather.
How do you post an inline picture on this forum? It seems I once figured out how, but cannot remember how to do it!
Quote from: krummholz on October 06, 2021, 07:09:27 AM
How do you post an inline picture on this forum? It seems I once figured out how, but cannot remember how to do it!
When you write a post there is an option called "Attachments and other options"... click on it and then you will see Attach: underneath it click on "Browse" and then select your file. You may now post.
If the image is from the web, you may instead type
[img][/img] and inbetween the two you put the url for the image. For example
[img]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/411BAKGEP3L.jpg[/img] produces
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/411BAKGEP3L.jpg)
Quote from: vandermolen on October 04, 2021, 10:58:53 AM
Yesterday my wife and I went for a walk around Churchill's country house 'Chartwell' and visited the house (I have been there many times). Here are some images I took (some of the film 'The Gathering Storm' was filmed there):
(//)
What a fabulous place to visit, Jeffrey. From the Churchill memorabilia in the house, to the rose garden, and then the lake. The volunteer unpaid guide on our visit was first class.
Cracking photos, by the way.
Quote from: DavidW on October 06, 2021, 07:24:25 AM
When you write a post there is an option called "Attachments and other options"... click on it and then you will see Attach: underneath it click on "Browse" and then select your file. You may now post.
Yes, that's what I thought, but when I do that, the picture is uploaded as an attachment rather than an inline picture. If I knew the address of the place it was uploaded to, I could then enclose it with img codes, but I don't know how to find the address. Maybe it's a browser issue? I'm using Firefox v.92 or thereabouts.
Quote from: krummholz on October 07, 2021, 07:03:40 AM
Yes, that's what I thought, but when I do that, the picture is uploaded as an attachment rather than an inline picture. If I knew the address of the place it was uploaded to, I could then enclose it with img codes, but I don't know how to find the address. Maybe it's a browser issue? I'm using Firefox v.92 or thereabouts.
On most browsers if you right click on the image and then select "copy image address" that will do the trick.
Quote from: Irons on October 07, 2021, 06:49:48 AM
What a fabulous place to visit, Jeffrey. From the Churchill memorabilia in the house, to the rose garden, and then the lake. The volunteer unpaid guide on our visit was first class.
Cracking photos, by the way.
If I ever get to properly retire Lol I wouldn't mind volunteering as a guide there. I've taught a specialist A Level History course on Churchill and do a good Churchill impersonation, which amused my students, although I doubt that they'd let me do it at Chartwell! ;D
Quote from: vandermolen on October 07, 2021, 09:28:52 AM
If I ever get to properly retire Lol I wouldn't mind volunteering as a guide there. I've taught a specialist A Level History course on Churchill and do a good Churchill impersonation, which amused my students, although I doubt that they'd let me do it at Chartwell! ;D
:laugh:
I have fond memories of visiting Chartwell some time ago. Wish that I had been there when the roses were in bloom though.
Great place to visit. Loved to see the rooms, maps, and his studio in particular.
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 07, 2021, 09:39:18 AM
:laugh:
I have fond memories of visiting Chartwell some time ago. Wish that I had been there when the roses were in bloom though.
Great place to visit. Loved to see the rooms, maps, and his studio in particular.
PD
Yes, you felt the presence of the great man, PD.
One of the best collections of roses I have seen.
Quote from: vandermolen on October 07, 2021, 09:28:52 AM
If I ever get to properly retire Lol I wouldn't mind volunteering as a guide there. I've taught a specialist A Level History course on Churchill and do a good Churchill impersonation, which amused my students, although I doubt that they'd let me do it at Chartwell! ;D
You are properly qualified Jeffrey - A Level course not impersonation. ;D
Autumn is coming here in Denmark & I tend to hate the oncoming, long, cold and dark winter months. But there were quite a few domestic, short trips with staying, cycling and walks during the past summer - experiences to remember with fondness: to Agersø island, to the Stevns peninsula, twice to Bornholm island, once to Southern Funen, twice to Northern Jutland, once to Sejerø island, and once to Møn island. No trips abroad, due to corona.
In September, I went to Sejerø, an oblong island with only limited tourism. Its about 15 km from the northern lighthouse to the southern end, where there is a colony of birds staying on a long promontory of stones and pebble, that go into the sea. The weather was nice & made it possible to sleep on the island's beaches for two nights. Ferries were free for pedestrians because of corona, an initiative to promote local tourism and recreational travel for the population generally. The lonely, grassy beaches on the southern end, with views towards the small, hilly island of Nekselø nearby and a few livestock animals, actually reminded me a bit of trips to the Hebrides and Orkney years ago, making this short trip even more pleasant. The sunsets were great, and the nights with clear skies had fabulous views of the stars, including the Milky Way. The tracks there, on the southern part, were definitely for walking, and not cycling. To avoid bike failures, and not at least to protect the paths, some fragile and close to small coastal cliffs ...
I've found that in my new neighborhood it is very comfortable to walk around in my new neighborhood. I'm surprised by how large the houses are and how sprawling the estates are. I'm also pleased how quiet the neighborhood is. This morning when I walked I listened to Buxtehude and never felt like I had to raise the volume on my headphones.
Quote from: MusicTurner on October 09, 2021, 08:10:49 AM
Autumn is coming here in Denmark & I tend to hate the oncoming, long, cold and dark winter months. But there were quite a few domestic, short trips with staying, cycling and walks during the past summer - experiences to remember with fondness: to Agersø island, to the Stevns peninsula, twice to Bornholm island, once to Southern Funen, twice to Northern Jutland, once to Sejerø island, and once to Møn island. No trips abroad, due to corona.
In September, I went to Sejerø, an oblong island with only limited tourism. Its about 15 km from the northern lighthouse to the southern end, where there is a colony of birds staying on a long promontory of stones and pebble, that go into the sea. The weather was nice & made it possible to sleep on the island's beaches for two nights. Ferries were free for pedestrians because of corona, an initiative to promote local tourism and recreational travel for the population generally. The lonely, grassy beaches on the southern end, with views towards the small, hilly island of Nekselø nearby and a few livestock animals, actually reminded me a bit of trips to the Hebrides and Orkney years ago, making this short trip even more pleasant. The sunsets were great, and the nights with clear skies had fabulous views of the stars, including the Milky Way. The tracks there, on the southern part, were definitely for walking, and not cycling. To avoid bike failures, and not at least to protect the paths, some fragile and close to small coastal cliffs ...
Beautiful images.
Yesterday we did a local walk of around 6 miles on Ashdown Forest (home of Winnie-the-Pooh). There is a nice pub around half way round. There's also a spot known as 'Airman's Grave' marking the spot where an RAF Wellington Bomber crashed returning from a mission in 1941, sadly killing all the crew, who are commemorated there. A few miles away there is an emergency airstrip which was built during World War Two to enable damaged aircraft to land. I fear that, in view of the location of the crash site, the crew may have mistaken it for the emergency landing strip without realising they were flying into a hill - very sad - they were all so young. In the lowest picture, featuring the memorial in the distance, you can see why they might have mistaken it for the landing strip.
Another photo from the walk (looking south towards the South Downs and beyond them the sea):
(//)
Quote from: MusicTurner on October 09, 2021, 08:10:49 AM
Autumn is coming here in Denmark & I tend to hate the oncoming, long, cold and dark winter months. But there were quite a few domestic, short trips with staying, cycling and walks during the past summer - experiences to remember with fondness: to Agersø island, to the Stevns peninsula, twice to Bornholm island, once to Southern Funen, twice to Northern Jutland, once to Sejerø island, and once to Møn island. No trips abroad, due to corona.
In September, I went to Sejerø, an oblong island with only limited tourism. Its about 15 km from the northern lighthouse to the southern end, where there is a colony of birds staying on a long promontory of stones and pebble, that go into the sea. The weather was nice & made it possible to sleep on the island's beaches for two nights. Ferries were free for pedestrians because of corona, an initiative to promote local tourism and recreational travel for the population generally. The lonely, grassy beaches on the southern end, with views towards the small, hilly island of Nekselø nearby and a few livestock animals, actually reminded me a bit of trips to the Hebrides and Orkney years ago, making this short trip even more pleasant. The sunsets were great, and the nights with clear skies had fabulous views of the stars, including the Milky Way. The tracks there, on the southern part, were definitely for walking, and not cycling. To avoid bike failures, and not at least to protect the paths, some fragile and close to small coastal cliffs ...
Great pictures MT! Particularly of the sunset. :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 11, 2021, 03:53:04 AM
Great pictures MT! Particularly of the sunset. :)
PD
Thank you. It's nice yes, and none of them are edited ...
Quote from: DavidW on October 09, 2021, 12:12:31 PM
I've found that in my new neighborhood it is very comfortable to walk around in my new neighborhood. I'm surprised by how large the houses are and how sprawling the estates are. I'm also pleased how quiet the neighborhood is. This morning when I walked I listened to Buxtehude and never felt like I had to raise the volume on my headphones.
Nice! Though you might reserve judgement a bit to see how loud and often the professional lawn mowers and leaf blowers are to maintain those lovely estates. ;) Oh, the joys of suburbia! ::)
PD
Today we met up with an old colleague of mine for a walk around Sheffield Park Gardens, where I took this photo:
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on October 11, 2021, 01:02:51 PM
Today we met up with an old colleague of mine for a walk around Sheffield Park Gardens, where I took this photo:
(//)
Lovely! :)
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on October 11, 2021, 01:13:51 PM
Here's another photo I took today:
(//)
Looks like it's probably a very old tree. Any idea as to the species Jeffrey?
PD
p.s. That photo reminded me of how folks are struggling to protect the ancient and giant sequoias in California right now. :'( The wild fires have been horrible there!
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on October 11, 2021, 01:13:51 PM
Here's another photo I took today:
(//)
Had a peek at the National Trust website. The Autumn colours of the trees must be amazing.
Quote from: vandermolen on October 11, 2021, 01:02:51 PM
Today we met up with an old colleague of mine for a walk around Sheffield Park Gardens, where I took this photo:
(//)
That's like a painting, and tranquil. Lovely.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 11, 2021, 01:21:08 PM
Looks like it's probably a very old tree. Any idea as to the species Jeffrey?
PD
p.s. That photo reminded me of how folks are struggling to protect the ancient and giant sequoias in California right now. :'( The wild fires have been horrible there!
PD
Not too sure PD. My wife would know but she's gone to bed, leaving me to communicate with my 'cat group' - I'll ask her in the morning.
Here's the website:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffield-park-and-garden
Quote from: MusicTurner on October 11, 2021, 01:38:12 PM
That's like a painting, and tranquil. Lovely.
Thank you! Some of the photos came out well I think.
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on October 11, 2021, 01:42:59 PM
Not too sure PD. My wife would know but she's gone to bed, leaving me to communicate with my 'cat group' - I'll ask her in the morning.
Here's the website:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffield-park-and-garden
Thanks. Interesting to look around the website. Didn't see anything about trees there but did look at their map. 250 acres, oh boy! :)
And I've figured out why you like to visit all of those national parks; they all have used bookstores in them! ;D
And hello to your wife from Kitty No. 659 too.
PD
Visited a small nature reserve near me yesterday. It's restored to its presumed original state.
https://www.broward.org/Parks/Pages/Park.aspx?=22
Before the 20th century, this was a small chain of islands in the surrounding Everglades. It was originally used by the Tequesta people in pre Columbian times. Disease and the Spanish killed them off by 1700.*
The Seminoles came next; this was one of their main settlements during the period of the Seminole Wars. In the end, they were forcibly removed (mostly to Oklahoma), with only about 300 evading capture. That group lived here for the next five or six decades before being transferred a few miles away to what is now the Hollywood Seminole Reservation (site of a Hard Rock Casino and Hotel). The site was then dredged and became orange groves in the early 20th century, and some EuroAmericans built homes here. A large part of the dredged area is still private property with groves and homes. In the 1960s a small Western themed tourist attraction called Pioneer City operated on what is now the park's site. After it closed, a semi-fancy restaurant called the Kapok Tree Inn was built here. (I ate here with my parents at least twice during my teens.) In the late 1980s the restaurant closed, and Broward County bought the property, demolished the buildings, reversed the dredging, and began restoring both the oak hammocks and wetlands that existed here. (They kept several Roman style columns that decorated the restaurant's front drive.)
A small exhibit hall to show the history and ecology of the site was built where the restaurant stood (most of it aimed at kids).There's a walking trail and a longer equestrian trail through the oak hammocks.
Here's the link to my Instagram account where I posted a few photos.
https://www.instagram.com/jbennetsmith/
*the last Tequesta were taken to Havana by the Spanish. Any survivors presumably mixed into the general Cuban population.
Here's a few photos from my recent five days away in a Shepherd's hut in the Cotswolds. We were v lucky with the weather and we went walking every day. On one day I wanted to do the 5.5 mile walk but my wife wanted to do the seven mile walk. In the end, as we got lost (as usual) we both did a ten mile walk! The hut is on the left and the shower and loo is on the right.
The remote church in the middle of nowhere was abandoned during the Black Death of the Middle Ages. I went inside, on my own, to find some wall paintings. As you can see on my photo it's on the Heathrow Airport flight path. We visited a Roman Villa (featuring, incongruously, a 19th Century hunting lodge in the middle), on our way back.
Some more...
That's a welcome countryside report, in an otherwise rather dark season - thank you. Lovely with the - to me unexpectedly - hilly views.
Quote from: vandermolen on November 16, 2021, 09:54:29 AM
Some more...
(http://[img][img])[/img][/img]
Cool! Particularly like the photos of the old church and the paintings. Any idea what they were of Jeffrey? And any efforts to preserve them?
PD
Quote from: MusicTurner on November 16, 2021, 09:54:59 AM
That's a welcome countryside report, in an otherwise rather dark season - thank you. Lovely with the - to me unexpectedly - hilly views.
Thank you! We were situated in the Slad Valley, which is associated with the writer Laurie Lee whose autobiographical novel 'Cider with Rosie' (which I haven't read, although I remember my mother doing so) is set in that area.
Quote from: vandermolen on November 16, 2021, 10:08:57 PM
Thank you! We were situated in the Slad Valley, which is associated with the writer Laurie Lee whose autobiographical novel 'Cider with Rosie' (which I haven't read, although I remember my mother doing so) is set in that area.
Thank you, that's good to know, for maybe-maybe future visits too.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on November 16, 2021, 10:05:38 AM
Cool! Particularly like the photos of the old church and the paintings. Any idea what they were of Jeffrey? And any efforts to preserve them?
PD
Here's some info about the church PD:
https://www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/things-to-do/attractions/widford-st-oswalds-church-p457601
If you download the Church Guide it gives you lots of information.
I took a photo of the wall painting:
(//)
Quote from: MusicTurner on November 16, 2021, 10:12:44 PM
Thank you, that's good to know, for maybe-maybe future visits too.
I'd recommend the area.
Yes, noted - nice with the unspoilt pastoral hills indeed. I've been to Oxford and parts of the Cotswolds many years ago, in the 90s, but don't remember them as quite so steep in places. Obviously, one's choice of roads back then, and one's memory afterwards, tend to be very selective/downright faulty ...
Quote from: MusicTurner on November 16, 2021, 10:45:16 PM
Yes, noted - nice with the unspoilt pastoral hills indeed. I've been to Oxford and parts of the Cotswolds many years ago, in the 90s, but don't remember them as quite so steep in places. Obviously, one's choice of roads back then, and one's memory afterwards, tend to be very selective/downright faulty ...
Not as hilly as the South Downs but still quite hilly.
https://hotcotswolds.uk/detail/slad-valley/
Quote from: vandermolen on November 16, 2021, 10:14:59 PM
Here's some info about the church PD:
https://www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/things-to-do/attractions/widford-st-oswalds-church-p457601
If you download the Church Guide it gives you lots of information.
I took a photo of the wall painting:
(//)
Thanks for that link; it looks to be quite an interesting place to visit. *Ethelfleda (I believe spelled "Æthelflæd" originally)...now there's a special name for a female cat. It means "Noble Beauty" according to Wiki. A tiny kitten would have a lot of growing-into-that-name to do. ;)
*She was the eldest daughter of King Alfred (from what I read).
PD
p.s. Surprised at how empty-looking it appeared to be when you two visited? I trust that the site has some sort of guard/caretaker/tour guide there to keep an eye on things?
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on November 17, 2021, 03:57:49 AM
Thanks for that link; it looks to be quite an interesting place to visit. *Ethelfleda (I believe spelled "Æthelflæd" originally)...now there's a special name for a female cat. It means "Noble Beauty" according to Wiki. A tiny kitten would have a lot of growing-into-that-name to do. ;)
*She was the eldest daughter of King Alfred (from what I read).
PD
p.s. Surprised at how empty-looking it appeared to be when you two visited? I trust that the site has some sort of guard/caretaker/tour guide there to keep an eye on things?
It was more a case of 'when you one visited' PD as my wife, as always, was miles ahead of me and did not go into the church. So, I was there quite on my own. It was a bit eerie, to be quite honest (made more so by the low-flying jets on their approach to Heathrow - see my first photo), with the small graveyard outside, but probably I have watched 'The Woman in Black' too many times. 8)
Quote from: vandermolen on November 17, 2021, 10:12:58 AM
It was more a case of 'when you one visited' PD as my wife, as always, was miles ahead of me and did not go into the church. So, I was there quite on my own. It was a bit eerie, to be quite honest (made more so by the low-flying jets on their approach to Heathrow - see my first photo), with the small graveyard outside, but probably I have watched 'The Woman in Black' too many times. 8)
All by yourself? Wow! Pretty neat! Wasn't there even one "guard" around to make sure that things were not vandalized?
PD
It's fairly common in Northern Europe, that minor churches or chapels can be left open at times. The problem doesn't tend to be vandalization, but theft, so valuable items are often put away. Or they have to learn it in a hard and sad way, since theft can even comprise chairs, metals, or lamps of some value, for example - typically by touring thieves. In Southern Europe, guards are somewhat more common, but there are also many more art treasures in them.
Yet, in the North, there can also be limited opening hours, or sometimes you have to ask for a key somewhere, or there can be surveillance cameras in place.
It's a wonderful thing to witness, when churches or chapels can be open at times, and yet still are left untouched. Hopefully this habit can be kept, to some extent.
Quote from: MusicTurner on November 17, 2021, 11:06:22 AM
It's fairly common in Northern Europe, that minor churches can be left open at times. The problem doesn't tend to be vandalization, but theft, so valuable items are often put away. Or they have to learn it in a hard and sad way, since theft can even comprise chairs, metals, or lamps of some value, for example - typically by touring thieves. In Southern Europe, guards are somewhat more common, but there are also many more art treasures in them.
Yet, in the North, there can also be limited opening hours, or sometimes you have to ask for a key somewhere, or there can be surveillance cameras in place.
It's a wonderful thing to witness, when churches or chapels can be open at times, and yet still are left untouched.
Oh that's nice to hear! I wonder if some people go into there (the church that Jeffrey visited) to pray?
I was thinking more that given the age of the building, that people might try and remove the murals, pews, etc. to sell. Or a bunch of drunk young ones (or an individual) might try and deface the murals (like with spray paint). Glad that that hasn't been the case. :)
And now, I do recall a story that I read about someone(s) stealing I want to say the copper pipes on a church's roof in England (sometime within the past few years). I don't know whether or not they ever caught the people involved. :(
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on November 17, 2021, 10:24:04 AM
All by yourself? Wow! Pretty neat! Wasn't there even one "guard" around to make sure that things were not vandalized?
PD
Completely deserted other than by me PD.
Quote from: vandermolen on November 17, 2021, 11:23:19 AM
Completely deserted other than me PD.
Sweet! Did you see my last posting by the way? I was replying to MT. I had thought that it had something to do with copper but it was lead roofing; no idea that something like that could be so valuable. Pretty shocking in any event!
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-45899764
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on November 17, 2021, 11:25:18 AM
Sweet! Did you see my last posting by the way? I was replying to MT. I had thought that it had something to do with copper but it was lead roofing; no idea that something like that could be so valuable. Pretty shocking in any event!
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-45899764
PD
True, but nothing surprises me PD.
Quote from: vandermolen on November 17, 2021, 01:24:46 PM
True, but nothing surprises me PD.
It's sad I know. I did a tiny bit of googling and (if what I found is accurate), lead coated copper was popular going back to the Middle Ages, so I expect that's it's the copper element in the roofing??
Best,
PD
I was out for a constitutional this past weekend and came across a hawk laying on the sidewalk near my house.
As you can tell from the picture below, it was rather strange that it was just lying on its back and staring at me. I am not sure what was going on, but its gaze was perturbed for sure.
I was about to call a local game warden when it hopped over on its feet and flew away. Maybe it wanted a belly rub???
VS
Quote from: VonStupp on November 22, 2021, 03:34:08 PM
I was out for a constitutional this past weekend and came across a hawk laying on the sidewalk near my house.
As you can tell from the picture below, it was rather strange that it was just lying on its back and staring at me. I am not sure what was going on, but its gaze was perturbed for sure.
I was about to call a local game warden when it hopped over on its feet and flew away. Maybe it wanted a belly rub???
VS
Extraordinary photo!
I once found a bird stiff and upside down in the kitchen. I thought it was dead but then it started to fly round the room and I let it out the window.
Quote from: VonStupp on November 22, 2021, 03:34:08 PM
I was out for a constitutional this past weekend and came across a hawk laying on the sidewalk near my house.
As you can tell from the picture below, it was rather strange that it was just lying on its back and staring at me. I am not sure what was going on, but its gaze was perturbed for sure.
I was about to call a local game warden when it hopped over on its feet and flew away. Maybe it wanted a belly rub???
VS
Incredible. I have a robin that follows me around whenever I'm in the garden - I even talk to him/her. But your hawk trumps that by some distance, you even had time to set up a photo!
Quote from: Irons on November 22, 2021, 11:58:55 PM
Incredible. I have a robin that follows me around whenever I'm in the garden - I even talk to him/her. But your hawk trumps that by some distance, you even had time to set up a photo!
My wife has a robin friend who joins her when she does the gardening :)
My wife's new friend.
(//)
Quote from: Irons on November 22, 2021, 11:58:55 PM
[...] you even had time to set up a photo!
It was strange indeed; I was there five or so minutes, and it was cold!
I gave it a wide berth, since I assume it was confused and scared. I knew it was alive because it kept staring and blinking at me.
I ended up taking a picture so I could send it to whoever I ended up calling to help it. Perhaps the hawk ended up on the wrong end of a fight or hit something that dazed it. :-\
I'm glad it came to on its own.
VS
Quote from: vandermolen on November 23, 2021, 01:31:26 AM
My wife's new friend.
(//)
Tell her to be very careful. They may look cute but they're ruthless serial killers.
Quote from: VonStupp on November 22, 2021, 03:34:08 PM
I was out for a constitutional this past weekend and came across a hawk laying on the sidewalk near my house.
As you can tell from the picture below, it was rather strange that it was just lying on its back and staring at me. I am not sure what was going on, but its gaze was perturbed for sure.
I was about to call a local game warden when it hopped over on its feet and flew away. Maybe it wanted a belly rub???
VS
Now is the season for psilocybin mushrooms.
Quote from: vandermolen on November 23, 2021, 01:31:26 AM
My wife's new friend.
(//)
Robin red-breast, how lovely. My friend, Rob, is not quite so cute. A bit of a bugger, he followed me into the garage this morning. Saw him out of the corner of my eye and nearly jumped out of my skin!
Quote from: VonStupp on November 22, 2021, 03:34:08 PM
I was out for a constitutional this past weekend and came across a hawk laying on the sidewalk near my house.
As you can tell from the picture below, it was rather strange that it was just lying on its back and staring at me. I am not sure what was going on, but its gaze was perturbed for sure.
I was about to call a local game warden when it hopped over on its feet and flew away. Maybe it wanted a belly rub???
VS
Oh, no! I suspect that it flew into a window; I hope that it wasn't hurt. :( Did it seem to be flying o.k.?
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on November 23, 2021, 12:09:04 AM
My wife has a robin friend who joins her when she does the gardening :)
Probably hoping that she'll unearth some nice fat earthworms for it to eat. Very cute though! :)
PD
Quote from: Irons on November 22, 2021, 11:58:55 PM
Incredible. I have a robin that follows me around whenever I'm in the garden - I even talk to him/her.
Sweet!
PD
Quote from: VonStupp on November 22, 2021, 03:34:08 PM
I was out for a constitutional this past weekend and came across a hawk laying on the sidewalk near my house.
As you can tell from the picture below, it was rather strange that it was just lying on its back and staring at me. I am not sure what was going on, but its gaze was perturbed for sure.
I was about to call a local game warden when it hopped over on its feet and flew away. Maybe it wanted a belly rub???
(https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=30052.0;attach=79487)
VS
Great pic! Very glad to hear it took itself off eventually.
If it had been a Norwegian Blue, I'd have understood. They stun easily apparently ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZw35VUBdzo
Back on Bornholm island, got a cabin next to a local wineyard very cheaply at Pedersker hamlet, for a week between work schedules. It's November with daylight for only about 6-7 hours, and weather was a very mixed bag, but frost has been rare, however there was also only little sun, and sometimes a lot of wind. Regarding climate change, no snow in Denmark this winter yet, and record-breaking warm November nights (12.8 C).
Took a walk in Paradisbakkerne (the 'Paradise Hills'); and visited the Louisenlund megalithic site with around 60 standing stones, never archaelogically investigated; the Bakkerne Bådehavn beach; and the moors/woods on the central plateau, with a strange mushroom cloud in the sunset, altogether looking almost like a Finnish/Sibelian landscape ...
Beautiful setting, MT. The last two photos remind me of my home state of Michigan. I never cease to marvel at how the Gulf Stream has kept northern Europe so temperate for its latitude. You are at 55 degrees north, while here in central Vermont we're at just above 44 degrees. Yet we've had some snow already, and last night the low here (in a valley, 250 m elevation) was about -7 C... and we're only expecting a high today of about 2 degrees. You can guess how much colder it must have been on the hilltops and mountain summits...
Thank you. I didn't know Vermont had a somewhat more extreme climate, but associate it with beautiful, forested landscapes, and a peaceful, rather rural atmosphere, plus the famous autumnal scenery. Maybe parallels to Mid-Sweden or the like come to mind ... are you witnessing any climate changes there? Here, autumn comes later, spring earlier, plus it's becoming warmer ...
There are theories, that the Gulf Stream - ensuring relatively mild winter temperatures even way up North, for example in the Norwegian Lofoten islands, is getting weaker, thereby changing the patterns dramatically maybe 100 years from now. But it's debatable, and it won't be in my own lifetime ...
Quote from: MusicTurner on November 24, 2021, 06:20:24 AM
Thank you. I didn't know Vermont had a somewhat more extreme climate, but associate it with beautiful, forested landscapes, and a peaceful, rather rural atmosphere, plus the famous autumnal scenery. Maybe parallels to Mid-Sweden or the like come to mind ... are you witnessing any climate changes there? Here, autumn comes later, spring earlier, plus it's becoming warmer ...
There are theories, that the Gulf Stream - ensuring relatively mild winter temperatures even way up North, for example in the Norwegian Lofoten islands, is getting weaker, thereby changing the patterns dramatically maybe 100 years from now. But it's debatable, and it won't be in my own lifetime ...
I wouldn't call Vermont's climate extreme at all - compared to parts of Quebec and Ontario (in Canada) we're much more temperate... north of Lake Superior and in the interior parts of of northern Ontario, it's not uncommon to see winter lows approaching -40. But we have a harsher climate than where I grew up, in southeastern Michigan in Detroit and suburbs. But yes, Vermont has fabulous, forested and rather mountainous landscapes... there is a wonderful trail system here for hikers, and the scenery in the "high country" is impressive and beautiful (ironic quotes there, since the highest summit in the state, Mt. Mansfield, is at only 1340 m, though it is above timberline and has a beautiful and very fragile alpine zone). I wish I could figure out how to post images here... I have some very nice pictures taken on hikes in the Vermont back country.
As to climate change, I've only lived in Vermont for 7 years so I can't speak from experience, but from what natives say, the winters are indeed getting less harsh as the planet warms. Even now, the peak autumn foliage comes around the first week in October, which is only a week earlier than it did back home when I was growing up. (Now, peak foliage in southern Michigan occurs in the 3rd or even 4th week in October.) And the first leaves start appearing in the 2nd week of May, which is at about the same time as they used to back home, some 50 years ago. There is no question the climate is warming throughout the northern US.
Yes, I know that some of those more northerly places like Toronto/CDN can have tough winter weather ... at least you're still experiencing some real winter in the traditional sense; we might have it for a few days, a couple of times a year, though there are also rare, longer-lasting exceptions (I think it's been quite a lot of years since that) :). In my childhood, we'd have snowstorms in the countryside, blocking hamlets from all outside traffic, even for days (and then schools & pendling would be cancelled etc).
Quote from: MusicTurner on November 23, 2021, 11:55:39 PM
Back on Bornholm island, got a cabin next to a local wineyard very cheaply at Pedersker hamlet, for a week between work schedules. It's November with daylight for only about 6-7 hours, and weather was a very mixed bag, but frost has been rare, however there was also only little sun, and sometimes a lot of wind. Regarding climate change, no snow in Denmark this winter yet, and record-breaking warm November nights (12.8 C).
Took a walk in Paradisbakkerne (the 'Paradise Hills'); and visited the Louisenlund megalithic site with around 60 standing stones, never archaelogically investigated; the Bakkerne Bådehavn beach; and the moors/woods on the central plateau, with a strange mushroom cloud in the sunset, altogether looking almost like a Finnish/Sibelian landscape ...
Looks like a nice place to explore! Do they have any idea(s) as to what those stones are for? Though it sounds like they haven't done much if anything regarding them per your description.
Very cold here...hard to get used to winter coming.
Quote from: krummholz on November 24, 2021, 06:55:18 AM
I wouldn't call Vermont's climate extreme at all - compared to parts of Quebec and Ontario (in Canada) we're much more temperate... north of Lake Superior and in the interior parts of of northern Ontario, it's not uncommon to see winter lows approaching -40. But we have a harsher climate than where I grew up, in southeastern Michigan in Detroit and suburbs. But yes, Vermont has fabulous, forested and rather mountainous landscapes... there is a wonderful trail system here for hikers, and the scenery in the "high country" is impressive and beautiful (ironic quotes there, since the highest summit in the state, Mt. Mansfield, is at only 1340 m, though it is above timberline and has a beautiful and very fragile alpine zone). I wish I could figure out how to post images here... I have some very nice pictures taken on hikes in the Vermont back country.
As to climate change, I've only lived in Vermont for 7 years so I can't speak from experience, but from what natives say, the winters are indeed getting less harsh as the planet warms. Even now, the peak autumn foliage comes around the first week in October, which is only a week earlier than it did back home when I was growing up. (Now, peak foliage in southern Michigan occurs in the 3rd or even 4th week in October.) And the first leaves start appearing in the 2nd week of May, which is at about the same time as they used to back home, some 50 years ago. There is no question the climate is warming throughout the northern US.
Love the old covered bridges in Vermont. Both seeing them and traveling over/through them. :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on November 24, 2021, 07:25:30 AM
Looks like a nice place to explore! Do they have any idea(s) as to what those stones are for? Though it sounds like they haven't done much if anything regarding them per your description.
Very cold here...hard to get used to winter coming.
Love the old covered bridges in Vermont. Both seeing them and traveling over/through them. :)
PD
Yes, they're monuments for the deceased people, mostly important ones, and sometimes with a grave beneath it. They functioned as cultural symbols for the society, but it's rare that there are any signs on them. They are always somehow pointed in their shape. Some of the most important collections can be found for example in Brittany, France (Carnac etc.), but about 1000 single menhirs are preserved in Denmark. These aren't dated, but obviously, 1000s of years. I wrote megalithic, but they can be from the Bronze Age or the early Iron Age too.
Quote from: MusicTurner on November 24, 2021, 07:18:53 AM
Yes, I know that some of those more northerly places like Toronto/CDN can have tough winter weather ... at least you're still experiencing some real winter in the traditional sense; we might have it for a few days, a couple of times a year, though there are also rare, longer-lasting exceptions (I think it's been quite a lot of years since that) :). In my childhood, we'd have snowstorms in the countryside, blocking hamlets from all outside traffic, even for days (and then schools & pendling would be cancelled etc).
I have similar childhood memories MT... of infrequent, but very memorable winter storms that would make travel impossible for days and cause school cancellations and business closures. Snowstorms like that are quite common here and happen at least once in most winters, but they don't cause the disruption that they did in southern Michigan. Classes at my university would never be cancelled because of snow (it's largely residential anyway) and luckily, I live within easy walking distance of campus. Some trails become impossible to hike without snowshoes or skis, but others are so well-traveled that they're passable even when there is over a meter of snow cover on the ground.
BTW, in terms of latitude we are actually north of Toronto, which can see devastating snow squalls at times due to the proximity of Lake Ontario (but not as often as upstate New York, on the southern and especially eastern shores of both Ontario and Erie), but does not otherwise have a very harsh climate. I was thinking of places in the interior such as Sudbury, and Timmins, or even Moosonee just south of James Bay.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on November 24, 2021, 07:25:30 AM
Love the old covered bridges in Vermont. Both seeing them and traveling over/through them. :)
PD
Me too! We have several in town here, including three in a short distance on a road that crosses the ridge to the west into the next valley. A composer friend lives along that road, between the first two covered bridges, and along the banks of a brook that floods way too often for comfort...
Quote from: MusicTurner on November 24, 2021, 07:49:04 AM
Yes, they're monuments for the deceased people, mostly important ones, and sometimes with a grave beneath it. They functioned as cultural symbols for the society, but it's rare that there are any signs on them. They are always somehow pointed in their shape. Some of the most important collections can be found for example in Brittany, France (Carnac etc.), but about 1000 single menhirs are preserved in Denmark. These aren't dated, but obviously, 1000s of years. I wrote megalithic, but they can be from the Bronze Age or the early Iron Age too.
I suspected that it might be a graveyard due to the fact that there wasn't a particular shape/arrangement of the stones and that they seemed to be fairly regularly spaced apart.
Quote from: krummholz on November 24, 2021, 08:12:27 AM
Me too! We have several in town here, including three in a short distance on a road that crosses the ridge to the west into the next valley. A composer friend lives along that road, between the first two covered bridges, and along the banks of a brook that floods way too often for comfort...
Last I recall, driving etiquette/safety required one to stop a short ways away from the entrance to the bridge, honk ones horn, wait a moment to see whether or not anyone *honk's back, and then slowly proceed through the bridge?
*If you do hear a honk, it means that someone is already on the bridge, in which case you wait for them to finish crossing it.
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on November 24, 2021, 08:31:37 AM
Last I recall, driving etiquette/safety required one to stop a short ways away from the entrance to the bridge, honk ones horn, wait a moment to see whether or not anyone *honk's back, and then slowly proceed through the bridge?
*If you do hear a honk, it means that someone is already on the bridge, in which case you wait for them to finish crossing it.
PD
Yes, I believe that's the official etiquette, though I rarely hear anyone honk before entering the local bridges here, because the far end of the bridge is clearly visible from both sides in most cases. The chief danger on those bridges is actually unseen pedestrians - particularly on bright sunny days because of the much dimmer light on the bridge.
Quote from: MusicTurner on November 24, 2021, 07:49:04 AM
Yes, they're monuments for the deceased people, mostly important ones, and sometimes with a grave beneath it. They functioned as cultural symbols for the society, but it's rare that there are any signs on them. They are always somehow pointed in their shape. Some of the most important collections can be found for example in Brittany, France (Carnac etc.), but about 1000 single menhirs are preserved in Denmark. These aren't dated, but obviously, 1000s of years. I wrote megalithic, but they can be from the Bronze Age or the early Iron Age too.
I find it amazing that these monuments haven't been archaeologically investigated, if I read correctly what you wrote earlier... there must be a treasure trove of information in them.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on November 23, 2021, 09:05:44 AM
Oh, no! I suspect that it flew into a window; I hope that it wasn't hurt. :( Did it seem to be flying o.k.?
PD
Yes, the hawk seemed suddenly quite cogent, and took off handily. I've noticed a lot of winter bird-feeders going up near houses, so I wonder if that had something to do with it.
VS
Quote from: krummholz on November 24, 2021, 08:40:18 AM
I find it amazing that these monuments haven't been archaeologically investigated, if I read correctly what you wrote earlier... there must be a treasure trove of information in them.
Yes, it puzzles me a lot too, but the sources are clear, though maybe there was a bit of primitive digging in the mid-19th century, when archaeology-interested King Frederik VII bought the forest; the tiny plot is now belonging to a former Royal residence on Zealand, Jægerspris, very far away. Obviously, archaeologists are very busy here in DK all the time, with many findings and excavations every year. Maybe they don't expect any real surprises at Louisenlund.
Can't help thinking, given the diversity of the stone shapes, if they were perhaps even at times selected from the appearance of a deceased, or patriarch; '... look, here's the skinny tall fellow, remember ? And here's the rather barrell-shaped one !' etc. ... :)
Quote from: krummholz on November 24, 2021, 08:10:11 AM
I have similar childhood memories MT... of infrequent, but very memorable winter storms that would make travel impossible for days and cause school cancellations and business closures. Snowstorms like that are quite common here and happen at least once in most winters, but they don't cause the disruption that they did in southern Michigan. Classes at my university would never be cancelled because of snow (it's largely residential anyway) and luckily, I live within easy walking distance of campus. Some trails become impossible to hike without snowshoes or skis, but others are so well-traveled that they're passable even when there is over a meter of snow cover on the ground.
(...)
Skiing was also popular in my childhood, we had forest paths and grassy hills quite suitable for it ...
Do you know if any of your locals use snow shoes? I think maybe-maybe a bit in Northernmost Scandinavia, but only very rarely, I thought it was a very exotic thing these days ...
Quote from: MusicTurner on November 24, 2021, 09:03:59 AM
Skiing was also popular in my childhood, we had forest paths and grassy hills quite suitable for it ...
Do you know if any of your locals use snow shoes? I think maybe-maybe a bit in Northernmost Scandinavia, but only very rarely, I thought it was a very exotic thing these days ...
Oh yes, snowshoeing is quite popular around these parts. The snow is regularly so deep from late January on that one really needs them to walk across some fields, and to hike some local trails that get relatively little foot traffic. The university has an Outdoor Center that loans out snowshoes to students and faculty. I have tried them, but found it very difficult to get used to wearing them - was constantly tripping myself up due to their large size. I will probably try them again at some point, but it's not high on my priority list... meanwhile, for winter hikes I will stick to more heavily trafficked trails. :)
We just returend from a Thanksgiving visit to Maine and were able to enjoy a favorite walk through the Rachel Carson Trail in the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. The pleasant 1-mile trek circles through 3 separate habitats: Upland Hardwoods, Shrub-Scrub, and Salt Marsh. At one of the overlooks, a holder is built into the rail for taking pictures with your phone, providing a means of snagging an identical angle of the marsh each visit.
Quote from: Szykneij on November 29, 2021, 09:38:32 AM
We just returend from a Thanksgiving visit to Maine and were able to enjoy a favorite walk through the Rachel Carson Trail in the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. The pleasant 1-mile trek circles through 3 separate habitats: Upland Hardwoods, Shrub-Scrub, and Salt Marsh. At one of the overlooks, a holder is built into the rail for taking pictures with your phone, providing a means of snagging an identical angle of the marsh each visit.
Lovely! And it looks like you and your friends are all having a good time too.
PD
Quote from: Szykneij on November 29, 2021, 09:38:32 AM
We just returend from a Thanksgiving visit to Maine and were able to enjoy a favorite walk through the Rachel Carson Trail in the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. The pleasant 1-mile trek circles through 3 separate habitats: Upland Hardwoods, Shrub-Scrub, and Salt Marsh. At one of the overlooks, a holder is built into the rail for taking pictures with your phone, providing a means of snagging an identical angle of the marsh each visit.
Looks so peaceful.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on November 29, 2021, 09:57:00 AM
Lovely! And it looks like you and your friends are all having a good time too.
PD
Quote from: Irons on November 30, 2021, 12:05:43 AM
Looks so peaceful.
Yes, enjoyable and very peaceful, especially this time of year when vacation season is over.
Beautifully atmospheric photos.
Yesterday my wife and I went for a walk on nearby Ashdown Forest. It was very misty. I took a photo of a clump of trees at the top of a hill, they are known as Camp Hill Clump, one of several on the forest. I thought that my photo would make a good cover image for Sibelius's 'Tapiola' :)
PS In the other photo you can see the clump emerging from the mist - it was very atmospheric.
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on December 20, 2021, 01:57:47 AM
Yesterday my wife and I went for a walk on nearby Ashdown Forest. It was very misty. I took a photo of a clump of trees at the top of a hill, they are known as Camp Hill Clump, one of several on the forest. I thought that my photo would make a good cover image for Sibelius's 'Tapiola' :)
PS In the other photo you can see the clump emerging from the mist - it was very atmospheric.
(//)
Cool! Any idea what the trees are Jeffrey?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 20, 2021, 03:11:50 AM
Cool! Any idea what the trees are Jeffrey?
PD
Not too sure PD but I wonder if they are Birch trees.
Here's some historical info:
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2666243
Quote from: vandermolen on December 20, 2021, 03:20:05 AM
Not too sure PD but I wonder if they are Birch trees.
Here's some historical info:
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2666243
Thanks! Looks like an interesting place to visit. :)
PD
I checked the site further on the web, and there seems to be some very fine and even rather 'wild' views from there, when the weather is clear. The trees look coniferous, and not like birch trees, I think.
Quote from: MusicTurner on December 20, 2021, 06:38:23 AM
I checked the site further on the web, and there seems to be some very fine and even rather 'wild' views from there, when the weather is clear. The trees look coniferous, and not like birch trees, I think.
I suspect that you are right. The walk that we do is, more or less, the one featured here but I was unaware of the military archaeology of the place. Next time we go I will take this info with me. I attach another photo, from further away, that I took yesterday:
https://www.ashdownforest.org/enjoy/walking/docs/Military_Walk_Archaeology_000.pdf
Oops - I sent the same photo twice ::) I'll swop it over in a moment.
Done!
I've now attached to right map as well! Oh dear!
Quote from: vandermolen on December 20, 2021, 07:34:30 AM
I suspect that you are right. The walk that we do is, more or less, the one featured here but I was unaware of the military archaeology of the place. Next time we go I will take this info with me. I attach another photo, from further away, that i took yesterday:
https://www.google.com/search?q=ashdown+forest+military+walk&oq=ashdown+forest+military&aqs=edge.0.69i59j69i57j69i60j69i64.9971j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Oops - I sent the same photo twice ::) I'll swop it over in a moment.
A photo that gave rise to deja vu. I think maybe this.
(https://i.imgur.com/Wx1NwVy.jpg)
Quote from: Irons on December 20, 2021, 07:43:45 AM
A photo that gave rise to deja vu. I think maybe this.
(https://i.imgur.com/Wx1NwVy.jpg)
That looks a bit like a stylised version of Chanctonbury ring.
Quote from: vandermolen on December 20, 2021, 03:20:05 AM
Not too sure PD but I wonder if they are Birch trees.
Here's some historical info:
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2666243
Jeffrey,
I read that they used to do hunts there; however, it seems rather small from the photos. Any idea whether or not a lot of the surrounding trees have been cut down since? I do recall (from a class) that Britain used to be heavily forested.
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 20, 2021, 09:50:08 AM
Jeffrey,
I read that they used to do hunts there; however, it seems rather small from the photos. Any idea whether or not a lot of the surrounding trees have been cut down since? I do recall (from a class) that Britain used to be heavily forested.
PD
Here's some info PD:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashdown_Forest
Quote from: vandermolen on December 21, 2021, 01:33:51 PM
Here's some info PD:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashdown_Forest
Thanks!
And if it's good enough for Pooh and Christopher Robin to walk around there, then I have to visit it too! :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 22, 2021, 03:32:33 AM
Thanks!
And if it's good enough for Pooh and Christopher Robin to walk around there, then I have to visit it too! :)
PD
I hope so PD.
I was there for a short walk today. It was freezing cold. I took this photo:
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on January 04, 2022, 01:38:18 PM
I hope so PD.
I was there for a short walk today. It was freezing cold. I took this photo:
(//)
Nice, picture, Jeffrey ! At least there are some colours. Here everything would be pitch white ! :P
Quote from: André on January 04, 2022, 03:17:45 PM
Nice, picture, Jeffrey ! At least there are some colours. Here everything would be pitch white ! :P
Thanks André. No snow here (yet) :)
Looks lovely Jeffrey! Cold here, but no snow--strange winter. I'm sure that we'll get more--eventually.
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on January 05, 2022, 03:20:38 AM
Looks lovely Jeffrey! Cold here, but no snow--strange winter. I'm sure that we'll get more--eventually.
PD
Some forecast here in the next few days I think.
Quote from: vandermolen on January 05, 2022, 07:36:32 AM
Some forecast here in the next few days I think.
Having instead to deal with very icy driveway, etc. today. ::)
PD
Here's a couple of images from the walk that I went on with my wife last Saturday.
This involved climbing (as in walking, not mountaineering ;D) up Firle Beacon on the South Downs. Great views from the top, although it was quite misty and very muddy in places.
The first photo is at the top of Firle Beacon and the second one shows Firle Beacon in the background.
PS
Top of Firle Beacon and an engaging photo of my boots at the end of the walk:
Now, that's a strong combination of long- and short distance views :). Apparently it wasn't very wintery, like here ...
Quote from: MusicTurner on January 18, 2022, 12:42:57 AM
Now, that's a strong combination of long- and short distance views :). Apparently it wasn't very wintery, like here ...
No, not too wintery at the moment.
Great Dun Fell on Christmas Day - it was quite wintery up there!
Wow, nice photos. Had to look it up - the Pennines, not that far from the Scottish border. Max altitude 848 m ....
Great pictures! How cold was it then?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on January 21, 2022, 12:08:33 AM
Great pictures! How cold was it then?
It was certainly "fresh", mainly because there was quite a strong wind. Below about 400m altitude, it was a different world - no snow at all, and quite warm and pleasant, at least for a winter's day!
Quote from: MusicTurner on January 20, 2022, 10:19:05 PM
Wow, nice photos. Had to look it up - the Pennines, not that far from the Scottish border. Max altitude 848 m ....
The road in the picture, which goes all the way to the radar station on the 848m summit, is the highest tarmac road in the UK, though it's not open for public use.
Would like to go there, to the Pennines, some time; they have a reputation for being beautiful, rather austere, and not overrun by tourism ...
Quote from: MusicTurner on January 21, 2022, 10:29:07 AM
Would like to go there, to the Pennines, some time; they have a reputation for being beautiful, rather austere, and not overrun by tourism ...
Austere is a good description of the Pennines, which is part of the attraction for me but not what many tourists look for I suppose! The nearby Lake District on the other hand is more conventionally "pretty" and is extremely touristy. I would love to walk the Pennine Way one day - it's a 268 mile long-distance path crossing the Pennines from South to North, ending up just inside Scotland.
Yes, I know of Windermere for example being very popular, and maybe the old image of say Ullswater as much more unspoiled is somewhat outdated nowadays. Would like to pop in some time however, including at Ruskin's Brantwood etc., with some exploring of nearby Yorkshire as well, Robin Hood's Bay and Whitby ... one is always allowed to dream a bit ... :)
Quote from: MusicTurner on January 22, 2022, 01:10:13 AM
Yes, I know of Windermere for example being very popular, and maybe the old image of say Ullswater as much more unspoiled is somewhat outdated nowadays. Would like to pop in some time however, including at Ruskin's Brantwood etc., with some exploring of nearby Yorkshire as well, Robin Hood's Bay and Whitby ... one is always allowed to dream a bit ... :)
Nothing wrong with dreaming, it's the first step to actually doing something! 15 or so years ago I walked the Coast to Coast, which crosses the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors to end up in Robin Hood's Bay.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, closer to home, I did a walk along Offa's Dyke Path - here looking down at Tintern Abbey from the Devil's Pulpit:
On Saturday, had a short stroll along the coast from Severn Beach, after finishing work in the nearby industrial estate. Got good views of both Severn bridges, including walking right under the new(er) one.
Quote from: Mountain Goat on January 28, 2022, 02:31:43 PM
Nothing wrong with dreaming, it's the first step to actually doing something! 15 or so years ago I walked the Coast to Coast, which crosses the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors to end up in Robin Hood's Bay.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, closer to home, I did a walk along Offa's Dyke Path - here looking down at Tintern Abbey from the Devil's Pulpit:
That's a very lovely, painting-like photo of the abbey/Wye ...
What accommodation did you use for that long coast-to-coast hike?
Quote from: MusicTurner on January 31, 2022, 09:03:14 AM
That's a very lovely, painting-like photo of the abbey/Wye ...
What accommodation did you use for that long coast-coast hike?
Thanks! I'm no expert photographer, I just point and click and hope for the best, sometimes it works!
On the Coast to Coast I camped wild most nights, with just one night at an official campsite and 2 nights in hostels/bunkhouses (in Kirkby Stephen and Brompton-on-Swale) to break it up.
That's still often my style too, when I'm doing cycling trips, though I use camp sites more ...
Accommodation in Britain tends to be rather expensive nowadays, but better comfort/B&Bs can of course be preferable especially in cities, and naturally also off season or when the weather is poor.
Quote from: MusicTurner on January 31, 2022, 09:25:13 AM
That's still often my style too, when I'm doing cycling trips, though I use camp sites more ...
Accommodation in Britain tends to be rather expensive nowadays, but better comfort/B&Bs can of course be preferable especially in cities, and naturally also off season or when the weather is poor.
I was a skint student when I did the Coast to Coast so wild camping was really the only option to make it possible! I still do it though, as nothing beats the convenience of being able to stop wherever and whenever I want, without having to stick to a strict schedule. Wild camping is technically illegal in the UK (except in Scotland), but generally tolerated as long as you're sensible, and I've never had any issues.
I've done it quite a lot in Norway and Sweden (where it is legal and there are often associated facilities like drinking water, lakes or beaches, and toilets). I've also done it a bit when touring Scotland and being next to the sea, in Denmark, plus a few times in Greece many years ago ... it can be nice and even a great way of experiencing Nature, landscapes, etc.
Quote from: MusicTurner on January 31, 2022, 09:55:18 AM
I've done it quite a lot in Norway and Sweden (where it is legal and there are often associated facilities like drinking water, lakes or beaches, and toilets). I've also done it a bit when touring Scotland and being next to the sea, in Denmark, plus a few times in Greece many years ago ... it can be nice and even a great way of experiencing Nature, landscapes, etc.
I do wish we had a proper "right to roam" here, like in Scotland, Sweden or Norway, but there's no chance of that happening any time soon with the government we're stuck with at the moment, who will always protect the rich landowners who don't want us plebs on their land! I always feel satisfactorily rebellious when I wild camp :laugh:
Considering the English landscapes, finding some hidden, quiet corner a bit away from everything shouldn't be a major problem, I think ... :)
Quote from: MusicTurner on January 31, 2022, 10:43:59 AM
Considering the English landscapes, finding some hidden, quiet corner a bit away from everything shouldn't be a major problem, I think ... :)
Quite, it's never been a problem! I sometimes use a bivvy bag too, which is obviously less comfortable but more discreet and gives me more options.
Quote from: Mountain Goat on January 20, 2022, 02:23:35 PM
Great Dun Fell on Christmas Day - it was quite wintery up there!
Great photos. I've walked up Great Dunn Fell when walking the Pennine Way in 1979. The giant 'Golf Ball' reminded me of the Fylingdales Nuclear Early Warning System which were once on the Yorkshire Moors - a most eerie site:
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on January 31, 2022, 12:45:59 PM
Great photos. I've walked up Great Dunn Fell when walking the Pennine Way in 1979. The giant 'Golf Ball' reminded me of the Fylingdales Nuclear Early Warning System which were once on the Yorkshire Moors - a most eerie site:
It certainly does look eerie! Great to see a close-up picture, I can't image it's possible to get particularly close on the ground.
Walking the Pennine Way is definitely on my "to do" list, it's just finding the time for it...
Quote from: Mountain Goat on February 03, 2022, 09:17:54 AM
It certainly does look eerie! Great to see a close-up picture, I can't image it's possible to get particularly close on the ground.
Walking the Pennine Way is definitely on my "to do" list, it's just finding the time for it...
IMO you need three weeks, ideally with rest days after week 1 and 2, although we didn't have any.
Quote from: vandermolen on February 03, 2022, 11:01:16 AM
IMO you need three weeks, ideally with rest days after week 1 and 2, although we didn't have any.
I agree, I wouldn't allow any less time than that! Another one I really want to do is the Cambrian Way, but that would also be three weeks minimum, and it's hard to find that kind of time at the moment. One day, hopefully...
Quote from: vandermolen on January 31, 2022, 12:45:59 PM
Great photos. I've walked up Great Dunn Fell when walking the Pennine Way in 1979. The giant 'Golf Ball' reminded me of the Fylingdales Nuclear Early Warning System which were once on the Yorkshire Moors - a most eerie site:
(//)
Jeffrey (or anyone else here), what are those giant "golfballs" for? If they are indeed golfballs, I wouldn't want to meet the giant(?) who could hit them! ;)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on February 03, 2022, 01:01:27 PM
Jeffrey (or anyone else here), what are those giant "golfballs" for? If they are indeed golfballs, I wouldn't want to meet the giant(?) who could hit them! ;)
PD
Nuclear missile early warning system PD.
I took this photo on a walk near the town of Battle today (as in 'Battle of Hastings') and was quite pleased with it:
(//)
Quote from: vandermolen on February 12, 2022, 12:32:03 PM
Nuclear missile early warning system PD.
I took this photo on a walk near the town of Battle today (as in 'Battle of Hastings') and was quite pleased with it:
(//)
Nice and thanks!
PD
A couple of photos I took on a local walk a few days ago:
Quote from: vandermolen on March 01, 2022, 07:51:25 AM
A couple of photos I took on a local walk a few days ago:
Uplifting scenery; we're approaching it here in DK too ... mild and sunny today, many birds.
Quote from: MusicTurner on March 02, 2022, 03:15:53 AM
Uplifting scenery; we're approaching it here in DK too ...
Thanks! :)
At the moment I don't really enjoy walking anywhere, because the streets are icy and slippery, but try to find routes which are less slippery. I need to walk to ease my anxiety caused by the Ukraine war.
Quote from: 71 dB on March 02, 2022, 04:58:13 AM
At the moment I don't really enjoy walking anywhere, because the streets are icy and slippery, but try to find routes which are less slippery. I need to walk to ease my anxiety caused by the Ukraine war.
A lot of us know that feeling, walks giving a bit of renewed energy. Often, one of life's simple blessings.
Quote from: MusicTurner on March 03, 2022, 03:36:28 AM
A lot of us knows that feeling, walks giving a bit of renewed energy. Often, one of life's simple blessings.
Agreed. It's been snowy and icy here also, and yesterday was the first time in a few days I was able to get out to walk with the pups. It makes a huge improvement in my physical and mental well-being. Being able to do so is definitely a blessing. especially when you don't have to worry about bombs crashing around you when you walk.
Quote from: MusicTurner on March 03, 2022, 03:36:28 AM
A lot of us know that feeling, walks giving a bit of renewed energy. Often, one of life's simple blessings.
Yes, being in touch with nature while walking can be therapeutic.
My favorite walk used to be from the 18th green to the clubhouse. ;)
Quote from: Andante on March 04, 2022, 02:28:22 PM
My favorite walk used to be from the 18th green to the clubhouse. ;)
Golfing gave me my appreciation for nature walks because my tee shots usually ended up in the woods. :(
Quote from: Szykneij on March 05, 2022, 04:31:16 PM
Golfing gave me my appreciation for nature walks because my tee shots usually ended up in the woods. :(
:laugh: Oh, no! ;)
PD
Today we did a walk from my 'Guide to East Sussex Pub Walks'. It was about 5 miles and partly along the cliff tops around Seaford Head. In one of the photos you can see the 'Seven Sisters' chalk cliffs in the distance. Another photo, sadly, features a memorial to Canadian soldiers who were killed by German fighter and bomber aircraft whilst camped out in that field during World War Two..
Quote from: vandermolen on March 27, 2022, 03:11:14 PM
Today we did a walk from my 'Guide to East Sussex Pub Walks'. It was about 5 miles and partly along the cliff tops around Seaford Head. In one of the photos you can see the 'Seven Sisters' chalk cliffs in the distance. Another photo, sadly, features a memorial to Canadian soldiers who were killed by German fighter and bomber aircraft whilst camped out in that field during World War Two..
Looks like a lovely day out Jeffrey.
By the way, are the walks designed to be from one pub to another? ;)
PD
Took an early Springtime weekend trip to the island of Tåsinge, connected by a bridge to Funen. Did a few hikes, 8 and 6 km, while my mother went to a nearby art school.
There's a famous, 425 years old oak tree, below which the 18th-century poet Ambrosius Stub would sit for inspiration. Cf. photo below. Just across the road, a cottage sold a bit of stuff for the passing tourists, including blue and yellow garden plants, where the money went to humanitarian help in Ukraine.
In the nearby forest, Nørreskoven, Elvira Madigan and Sixten Sparre were found dead. There's now a commemorative stone there.
The weather was fine and the sea had beautiful blue and silvery colours.
Troense is the island's minute capital, unusually picturesque, placed slightly above a tiny bay harbour, with views across the strait to Funen and another island, Thurø. There is a grocery store with voluntary staff and local delicacies. Also a few accommodation places, including a small hotel. But it's just a couple of km to a hub with a few supermarkets etc., by the Funen bridge.
Greenery hasn't really set in yet. A few blue anemones, snowdrops and forsythias ... Birds were busy on the island, including wood-peckers, ducks, swans, and many pheasants.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on March 28, 2022, 05:01:14 AM
Looks like a lovely day out Jeffrey.
By the way, are the walks designed to be from one pub to another? ;)
PD
They are basically circular walks PD rather than a 'pub crawl' ;D. Often, however, you do come across other pubs en-route.
Quote from: MusicTurner on March 28, 2022, 05:14:03 AM
Took an early Springtime weekend trip to the island of Tåsinge, connected by a bridge to Funen. Did a few hikes, 8 and 6 km, while my mother went to a nearby art school.
There's a famous, 425 years old oak tree, below which the 18th-century poet Ambrosius Stub would sit for inspiration. Cf. photo below. Just across the road, a cottage sold a bit of stuff for the passing tourists, including blue and yellow garden plants, where the money went to humanitarian help in Ukraine.
In the nearby forest, Nørreskoven, Elvira Madigan and Sixten Sparre were found dead. There's now a commemorative stone there.
The weather was fine and the sea had beautiful blue and silvery colours.
Very nice photos. I can hear Nielsen's music in my head! ;D
Thank you, and nice to see the natural beauty of Springtime you've been blessed with already for a while, also arriving here ... :).
Quote from: MusicTurner on March 28, 2022, 06:21:42 AM
Thank you, and nice to see the natural beauty of Springtime you've been blessed with already for a while, also arriving here ... :).
We were lucky on that day. It's now overcast with snow predicted later in the week!
... a bit like the new forecasts here. Hoping for round-the-clock warmth at least from mid-april ...
Quote from: MusicTurner on March 28, 2022, 05:15:30 AM
Troense is the island's minute capital, unusually picturesque, placed slightly above a tiny bay harbour, with views across the strait to Funen and another island, Thurø. There is a grocery store with voluntary staff and local delicacies. Also a few accommodation places, including a small hotel. But it's just a couple of km to a hub with a few supermarkets etc., by the Funen bridge.
Greenery hasn't really set in yet. A few blue anemones, snowdrops and forsythias ... Birds were busy on the island, including wood-peckers, ducks, swans, and many pheasants.
The fact that you have ANY wildflowers at all in bloom is very uplifting! Here we are several hundred kms south of you in latitude, yet there is still patchy snow on the ground, and we have yet to see the new year's growth. There is not even a sign yet of the lawns starting to green. The Gulf Stream's influence in western Europe never ceases to impress me!
It's a nice feature here - and even more impressive in Northern Norway/Lofoten (around 1700 km northwards from here, where you can swim in summer) and the Northern British Isles, generally blessed with a similarly mild coast climate. I'd like to visit some of the famous Scottish gardens in that respect.
Probably round the bar walls in York:
(https://i0.wp.com/www.yorkwalls.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/FYW-York-UK-D.jpg)
Quote from: Rosalba on April 24, 2022, 11:31:30 AM
Probably round the bar walls in York:
(https://i0.wp.com/www.yorkwalls.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/FYW-York-UK-D.jpg)
Very nice!
Back from an 8-day trip to the Czech Republic, the last 1.5 days in Prague, where the IMO classic, and also introductory, walk is that from the Castle/Petrin Hill, starting at
1) the paths by the Strahov Monastery, where you'll have a splendid view of the city, with most of the famous buildings and landmarks, as well as the mighty Vltava River (=Moldau) and its bridges. Then downhill via the Uvoz Street (with a tiny Josef Sudek gallery, associated with the famous photographer) to the
2) Nerudova Street, consisting only of magnificent, historical palaces and a few churches, with countless shops and eateries; alas, the cars now also take up quite some space too. Then you gradually walk down to the famous
3) Charles Bridge, from where you can look back up on the Castle and Petrin hills, including the main cathedral. And enjoy the river scenery, also with the loud cascades from the dams across it, and for example identify
4) the Smetana Museum (building by the river to the right) and the National Theatre a bit further away on the riverside (not on the photo), which has seen the premiere of many important, musical works and operas.
From there, you continue along the now very touristy walking streets to the Tyn Church with its associated square and, among other things, the famous astronomical clock, but this time I stopped at the Charles Bridge, partly because I was staying at a hotel not so far from Strahov, and chose to focus on that side of the river valley in Prague.
Staying mostly in the town of Tabor, with a single room in an almost ruinous hostel run by a senior, Californian emigre punk-musician, I found that place a bit disappointing, but also made an excursion to lovely, nearby Bechyne by train, where there were wonderful walks along the Luznice river, below the local castle and several, cliff-hanging churches. Provincial, Czech townscapes and valleys at their best ...
Great photos - I have happy memories of Prague.
Quote from: vandermolen on April 28, 2022, 03:09:13 AM
Great photos - I have happy memories of Prague.
Cool! I'm envious of you!
Did you visit any record stores and pick up some Supraphon LPs...or CDs whilst you were there?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on April 28, 2022, 05:28:29 AM
Cool! I'm envious of you!
Did you visit any record stores and pick up some Supraphon LPs...or CDs whilst you were there?
PD
No such luck PD - it was only a long weekend visit. I did, however, bring back some LPs from 'Melodiya' on Nevsky Prospect in Leningrad (as it was then called) on my trip to the USSR over New Year 1985. I don't think that I'll be back there anytime soon.
Today my wife and I did a nice walk over Hindover Hill ('High and Over') on the South Downs in Sussex. From high up you get a nice view of Cuckmere Haven estuary leading out to the sea. I also took a photo of the hill from the valley bottom - you may just be able to see the 'Litlington White Horse' at the top left.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litlington_White_Horse
My wife cannot walk at my slow pace so she is always miles ahead of me, but fortunately we are able to keep in touch by mobile phone ('WHERE ARE YOU?') ::)
Very nice, we have been staying fairly close to home, away from Bank Holiday traffic.
Not really a walk, simply a short stroll from the parking site, but a weekend trip in Sweden during a heat wave, to the Blekinge region, once Danish, included these beautiful views of the Lake Orlunden.
From a rock called Valhalla.
It's about 200 km from Copenhagen, but already gives a glimpse of the huge, forested landscapes in Northern Scandinavia.
The lake provided a fine little beach with nice facilities too, so a lovely swim there, during 30 C.
Second trip abroad in almost 2 1/2 years of corona, the first being in April, to the Czech Republic.
Beautiful scenery MusicTurner. We're going to Wales in a couple of weeks and would rather it wasn't quite that hot. :o
That sounds nice. Any special 'targets' for you there? Unfortunately, I haven't been there myself.
My wife just picked the first rental property that allowed three dogs so I'll just study the maps and look for public footpaths through woods, beaches etc.
Sometimes, the lesser published, maybe only locally known or quieter places can be most rewarding. Have a nice trip!
Thanks, being able to read maps has really paid off!
Quote from: MusicTurner on June 27, 2022, 09:13:53 PM
Not really a walk, simply a short stroll from the parking site, but a weekend trip in Sweden during a heat wave, to the Blekinge region, once Danish, included these beautiful views of the Lake Orlunden.
From a rock called Valhalla.
It's about 200 km from Copenhagen, but already gives a glimpse of the huge, forested landscapes in Northern Scandinavia.
The lake provided a fine little beach with nice facilities too, so a lovely swim there, during 30 C.
Second trip abroad in almost 2 1/2 years of corona, the first being in April, to the Czech Republic.
Lovely photos!
Quote from: MusicTurner on June 27, 2022, 09:13:53 PM
Not really a walk, simply a short stroll from the parking site, but a weekend trip in Sweden during a heat wave, to the Blekinge region, once Danish, included these beautiful views of the Lake Orlunden.
From a rock called Valhalla.
It's about 200 km from Copenhagen, but already gives a glimpse of the huge, forested landscapes in Northern Scandinavia.
The lake provided a fine little beach with nice facilities too, so a lovely swim there, during 30 C.
Second trip abroad in almost 2 1/2 years of corona, the first being in April, to the Czech Republic.
Beautiful photos! We have also been having our share of hot weather here, though I wouldn't classify it quite as a heat wave. Into the low 30s C, that sort of thing. How hot has it been in DK?
Quote from: krummholz on June 29, 2022, 07:32:05 AM
Beautiful photos! We have also been having our share of hot weather here, though I wouldn't classify it quite as a heat wave. Into the low 30s C, that sort of thing. How hot has it been in DK?
Thanks. Still quite hot by local standards, 25-30 C, and sunny. It's very rare we get 32-35 C (until now).
The city and large parts of the country is going full Tour de France mode these days - lots of decorations and buzz generally, because of the first 3 stages taking place here. So a ~French athmosphere :). But temperatures should descend a bit soon.
However, I'm off to Norway/Ålesund fjords tomorrow & there it will be cooler and likely rainier too. I might decide to head northwards to somewhat drier Trondheim, in stead of the planned south-west, if there's too much rain.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on April 28, 2022, 05:28:29 AM
Did you visit any record stores and pick up some Supraphon LPs...or CDs whilst you were there?
PD
Chandos used to have an outlet in Prague very close to the Charles Bridge in the early 1990s, with their then expensive CDs nicely priced; I bought heaps of them in in those years ???
Quote from: MusicTurner on June 29, 2022, 07:58:37 AM
Thanks. Still quite hot by local standards, 25-30 C, and sunny. It's very rare we get 32-35 C (until now).
The city and large parts of the country is going full Tour de France mode these days - lots of decorations and buzz generally, because of the first 3 stages taking place here. So a ~French athmosphere :). But temperatures should descend a bit soon.
However, I'm off to Norway/Ålesund fjords tomorrow & there it will be cooler and likely rainier too. I might decide to head northwards to somewhat drier Trondheim, in stead of the planned south-west, if there's too much rain.
Being more inland, we get mid-30s every year at least once. And back in my home state of Michigan, I remember one July day in a park on the Leelanau Peninsula, within a km or so of the Lake Michigan shore, when I hiked a trail when the temperature was in the upper 30s, and I ran out of water on the hike. All of the wells in the park were dry - luckily, I had flown in in my airplane to a grass strip where my mechanic was working on other people's airplanes, and he and his wife kindly drove me into town for some refreshments and a chance to refill my water bottles. I would have been in deep doo-doo if not for them - I was very dehydrated and certainly unsafe to fly or even drive.
The hottest temperature I have ever personally experienced was 40º C, in 1988 in Detroit. I hope never to see temperatures that hot again.
Enjoy your trip to Norway! Hopefully you can find both cooler and drier conditions than you expect.
Such heat waves are rare here in Northern Europe, which is nothing by comparison - I see that Italy has now declared a state of emergency, due to the heat and draught ...
A quick update from my Norway trip in the Ålesund region. First 2 days had fine weather, now it's poor, cloudy and rainy, somewhat unsuitable for cycling/camping. Forecasts are poor for a week or more. So not like my previous two Norway trips, where I was luckier. I might use the Hurtigruten ferries, secondarily trains, to escape to drier and warmer regions to the East or the South. Also, places tend to be much more modernized/civilized and built up, than say in Lofoten/Senja to the north, and car traffic is surprisingly dense, which can be annoying, especially in tunnels, on steep bridges, and along narrow roads.
The only real highlight however was seeing the Runde island, more scenic and desolate, but a famous place for birders. Weather was better just during that excursion. I took the walk up to the famous bird reserve cliffs, the Fuglefjell near Goksøyr, altitude maybe 250 m. I think it took 2 hours. There were puffins, saw them for the 1st time in my life, one landed right in front of me and went into its dug-out hole/nest. They are extremely charming birds, colorful and flying in a 'propelling' style, but also so fast, that I didn't manage to get any good photos of them. This place alone has been worth the trip so far.
Below, the Ålesund coast seen from south-eastern Runde, and Goksøyr village seen from the path to the Fuglefjell.
And parts of the Fuglefjell itself, with glorious views, and birders ... just below these cliffs, there are puffins.
Quote from: MusicTurner on July 05, 2022, 03:03:21 AM
Such heat waves are rare here in Northern Europe, which is nothing by comparison - I see that Italy has now declared a state of emergency, due to the heat and draught ...
A quick update from my Norway trip in the Ålesund region. First 2 days had fine weather, now it's poor, cloudy and rainy, somewhat unsuitable for cycling/camping. Forecasts are poor for a week or more. So not like my previous two Norway trips, where I was luckier. I might use the Hurtigruten ferries, secondarily trains, to escape to drier and warmer regions to the East or the South. Also, places tend to be much more modernized/civilized and built up, than say in Lofoten/Senja to the north, and car traffic is surprisingly dense, which can be annoying, especially in tunnels, on steep bridges, and along narrow roads.
The only real highlight however was seeing the Runde island, more scenic and desolate, but a famous place for birders. Weather was better just during that excursion. I took the walk up to the famous bird reserve cliffs, the Fuglefjell near Goksøyr, altitude maybe 250 m. I think it took 2 hours. There were puffins, saw them for the 1st time in my life, one landed right in front of me and went into its dug-out hole/nest. They are extremely charming birds, colorful and flying in a 'propelling' style, but also so fast, that I didn't manage to get any good photos of them. This place alone has been worth the trip so far.
Below, the Ålesund coast seen from south-eastern Runde, and Goksøyr village seen from the path to the Fuglefjell.
Nothing to compare with your beautiful photos. For the first time in many a long day I actually sat on the beach yesterday watching my two grandchildren building sandcastles. The heat was and still is blistering. Most of the SE England coastal towns are ropey, Bexhill-on-Sea is an exception though. Nice place, I would move there in a heartbeat. Some interesting architecture including the art deco De Lar Warr Pavilion.
(https://i.imgur.com/14ntwWN.jpg)
Quote from: MusicTurner on July 05, 2022, 03:04:18 AM
And parts of the Fuglefjell itself, with glorious views, and birders ... just below these cliffs, there are puffins.
Beautiful pictures MT!
Quote from: MusicTurner on July 05, 2022, 03:03:21 AM
The only real highlight however was seeing the Runde island, more scenic and desolate, but a famous place for birders. Weather was better just during that excursion. I took the walk up to the famous bird reserve cliffs, the Fuglefjell near Goksøyr, altitude maybe 250 m. I think it took 2 hours. There were puffins, saw them for the 1st time in my life, one landed right in front of me and went into its dug-out hole/nest. They are extremely charming birds, colorful and flying in a 'propelling' style, but also so fast, that I didn't manage to get any good photos of them. This place alone has been worth the trip so far.
Wonderful! Puffins are commonly seen on the Maine coast on this site of the Atlantic as well, but I have spent precious little time there and have never seen one either. I must rectify that situation!
My favorite walks are the ones with a cool, gentle breeze. I was reminded of that today when we had a break in the heat. All of a sudden, walks are pleasant and I'm reading outside again.
Quote from: Irons on July 11, 2022, 07:51:59 AM
Nothing to compare with your beautiful photos. For the first time in many a long day I actually sat on the beach yesterday watching my two grandchildren building sandcastles. The heat was and still is blistering. Most of the SE England coastal towns are ropey, Bexhill-on-Sea is an exception though. Nice place, I would move there in a heartbeat. Some interesting architecture including the art deco De Lar Warr Pavilion.
(https://i.imgur.com/14ntwWN.jpg)
I was there recently Lol - it's an impressive building although I feel that they could do more with the interior. I sat out on the balcony with a glass of wine!
Quote from: vandermolen on July 11, 2022, 11:18:47 PM
I was there recently Lol - it's an impressive building although I feel that they could do more with the interior. I sat out on the balcony with a glass of wine!
No such luck for me, Jeffrey. Interesting re the interior. We were there during the men's finale at Wimbledon. They set up a huge screen on the green adjacent to the pavilion and we enjoyed a couple of beers watching the tennis. Followed by fish and chips at a nearby restaurant which considering the location was disappointing.
Here are a few images from my week away in Dorset (based at Lyme Regis). They include the beach at the amusingly named fishing village of Beer (of course we had to have a beer in Beer!), a view from 'Golden Cap' (bottom photo) - the highest point on the South Coast of England (it was a slog trekking up there but we walked up from sea level and did not cheat, unlike many others, by utilising the car park near the top). We walked on most days, an average of 4 to 7 miles. One walk near Abbotsbury, shows the atmospheric medieval chapel on the top of a hill (top photo - in the distance). It only escaped destruction during the reign of Henry VIII because it was a useful lookout point. The area around Lyme Regis is associated with Jurassic era fossils (as in the movie 'Ammonite') and Dorset has associations with the authors Thomas Hardy and Jane Austen:
Quote from: vandermolen on July 31, 2022, 11:16:21 PM
Here are a few images from my week away in Dorset (based at Lyme Regis). They include the beach at the amusingly named fishing village of Beer (of course we had to have a beer in Beer!), a view from 'Golden Cap' (bottom photo) - the highest point on the South Coast of England (it was a slog trekking up there but we walked up from sea level and did not cheat, unlike many others, by utilising the car park near the top). We walked on most days, an average of 4 to 7 miles. One walk near Abbotsbury, shows the atmospheric medieval chapel on the top of a hill (top photo - in the distance). It only escaped destruction during the reign of Henry VIII because it was a useful lookout point. The area around Lyme Regis is associated with Jurassic era fossils (as in the movie 'Ammonite') and Dorset has associations with with the authors Thomas Hardy and Jane Austen:
Excellent photos.
Here in Bournemouth the weather has been a bit mixed though it hasn't actually rained to any significant degree for weeks.
Quote from: Biffo on August 01, 2022, 03:38:39 AM
Excellent photos.
Here in Bournemouth the weather has been a bit mixed though it hasn't actually rained to any significant degree for weeks.
Thank you Biffo,
The weather was good to us with none of those c.40 degree temperatures of the previous week. I even swam in the sea at Lyme Bay and enjoyed it more than expected. We also did a nice boat trip along the Jurassic Coast from the famous Cobb (associated with 'The French Lieutenant's Woman') at Lyme Regis. I'll post a couple more photos later.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 31, 2022, 11:16:21 PM
Here are a few images from my week away in Dorset (based at Lyme Regis). They include the beach at the amusingly named fishing village of Beer (of course we had to have a beer in Beer!), a view from 'Golden Cap' (bottom photo) - the highest point on the South Coast of England (it was a slog trekking up there but we walked up from sea level and did not cheat, unlike many others, by utilising the car park near the top). We walked on most days, an average of 4 to 7 miles. One walk near Abbotsbury, shows the atmospheric medieval chapel on the top of a hill (top photo - in the distance). It only escaped destruction during the reign of Henry VIII because it was a useful lookout point. The area around Lyme Regis is associated with Jurassic era fossils (as in the movie 'Ammonite') and Dorset has associations with the authors Thomas Hardy and Jane Austen:
Excellent photos, Jeffrey. Jealous of your long country walks, my shot knees make such endeavour impossible - op on horizon, hopefully. Enjoyed John Fowles book and we visited Lyme Regis after reading it.
Nice photos Jeffrey. Glad that you two were able to get away for a bit.
Must admit, I'm not used to seeing so much *brown in the landscape in the UK though.
*grass
We're getting some rain though definitely not enough.
PD
Thanks for the nice comments - here are a couple more photos from Dorset:
They include an image of a heroic trekker who had slogged all the way up to 'Golden Cap' (me ;D). The photo was not taken by my wife who was miles ahead of me but by a kindly member of the public.
A boat trip image, complete with Seagull who came along for the ride, a very large fossil from the impressive Museum in Lyme Regis and the ruins of a medieval chapel - the only surviving building from a medieval village.
Quote from: vandermolen on August 01, 2022, 01:48:15 PM
Thanks for the nice comments - here are a couple more photos from Dorset:
They include an image of a heroic trekker who had slogged all the way up to 'Golden Cap' (me ;D). The photo was not taken by my wife who was miles ahead of me but by a kindly member of the public.
A boat trip image, complete with Seagull who came along for the ride, a very large fossil from the impressive Museum in Lyme Regis and the ruins of a medieval chapel - the only surviving building from a medieval village.
;D Nice! And I imagine that the seagull appreciated the rest spot. ;D
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on August 01, 2022, 01:58:53 PM
;D Nice! And I imagine that the seagull appreciated the rest spot. ;D
PD
The Seagull was fun. He flew off, circled the boat a few times and then landed back on the deck. He was presumably hoping to scrounge some food. He became quite aggressive if another seagull approached the boat.
Quote from: vandermolen on August 01, 2022, 01:48:15 PM
Thanks for the nice comments - here are a couple more photos from Dorset:
They include an image of a heroic trekker who had slogged all the way up to 'Golden Cap' (me ;D). The photo was not taken by my wife who was miles ahead of me but by a kindly member of the public.
A boat trip image, complete with Seagull who came along for the ride, a very large fossil from the impressive Museum in Lyme Regis and the ruins of a medieval chapel - the only surviving building from a medieval village.
Great photos & stories! Back in 1986, I did a similar Dorset coastal walk, from Southampton to Exmouth IIRC. Great memories revived by your pictures :)
Quote from: Christo on August 02, 2022, 08:22:59 AM
Great photos & stories!
Yes, it's not an area I've been to, but those photos are both intriguing and beautiful.
Quote from: Christo on August 02, 2022, 08:22:59 AM
Great photos & stories! Back in 1986, I did a similar Dorset coastal walk, from Southampton to Exmouth IIRC. Great memories revived by your pictures :)
Glad to have revived some nice memories for you Johann!
Dorset is a great county and not too far from SE England.
I had lovely university friends in Shaftesbury and, in my youth, always spent New Year's Eve with them. Sadly the husband died a few years ago.
Quote from: MusicTurner on August 02, 2022, 08:41:59 AM
Yes, it's not an area I've been to, but those photos are both intriguing and beautiful.
I'd strongly recommend Dorset.
Quote from: vandermolen on August 02, 2022, 09:14:05 AM
I'd strongly recommend Dorset.
And I'd strongly recommend George Osborn, Dorset Coastal Walks - the booklet I still own after almost forty years. :)
Last Saturday my wife and I did a walk over the South Downs near Firle in Sussex. It was a beautifully clear day with nice views of the sea. We walked over Firle Beacon, which you can see in the background in the top photo. The sea view is from the top.
What lovely photos - it must have been an excellent day to experience, and the late-summer light there is quite stunning ...
Quote from: MusicTurner on September 19, 2022, 09:54:56 AM
What lovely photos - it must have been an excellent day to experience, and the late-summer light there is quite stunning ...
(//)
Thanks! Here's another photo. Yes, it was unusually clear and the views were great.
I think that you just wanted to pet the sheep. :)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 20, 2022, 03:37:47 AM
I think that you just wanted to pet the sheep. :)
PD
That's true. I was communicating with the one in the centre of the second photo!
Quote from: vandermolen on September 20, 2022, 11:59:07 AM
That's true. I was communicating with the one in the centre of the second photo!
:D ;D
But, seriously, looks like a lovely walk/hike.
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on September 20, 2022, 11:59:07 AM
That's true. I was communicating with the one in the centre of the second photo!
Did you shout
mint sauce! :P
Quote from: Irons on September 21, 2022, 07:16:26 AM
Did you shout mint sauce! :P
Boooo! :D
Speaking of animals, I was very touched that both of ER's corgis along with Emma, her beloved fell pony, showed up at the funeral. :) And added touch: one of the Queen's head scarves carefully secured over the saddle. :'(
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 21, 2022, 09:25:13 AM
Boooo! :D
Speaking of animals, I was very touched that both of ER's corgis along with Emma, her beloved fell pony, showed up at the funeral. :) And added touch: one of the Queen's head scarves carefully secured over the saddle. :'(
PD
Yes, I found their appearance moving as well.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 20, 2022, 01:34:02 PM
:D ;D
But, seriously, looks like a lovely walk/hike.
PD
Yes, indeed it was PD, especially in such clear conditions.
Quote from: Irons on September 21, 2022, 07:16:26 AM
Did you shout mint sauce! :P
:laugh: :laugh:
(Mint sauce is that British oddity that took me 20 years to appreciate but I couldn't do without it now, mixed in the gravy, yummy 8))
Anyway... nice walk indeed :P
Some random snaps from a west Med cruise.
(https://i.imgur.com/fmGYNFU.jpg)
Praza de Maria Pita, A Coruna, Spain.
(https://i.imgur.com/5tN9KqV.jpg)
Palma, Mallorca.
(https://i.imgur.com/QYAnfPo.jpg)
Lucca, Italy. (Birthplace of Puccini).
(https://i.imgur.com/aoFmIad.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/OEnqH5I.jpg)
St. Tropez. France.
(https://i.imgur.com/2X19mtw.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/mDFGNoF.jpg)
Plaza de Espana, Seville.
Great images Lol - looks lovely.
Quote from: Irons on October 16, 2022, 09:06:31 AM
Some random snaps from a west Med cruise.
(https://i.imgur.com/fmGYNFU.jpg)
Praza de Maria Pita, A Coruna, Spain.
(https://i.imgur.com/5tN9KqV.jpg)
Palma, Mallorca.
(https://i.imgur.com/QYAnfPo.jpg)
Lucca, Italy. (Birthplace of Puccini).
(https://i.imgur.com/aoFmIad.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/OEnqH5I.jpg)
St. Tropez. France.
(https://i.imgur.com/2X19mtw.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/mDFGNoF.jpg)
Plaza de Espana, Seville.
Beautiful! Did you enjoy the cruise overall? And have a chance do have a cold beer whilst relaxing on the beach (which I believe you had been looking forward to?)? Bet that it was great to get away from the garden, house and I suspect chillier weather these days. Did you go to any concerts? Or come away with some favorite museums?
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on October 16, 2022, 11:36:43 AM
Great images Lol - looks lovely.
Cheers, Jeffrey.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 16, 2022, 12:11:16 PM
Beautiful! Did you enjoy the cruise overall? And have a chance do have a cold beer whilst relaxing on the beach (which I believe you had been looking forward to?)? Bet that it was great to get away from the garden, house and I suspect chillier weather these days. Did you go to any concerts? Or come away with some favorite museums?
PD
We have cruised on the Britannia previously. Below the central seating area of the ship.
(https://i.imgur.com/JQrikyi.jpg)
No beach, but plenty of time to relax on five at sea days. The weather considering time of year was amazingly good. We also took in Barcelona but rubbish photos so didn't post. No museums either, but Seville's Cathedral is stunning as is the Jewish Quarter. My favourite though is St. Tropez which is coolness personified.
Quote from: Irons on October 17, 2022, 07:30:33 AM
Cheers, Jeffrey.
We have cruised on the Britannia previously. Below the central seating area of the ship.
(https://i.imgur.com/JQrikyi.jpg)
No beach, but plenty of time to relax on five at sea days. The weather considering time of year was amazingly good. We also took in Barcelona but rubbish photos so didn't post. No museums either, but Seville's Cathedral is stunning as is the Jewish Quarter. My favourite though is St. Tropez which is coolness personified.
Beautiful light/sculpture!
Sorry that you didn't have time to visit some museums. I'm sure that St. Tropez was cool. Speaking of which, surprised to see the swimmer posed on top of the statue (noticed underneath that it says "Do not touch" and shows an image of a surveillance camera there)! :o
The architecture in Spain is stunning!
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 18, 2022, 03:30:37 AM
Beautiful light/sculpture!
Sorry that you didn't have time to visit some museums. I'm sure that St. Tropez was cool. Speaking of which, surprised to see the swimmer posed on top of the statue (noticed underneath that it says "Do not touch" and shows an image of a surveillance camera there)! :o
The architecture in Spain is stunning!
PD
The swimmer is the statue, PD. :)
Quote from: Irons on October 18, 2022, 07:29:29 AM
The swimmer is the statue, PD. :)
Wow! That's so realistic! Earlier, I had also thought that you don't often see women using swimming caps these days (short of sports). :-[
Well done then to the artist!
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 18, 2022, 08:52:08 AM
Wow! That's so realistic! Earlier, I had also thought that you don't often see women using swimming caps these days (short of sports). :-[
Well done then to the artist!
PD
Just out of curiousity, do you know about Duane Hanson?
https://www.saatchigallery.com/artist/duane_hanson
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duane_Hanson
He lived in South Florida for the last 23 years of his life; a woman who was a neighbor and friend of my mother posed for him in the late 1970s, although I don't see her in any of the online material.
Quote from: JBS on October 18, 2022, 12:00:29 PM
Just out of curiousity, do you know about Duane Hanson?
https://www.saatchigallery.com/artist/duane_hanson
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duane_Hanson
He lived in South Florida for the last 23 years of his life; a woman who was a neighbor and friend of my mother posed for him in the late 1970s, although I don't see her in any of the online material.
No, I hadn't heard of him before now. Did he create an artwork from her posings/bodycasts?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 18, 2022, 12:08:20 PM
No, I hadn't heard of him before now. Did he create an artwork from her posings/bodycasts?
PD
Yes. That was his standard method.
Quote from: JBS on October 18, 2022, 12:57:34 PM
Yes. That was his standard method.
Amazing detail!
Have you seen any of his works in person?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 19, 2022, 03:33:52 AM
Amazing detail!
Have you seen any of his works in person?
PD
Years ago....the museums here focus on other things.
I was quite pleased with this photo taken on Ashdown Forest a week or two ago (notwithstanding to dog poo in a bag at the bottom right of the photo ::) )
Quote from: vandermolen on December 04, 2022, 01:09:20 PMI was quite pleased with this photo taken on Ashdown Forest a week or two ago (notwithstanding to dog poo in a bag at the bottom right of the photo ::) )
It adds to the bucolic charm of it all ;D
Quote from: vandermolen on December 04, 2022, 01:09:20 PMI was quite pleased with this photo taken on Ashdown Forest a week or two ago (notwithstanding to dog poo in a bag at the bottom right of the photo ::) )
You know, I wouldn't have noticed it--if you hadn't pointed *it out. Lovely photo though. :)
*A good time to use some sort of photo editing device me thinks. ;)
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 05, 2022, 02:02:55 AMYou know, I wouldn't have noticed it--if you hadn't pointed *it out. Lovely photo though. :)
*A good time to use some sort of photo editing device me thinks. ;)
PD
Yes, I agree!
Definitely not on the outskirts of Moscow in December! Some friends sent me this today from their 21st-floor apartment window. Brrrrr, lads!
(https://i.postimg.cc/fyt974JD/noThanks.jpg)
Quote from: Scion7 on December 10, 2022, 05:34:21 AMDefinitely not on the outskirts of Moscow in December! Some friends sent me this today from their 21st-floor apartment window. Brrrrr, lads!
(https://i.postimg.cc/fyt974JD/noThanks.jpg)
Does look bleak.
Quote from: Scion7 on December 10, 2022, 05:34:21 AMDefinitely not on the outskirts of Moscow in December! Some friends sent me this today from their 21st-floor apartment window. Brrrrr, lads!
(https://i.postimg.cc/fyt974JD/noThanks.jpg)
Yes indeed, it does look cold.
By the way, how are you friends doing? Have they been thinking and/or trying to leave Russia? What is life like for them?
PD
Two cute women I met on my .... travels ... no, that is their home.
The Mongols were quite chuffed whenever the river froze to allow their horses to cross. >:D
On my walk yesterday to go to the nearest village for stamps and a newspaper as our local shop was closed first thing in the morning due to icy roads:
Quote from: vandermolen on December 13, 2022, 12:25:56 AMOn my walk yesterday to go to the nearest village for stamps and a newspaper as our local shop was closed first thing in the morning due to icy roads:
I suspect that they are much slower at plowing in your area than mine. We received snow here too the other day. Enough so that I had to haul out the shovel for the first time this year. Do they do any sanding & salting too? Hard on the cars but necessary where I live.
PD
Shocking tragedy in Solihull. Three young lads perished and a six year old fighting for his life in hospital after playing on a frozen lake. A very brave policeman waded in waist deep and smashed the ice with his fist attempting to save the boys.
Quote from: Irons on December 13, 2022, 07:22:17 AMShocking tragedy in Solihull. Three young lads perished and a six year old fighting for his life in hospital after playing on a frozen lake. A very brave policeman waded in waist deep and smashed the ice with his fist attempting to save the boys.
I read about that a couple of days ago. Hadn't realized that they had managed to save one; I do pray that he pulls through. Such a sad, sad story. I feel for the families and also for everyone involved--particularly that ill-equipped policeman who tried his best to smash through the ice and save them. I imagine that he will be having nightmares for ages and need some therapy to come to grips with it. :(
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 13, 2022, 01:19:22 AMI suspect that they are much slower at plowing in your area than mine. We received snow here too the other day. Enough so that I had to haul out the shovel for the first time this year. Do they do any sanding & salting too? Hard on the cars but necessary where I live.
PD
Yes, there was some salting and sanding going on. The main roads were fine but not the side roads. The post (mail) van got stuck this morning and had to be towed up the hill by a Land-rover.
Quote from: Irons on December 13, 2022, 07:22:17 AMShocking tragedy in Solihull. Three young lads perished and a six year old fighting for his life in hospital after playing on a frozen lake. A very brave policeman waded in waist deep and smashed the ice with his fist attempting to save the boys.
That was the most appalling story.
Walk last Sunday near Horsted Keynes. Grave (see next post) is that of former Prime Minister Harold MacMillan
Continued from previous post
Old Cuckoo Line Railway
Quote from: vandermolen on February 06, 2023, 10:28:02 PMContinued from previous post
Lovely pictures, Jeffrey. Out of interest I notice two graves in the picture, is the other Mrs Mac? I recall a scandal involving Lord Beaverbrook.
Quote from: Irons on February 07, 2023, 01:18:35 AMLovely pictures, Jeffrey. Out of interest I notice two graves in the picture, is the other Mrs Mac? I recall a scandal involving Lord Beaverbrook.
Yes, the grave of Lady Dorothy is there (she had a long-running affair with Lord Boothby) and their son Maurice (whom I also remember as an MP) MacMillan's father (also Marice) is there as well.
Quote from: vandermolen on February 07, 2023, 07:11:04 AMYes, the grave of Lady Dorothy is there (she had a long-running affair with Lord Boothby) and their son Maurice (whom I also remember as an MP) MacMillan's father (also Marice) is there as well.
Thanks for correction, Jeffrey. Boothby was a nasty piece of work, heavily involved with the Kray twins.
Quote from: Irons on February 08, 2023, 12:05:50 AMThanks for correction, Jeffrey. Boothby was a nasty piece of work, heavily involved with the Kray twins.
Hi Lol,
Yes, I remember him as a rather unpleasant individual - didn't know about the Kray twin connection.
Quote from: vandermolen on February 09, 2023, 12:26:25 AMHi Lol,
Yes, I remember him as a rather unpleasant individual - didn't know about the Kray twin connection.
Good afternoon, Jeffrey.
Tory sleaze is nothing compared to the 1960's. The difference they got away with it then.
http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/tag/gay/page/5/
Quote from: Irons on February 09, 2023, 07:34:18 AMGood afternoon, Jeffrey.
Tory sleaze is nothing compared to the 1960's. The difference they got away with it then.
http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/tag/gay/page/5/
Most interesting Lol. I remember Boothby as a familiar figure on TV discussion programmes in my childhood.
Nearby coast, from Emma Wood State Beach looking towards Solimar.
Had a short but special walk yesterday. Needing to stretch my legs after several hours of yard work over the weekend, I went for a short walk partway around a nearby pond. Happened to spy an adult great blue heron. Watched it for a while. It was standing on the edge of the pond under some overhanging shrub/wild growth. And then saw it fly away. I think that this was only the third time that I've ever seen one before and never for so long nor so close. :)
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron#
PD
I had my routine walk, nothing special this morning... except I saw a woodpecker. I always hear them but this is the first time that I saw one.
On the train arriving in London to meet my brother for breakfast before walking round the Post-Impressionist Exhibition at the National Galley - about two weeks ago;
Quote from: DavidW on April 25, 2023, 06:11:01 AMI had my routine walk, nothing special this morning... except I saw a woodpecker. I always hear them but this is the first time that I saw one.
I once had a woodpecker decided my chimney flue was a tree and started pecking it. Sounded like a jackhammer was on the roof!
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on April 25, 2023, 05:48:04 AMHad a short but special walk yesterday. Needing to stretch my legs after several hours of yard work over the weekend, I went for a short walk partway around a nearby pond. Happened to spy an adult great blue heron. Watched it for a while. It was standing on the edge of the pond under some overhanging shrub/wild growth. And then saw it fly away. I think that this was only the third time that I've ever seen one before and never for so long nor so close. :)
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron#
PD
I used to routinely see a Blue Heron at a nearby lake when we lived in Maryland. It must have been lost because they usually live in estuaries.
Quote from: DavidW on April 25, 2023, 06:11:01 AMI had my routine walk, nothing special this morning... except I saw a woodpecker. I always hear them but this is the first time that I saw one.
Cool! Any idea what species it was?
And, I know what you mean about hearing them but not seeing them; they're either too high up in a tree, or on the wrong side of the tree, or on a tree on the
other side of the river! lol
Quote from: Spotted Horses on April 25, 2023, 06:21:11 AMI once had a woodpecker decided my chimney flue was a tree and started pecking it. Sounded like a jackhammer was on the roof!
I used to routinely see a Blue Heron at a nearby lake when we lived in Maryland. It must have been lost because they usually live in estuaries.
Not according to Cornell's website:
"
Great Blue Herons live in both freshwater and saltwater habitats, and also forage in grasslands and agricultural fields, where they stalk frogs and mammals. Most breeding colonies are located within 2 to 4 miles of feeding areas, often in isolated swamps or on islands, and near lakes and ponds bordered by forests."
Their nesting habits also vary greatly too.
Your anecdote about the chimney reminded me that several years ago, I saw (and heard!) a woodpecker pecking away at a neighbor's metal roof. It was relatively early on a Sunday morning. I expect that they didn't sleep in late that day.
PD
Quote from: vandermolen on April 25, 2023, 06:19:36 AMOn the train arriving in London to meet my brother for breakfast before walking round the Post-Impressionist Exhibition at the National Galley - about two weeks ago;
Trust that you had a good time?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on April 25, 2023, 08:16:13 AM"Great Blue Herons live in both freshwater and saltwater habitats, and also forage in grasslands and agricultural fields, where they stalk frogs and mammals. Most breeding colonies are located within 2 to 4 miles of feeding areas, often in isolated swamps or on islands, and near lakes and ponds bordered by forests."
Very interesting. I'm accustomed to seeing them in large numbers near estuaries, so I took for granted that was their natural habitat.
Quote from: Spotted Horses on April 25, 2023, 09:10:11 AMVery interesting. I'm accustomed to seeing them in large numbers near estuaries, so I took for granted that was their natural habitat.
Neat that you've been able to see them in large numbers. The few times that I've seen them, they have all been singles.
PD
To the Woburn Public Library. The original building was designed by H.H. Richardson (the architect of Boston's Trinity Church, e.g.) the town did an exceptionally good job of building a new annex which respects the historical structure.
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on April 25, 2023, 08:16:13 AMCool! Any idea what species it was?
No sorry. It had a red head. But I would need to take a picture to identify it. I don't take my phone on my morning walks. I want to be out of contact with email, messages, internet etc.
Quote from: Karl Henning on April 25, 2023, 10:06:13 AMTo the Woburn Public Library. The original building was designed by H.H. Richardson (the architect of Boston's Trinity Church, e.g.) the town did an exceptionally good job of building a new annex which respects the historical structure.
Chortle.
TBH, I am not a fan of that style (Richardson's, that is). I would not shed a tear if Trinity (much vaunted that it is) were to be demolished and replaced with--well, almost anything except perhaps a warehouse or a gas station.
Brazos Bend State Park, but have to watch your step, saw this guy lurking by the trail just to the right of the pic
(https://i.ibb.co/mCrdHj6/Capture.png)
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on April 25, 2023, 08:17:04 AMTrust that you had a good time?
PD
Yes I did thank you PD - it was fun to see my brother and I enjoyed the National Gallery very much as well.
Quote from: BWV 1080 on April 25, 2023, 11:34:24 AMBrazos Bend State Park, but have to watch your step, saw this guy lurking by the trail just to the right of the pic
(https://i.ibb.co/mCrdHj6/Capture.png)
Oof!
Quote from: JBS on April 25, 2023, 11:27:21 AMChortle.
TBH, I am not a fan of that style (Richardson's, that is). I would not shed a tear if Trinity (much vaunted that it is) were to be demolished and replaced with--well, almost anything except perhaps a warehouse or a gas station.
I guess we're lucky you didn't put a bid in on the Woburn project!
😎
Quote from: ultralinear on April 25, 2023, 12:46:25 PMWhat were the crowds like? I am coming under some pressure to go to it, but I have an aversion to peering at pictures over rows of heads. ::)
Not crowded at all but it was on a week day. You get a timed entry ticket but I only had to wait for about 15 mins. I'd say that it was busy but not crowded.
On Saturday my wife and I took a walk on the South Downs National Park. If you look carefully at the photo of the wind-swept tree you might find a sheep!
On Sunday we took a more leisurely walk from the village of Alfriston along the banks of the Cuckmere River.
Here's another photo from our riverside walk:
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on April 25, 2023, 05:48:04 AMHad a short but special walk yesterday. Needing to stretch my legs after several hours of yard work over the weekend, I went for a short walk partway around a nearby pond. Happened to spy an adult great blue heron. Watched it for a while. It was standing on the edge of the pond under some overhanging shrub/wild growth. And then saw it fly away. I think that this was only the third time that I've ever seen one before and never for so long nor so close. :)
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron#
PD
I love Great Blue Herons - we had many nesting at parks around the Detroit area when I lived there, especially at Kensington Metropark. PBS Newshour had a story this week on home schooling that was obviously (to me) shot in part at that park - I recognized many of the scenes, and they showed some herons, as well as a child feeding a chickadee out of his hand - something the hiking group I belonged to there used to love doing.
With the condition of my knees my current favourite is from my car to the back door of my 'local' watering hole.
Quote from: krummholz on May 23, 2023, 08:33:12 AMI love Great Blue Herons - we had many nesting at parks around the Detroit area when I lived there, especially at Kensington Metropark. PBS Newshour had a story this week on home schooling that was obviously (to me) shot in part at that park - I recognized many of the scenes, and they showed some herons, as well as a child feeding a chickadee out of his hand - something the hiking group I belonged to there used to love doing.
I love them too--so striking! :) And sweet story!
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on May 23, 2023, 01:59:46 PMI love them too--so striking! :) And sweet story!
PD
In an amazing coincidence, yesterday I saw my first great blue heron since moving to Vermont - it caught my attention by taking flight from behind some reeds on the edge of a popular pond in Groton State Forest. Then it perched on a rock near the shore and I got an iPhone picture of it, but you need to really zoom in to make out the bird. I was really tickled - they are not common in central Vermont, and I rarely get down to Lake Champlain where I imagine they are much more common.
I still have no idea how to post pictures on this website or I would try to share it.
Quote from: krummholz on May 24, 2023, 05:57:18 PMIn an amazing coincidence, yesterday I saw my first great blue heron since moving to Vermont - it caught my attention by taking flight from behind some reeds on the edge of a popular pond in Groton State Forest. Then it perched on a rock near the shore and I got an iPhone picture of it, but you need to really zoom in to make out the bird. I was really tickled - they are not common in central Vermont, and I rarely get down to Lake Champlain where I imagine they are much more common.
I still have no idea how to post pictures on this website or I would try to share it.
Excellent! So happy that you were able to see one!
There's a pair somewhere 'round here, but haven't seen them nor their babies since my one sighting of the one....then again, I haven't visited/walked in that area much in the past few weeks...need to get back to that.
I believe that to post (your own) pictures on this site that you have to first upload them to some sort of a hosting(?) service and then download them to our forum. You might try posting this question in I think there's a questions/how-to area for the forum? I just haven't bothered to upload any of my (not normally very good) photos. For example: several weeks ago, I sent a photo of "my" heron to a friend. The response I got: "What's that?"....sigh. My old iPhone doesn't have the greatest camera in it.
PD
A few images from my holiday in Anglesey, including Beaumaris Castle (left unfinished by Edward 1st when he ran out of money), site of the 'Royal Charter' shipwreck (1859) and another coastal scene. Also we saw the indigenous red squirrel - I had never seen one 'in the wild' before. Most of them were wiped out by the much larger rat-like grey squirrel introduced from America.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 22, 2023, 10:29:57 PMA few images from my holiday in Anglesey, including Beaumaris Castle (left unfinished by Edward 1st when he ran out of money), site of the 'Royal Charter' shipwreck (1859) and another coastal scene. Also we saw the indigenous red squirrel - I had never seen one 'in the wild' before. Most of them were wiped out by the much larger rat-like grey squirrel introduced from America.
Sorry about the grey squirrels; we also have too many of them here! So, did you spend a lot of time at the beach? Or do a lot of hiking?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on July 23, 2023, 03:12:48 AMSorry about the grey squirrels; we also have too many of them here! So, did you spend a lot of time at the beach? Or do a lot of hiking?
PD
Lots of hiking PD and visiting historical sites (+ an interesting Aquarium on a rainy day). We are not really 'beach people' although as a child I always had beach holidays with my parents and my cousin.
Not particularly inspired photos but subjective impressions of short stays may be of little interest.
(https://i.imgur.com/xTKc2Rw.jpg)
Birthplace of Napoleon at Ajaccio. Looking forward to our visit to Corsica but Ajaccio at least a disappointment.
(https://i.imgur.com/M4RutQP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Ydcx1zy.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/PQZxxDx.jpg)
Love everything about South of France and Villefranche-sur-Mer is no exeption. A memorable walk around the bay.
(https://i.imgur.com/43IhqjI.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/0Ik8Jis.jpg)
Instead of heading to Florence, where we have visited in the past, we made for, partly by train, Riomaggiore-Manarola.
(https://i.imgur.com/GjrLGIZ.jpg)
ROME! Amazing city. So many impressions in such a short time! Twice in a lifetime I have experienced a jaw-dropping moment when first setting eyes on a place and both have taken place in Italy. The first, many years ago, at Venice and last week at first sighting of Colosseum.
You fear for your life crossing the road in Rome. Drivers ignore pedestrian crossings and view red traffic lights as inconvenient.
My daily walk to the food market for groceries for each day.
Any place in the forest or by the sea.
In a random direction in large Indian cities like Mumbai or Kolkatta, or circular around Mount Arunachala in full moon night.
Quote from: Irons on September 09, 2023, 03:13:23 AMNot particularly inspired photos but subjective impressions of short stays may be of little interest.
(https://i.imgur.com/xTKc2Rw.jpg)
Birthplace of Napoleon at Ajaccio. Looking forward to our visit to Corsica but Ajaccio at least a disappointment.
(https://i.imgur.com/M4RutQP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Ydcx1zy.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/PQZxxDx.jpg)
Love everything about South of France and Villefranche-sur-Mer is no exeption. A memorable walk around the bay.
(https://i.imgur.com/43IhqjI.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/0Ik8Jis.jpg)
Instead of heading to Florence, where we have visited in the past, we made for, partly by train, Riomaggiore-Manarola.
(https://i.imgur.com/GjrLGIZ.jpg)
ROME! Amazing city. So many impressions in such a short time! Twice in a lifetime I have experienced a jaw-dropping moment when first setting eyes on a place and both have taken place in Italy. The first, many years ago, at Venice and last week at first sighting of Colosseum.
You fear for your life crossing the road in Rome. Drivers ignore pedestrian crossings and view red traffic lights as inconvenient.
Nice photos! Particularly the last one...beautiful place! Hope that you enjoy the rest of your trip and that it wasn't/isn't too hot.
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 13, 2023, 07:35:15 AMNice photos! Particularly the last one...beautiful place! Hope that you enjoy the rest of your trip and that it wasn't/isn't too hot.
PD
Crazy and scary world weather at present, PD. While we were away it was hotter in the UK.
Quote from: Irons on September 13, 2023, 08:04:01 AMCrazy and scary world weather at present, PD. While we were away it was hotter in the UK.
Yeah, it's hard to fathom. :'(
Did you enjoy the rest of your trip?
PD
Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 13, 2023, 09:48:24 AMYeah, it's hard to fathom. :'(
Did you enjoy the rest of your trip?
PD
Yes. A tremendous feeling to walk pain-free after a double bilateral knee replacement in March.
Quote from: Irons on September 13, 2023, 11:20:05 PMYes. A tremendous feeling to walk pain-free after a double bilateral knee replacement in March.
Good to hear Lol and photos were great. Most interesting to see Napoleon's birthplace.
Quote from: Irons on September 13, 2023, 11:20:05 PMYes. A tremendous feeling to walk pain-free after a double bilateral knee replacement in March.
Yay! Glad to hear that! :)
PD