Colne Brook & Ankerwyke Estate 11 October 2015

I didn't initially think that I had any interesting pics for this blog post, but then I edited them and realised that in fact, it was quite a lovely walk. Possibly too much talking happened to actually notice until later.

The walk started in Wraysbury and all the signs of autumn are everywhere.  We followed the Colne Brook, going round quite a couple of quarries which were used to build the M4 and had filled up with water since then.

 

When the Thames, which is quite close by, floods, the whole area is under water. As far back as 1852 somebody took the time to carve all these words to mark an exceptional water level.

 

 

Its pretty damp - obviously ideal conditions for fungi - aren't these special?

Crossing the railway line which doesn't run on a Sunday we came on to the banks of the Thames and followed the river for a while.

Then into the fields and heading for the Ankerwycke Estate we found the ruins of a Benedictine Nunnery founded in the reign of King Henry II - 1133 to 1189.

Also in the estate in quite a hidden corner is one of the 50 oldest trees in the UK - an ancient Yew - apparently around 2000 years old! Can you just imagine that?  It's huge, big enough to hide a mini Cooper behind.

On the homeward journey we walked through the churchyard of St Andrews and notice that he seemed to have lost his head!

Alexandra Palace 10 October 2015

Well actually it was The Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace, but would that have encouraged you to read this post? I don't think so. Now that I've got your attention though, hang in there, there are some quite interesting bits.

It was a cold and misty day, but no rain.

I've never been to this side of London and isn't that view quite something? I bought a Network Railcard which gives you 30% off normal rail fares in and around London, outside of working hours. Definitely worth it and I'll definitely be making some interesting trips.

The Palace is quite spectacular. It's been around since 1873, having been rebuilt in 1875 after a fire and has always been a venue for entertainment and exhibitions. The BBC had a big presence there for a long time but all that remains now is the radio and TV mast.

 

The exhibition hall is enormous and the great hall was absolutely jam packed with hundreds of exhibitors selling anything you could possibly need for your next handcraft project.

This will be my next project, probably a blanket.

 



There must have been thousands of people there. Some of the stall holders were very creative.

 



The best part for me though was the West Hall which had a textile gallery with some of the most incredible works of art.

This looks like it was inspired by images from the Hubble Telescope.

This collage is by Kate Jenkins and the title is "Kate's Plaice, The Stitchmongers" - how quirky and amusing and she even found a tin of Lucky Star Pilchards!

These, from a distance, looked like a modern take on a ruff, but up close you see that they are zips!

It hardly looks any different to the ruff in this picture of Elizabeth I.

And then there was one of the most incredible murals - inspired by Cinque Terre, a coastal area of Northern Italy, this group of artists from DAMSS Fibreart, using only recycled materials, put together a (at least) 20 metre long wall hanging which from a distance looked like a painting but up close it's all hand sewn.

 

 

Lunchtime... pulled pork sandwich with apple sauce. Not bad.

 



Some more wandering around but then the crowds were getting a bit much so I went and had a look around the grounds of the palace.

Besides an ice rink, a boating lake where there was a duck race going on ...

there is also a deer enclosure. They do look quite sad though.

So that was my day and six train/tube trips later I was home with my feet up and drinking tea. Ok, wine, but that came after the tea.

Kennet & Avon Canal 26 September 2015

Field trip!  Avoncliff to Semington Bridge. This is the second stage of a walk along the Kennet & Avon Canal, the first part happened earlier in the summer before I joined. It took some very complicated planning and meticulous timing which involved trains from Slough to Reading, Reading to Bath Spa, Bath Spa to Avoncliff. A six mile walk along the canal, then a bus ride from Semington Bridge to Swindon, train from Swindon to Reading, and then a another train from Reading to Slough. Fortunately someone else did the planning, I just tagged along. What beautiful countryside it is out there. It was another lovely summer day and it was great to be out.

 

The trains were crowded - everyone taking in the last of the lovely summer weather. I just saw Bath from the train but I'll definitely go back to explore. We hopped off the train at Avoncliffe and the walk started almost immediately - in fact the canal was in the bridge that went over the railway line. Strange to think of basically a river crossing a railway line!  From the bridge you looked down on to the Avon river and a weir. For a good distance the canal is built up and as you walk you look down on the surrounding countryside. It was built between 1784 and 1810 so much of it was built without heavy machinery - imagine that! 

 

The canal is incredibly busy with barges / houseboats all along the length - some sumptuously luxurious, some spartanly utilitarian and some just plain messy.

 

 



 

Canal Art ...

 



 

Quite soon we came into Bradford on Avon and had a look around the very impressive Tithe Barn.

 



Onwards.  We couldn't tarry otherwise we might miss a connecting bus or train, so it was a brief visit.
But tea was built into the programme - I don't recall the name of the village but it had quite a busy lock which was entertaining to watch. Often it was the women doing the opening and closing of the locks and the men who did the steering of the barge. Why is that do you think?

The barges are obliged to travel at no more than 4 miles an hour and we were walking faster than that. The paths are excellent and you share them with cyclists and runners. We saw this Heron from a way off and it was really unperturbed by any of the activity going on around it.

Then we were at our turnoff to Semington Bridge.

The next stage of the walk along the canal will happen in March 2016 and will start from this point.

We had been walking quite fast so there was time to stop off in the pub for a quick drink - cider it was and it went straight to my head! Who thought it would be that strong. Lucky the bus stop wasn't too far off.

Nobody had done the bus trip before and it was a real surprise to see that it went through Avebury. We thought we might see the stones in the distance but lo and behold we pretty much drove through the middle of the field! Apparently this is the world's largest prehistoric stone circle - actually there are 3 circles, two inside the larger outer ring. It is also, at this stage, still accessible. It was pretty late in the day and we had trains to catch! So we didn't stop, but this is definitely one for the list.

Talking of the list - if you think of anything I should make the effort to see - let me know.

And that was it- it was really pleasant to get onto the train and just sit for a while. A good day out!