Wales 1

This is our third year of staying a week in a Forest Holidays cabin. North York Moors, Strathyre in the Highlands, and now Beddgelert in Snowdonia. A new area for me, the location is fantastic, with beautiful rivers, mountains and forests. 

Day one, we walked into the village of Beddgelert on a great path. This shot is of the church yard in the village.

Rowan News

 

After 7 years at BlackRock, Rowan has left and will start working for Oracle in the new year. Meantime she is on a trip to Latin America. She started off at Lima in Peru, and has just completed a five day trek to Machu Picchu.  

Upstairs

Portrait Chair, Prolific Chillies, King of the Mountains Cube, Stool, Amp, Guitar. Sunshine

 

In Museum Gardens

When I moved to York in 1998 this footpath in Museum Gardens had just been opened. Its twists and turns made it ideal for Rowan to play on as she grew. So it is good to see it still in good nick, and the plants growing strong.

 

Stroll 85 iii

Passing through the potteries there were plenty of derelict mills and kilns and factories. Very hard to get a good shot of a bottle kiln, but I loved this.

 

Stroll 85 ii

Iron rich groundwater makes the Trent & Mersey canal look like a theme park, as it enters the two Harecastle Tunnels.

 

Stroll 85 Congleton to Stoke on Trent

Probably as far as I am going down this part of the Stroll, for a while at least. Walked on the Macclesfield Canal and the Trent and Mersey. This shot, which I think could be in next years Open Studios, was taken south of Kidsgrove. The canal disappeared into Harecastle Tunnel and my path took me around Bath Pool. The image is called Heartbreak.

 

Delines

After the party I went to Leeds with Paul to see the Delines at Leeds Variety Hall. Great venue with perfect sound, and a fantastic band. Really enjoyed it.

House Guest

Fair to say that Althea and Layla got on OK.

 

Party

Althea from Chicago came to visit us again. As ever, a real pleasure to have her with us. We went to Emilie's party on Sunday. Althea, Danielle, Emilie and Renee. America 3 UK 1.

 

Daughter Time

Rowan was up with us for a few days. Monday she came with me to Thorne Moors on a beautiful autumnal day. Tuesday she helped me clear out the garage - a long time coming, I needed a helpful shove which she provided.

 

From the Smoke3

The Olympic legacy seems to be real, the park is a vibrant place with plenty going on.

 

From the Smoke2

The V&A east is quite a location and quite a building. Even the cafe was good.

 

From the Smoke1

Taken in London, somewhere between Islington and the V&A East in Stratford. Quite happy not to remember where it was exactly.

 

London 2

The next day I met up with Andy, Katie and Anne. We had all first met 50 years ago when we began our time at Liverpool University in October 1976. Half a century. We went to the Earl of Essex in Islington then to the Tamil Crown round the corner to eat. Earlier in the day I had revisited The Music is Black exhibition at the V&A East, with Katie and Anne. Good to meet Andy's partner Ren as well.

 

London 1

Down to London I went once more. Met up with friend Victor at the Guinness brewery in Covent Garden. A good time as usual.

 

The Unexploded Bomb

We missed the excitement, but there was an unexploded bomb found up the road. The army experts took it to the middle of Hob Moor where they blew it up and disposed of it. Always something going on.

 

Harvest Time

It has been the best of tomato harvests this year. Risottos, salads and sauces. I even tried some in my dal recipe this week, and it worked well.

 

Stroll 84 Saxilby to Lincoln

 Lincoln has really benefitted from the establishment of the University there. It feels a buzzy place to visit with plenty going on. The route followed the oldest canal in the country; the Fossdyke was built by the Romans and makes for a pleasant walk with few people around.

Stroll 83 Haltwhistle to Hayden Bridge

The Stroll route is now completed to Haltwhistle. A good walk along the South Tyne and up into the hills around Allen Banks. The cattle are interested in the dog, not me.

 

Trains

 

Often an interesting train in the sidings as I walk over the footbridge to the Mount in York. The shiny one on the right is a 50 year old HST, used for measuring track movement. The one on the left is an express arriving from London Kings Cross.