Andrew's Travels

Andrew's Travels

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Poland Voyageur
Wieliczka Salt Mine
19 mai 2022, Pologne ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Wieliczka is approx 30 minutes outside Krakow and famous for its ancient salt mine, which opened 700 years ago and is still in operation (for maintenance only). Rock salt is a valuable mineral that fuelled Krakow's growth (and, from a tourist income perspective, still does so today!)

The mine is unique in the world for its corridors, sculptures, chambers and galleries that have all been excavated and carved by hand. There is a 2 km tourist route on three levels through a network of underground galleries reaching a depth of 135m.

An amazing experience.En savoir plus
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Poland Voyageur
Krakow - Podgórze
18 mai 2022, Pologne ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
South of Kazimierz, but on the other side of the River Vistula, is the district of Podgórze.

Located at 4 Lipowa Street in the post-industrial part of Podgórze called Zablocie, is Oscar Schindler's Enamel Factory. When WWII started in 1939, Oscar Schindler (a German himself) initially employed Jews from the nearby Ghetto because they were expected to be paid less than Polish employees. He soon came to care about their fate, however, and - using personal connections and bribes - managed to save approx 1,000 people from certain death in concentration camps and to survive WWII. The administrative building of the former factory now houses a permanent exhibition called "Krakow - the time of occupation 1939 - 1945" featuring many personal accounts. It was very interesting and informative.

After the German invasion in 1939, part of Podgórze became the Ghetto for Krakow with 25,000 people crowded into it; this area had walls built around it with tops resembling Jewish grave headstones - we see a 12m long fragment of the wall.

Zgody Square is not far; this was the starting point for deportation to camps. Now known as Ghetto Heroes Square, it features an art installation of dozens of large iron chairs; this was inspired by abandoned furniture after the liquidation of the Ghetto. At the corner of the square is Pod Orlem Pharmacy; now a museum, the former Eagle Pharmacy was operated by a Pole, Tadeusz Pankiewicz, who was entitled to remain in the Ghetto - it was the only Pharmacy there. As well as providing medicine, the pharmacy acted as a secret meeting place and Tadeusz and his staff acted as runners connecting Jews in the Ghetto with those outside. It is of particular interest to us as Helen was a Pharmacist.

At the west side of Podgórze we see the beautiful St Joseph's Church and cross the River Vistula back to Kazimierz via Father Bernatek's Bridge; also known as Love Bridge, it is noted for its acrobat statues above head height.En savoir plus
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Poland Voyageur
Krakow - Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter)
18 mai 2022, Pologne ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C
South of the Old Town, but still north of the River Vistula is the Jewish Quarter of Krakow, Kazimierz (this is where our hotel is located).

We start in the beautiful Ulice Szeroka, where there are nice restaurants (see later), and visit the Remuh Synagogue and Cemetery. This is one of the two still active synagogues in Krakow; the original Remuh was destroyed in WWII, but it has been rebuilt and tombstone fragments have been incorporated into a wall sound the cemetery; we walk through this and see many interesting tombstones.

Futher along is the Old Synagogue, now a museum, and nearby are both the High Synagogue and Tempel Synagogue (also active, with the Jewish Community Centre next to it).

We cross Plac Nowy - well known for its Zapienka (Polish pizza), other street food and neighbouring bars - and carry on to visit the huge 14th century Church of Corpus Christi, with its magnificent interior and dominating tower. We walk west through Kazimierz to see Pauline, Church on the Rocks (Skalka), a monastery and church built on a rocky outcrop close to the River Vistula.

We walk back to Plac Nowy and see what is known as Schindler's Alley (used as a location in the film "Schindler's List"). Back in Szeroka we have an excellent outside dinner at Ariel Restaurant and enjoy live music from a neighbouring restaurant as we eat, before popping inside to hear more live music at ours.En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und HeidiWell done
22/05/2022Répondre
VoyageurThanks; I'm sure you're enjoying you Balkan trip, we loved ours.
22/05/2022Répondre
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Poland Voyageur
Krakow - Stare Miasto (Old Town)
17 mai 2022, Pologne ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Our route from The Wawel to the Stare Miasto (Old Town) takes us past the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, with its Baroque facade, the Church of St Andrew next to it and on to the Franciscan Church; this has amazing interior decoration which is not immediately apparent to the naked eye. We walk alongside the Bishops Palace on to the Collegium Maius, the oldest building of the Jagiellonian University (itself one of the oldest universities in Europe); it has a beautiful arcaded courtyard.

We turn right and reach the Main Market Square, one of the largest medieval squares in Europe. The Town Hall Tower is the only remaining element of the town hall buildings that used to be here; it is next to the magnificent Cloth Hall, which has been part of the city's trade since the 13th century (the rebuilt Hall now mostly sells jewellery and souvenirs). Outside the main entrance to the hall is the Adam Mickiewicz Monument, commemorating a 19th century poet. Close by is the Gothic St Mary's Basilica, an iconic site of Krakow, with a magnificent altar inside; it is also famous for the hourly trumpet call in all four directions (which we hear).

We walk up Ulice Florianska towards St Florian's Gate; this is part of the Royal Route (which we have followed - with diversions - from Wawel Hill to the Main Market Square and on to the Florian Gate); the gate was once part of medieval fortifications. We divert again to the Slovacki Theatre and its grounds before doubling back to the Barbican; this is the oldest remaining element of Krakow's defences, and one of only three such outposts still existing in Europe.

We cross over to Plac Matejki, which is dominated by the Grunwald Monument, constructed in 1910 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald.En savoir plus
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VoyageurLovely photos
19/05/2022Répondre
Wolfgang und HeidiHave a good time in Poland
19/05/2022Répondre
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Poland Voyageur
Krakow - The Wawel
17 mai 2022, Pologne ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
A good flight to Krakow yesterday; about time too - this self-organised trip should have happened 2 years ago, but was postponed for some reason....

The Royal Complex on Wawel Hill, overlooking the River Vistula, is considered a symbol of Polish Statehood and the first historic ruler of the country settled here in the 10th century.

We enter the 4-winged Royal Castle (built 1505-36) by crossing the Italianate arcaded inner courtyard; some of the castle is closed to visitors, but we can visit the Royal Apartments - there are tapestries, ornate ceilings, stoves, furniture etc to see and admire. We also visit the small Royal Gardens at the rear of the castle.

Wawel Cathedral (of Saints Stanislav and Waclaw) is the most important temple in Poland; many Kings, wives and national heroes are buried here. Several chapels have been built around the main nave, and it is extremely beautiful inside. The bell tower is part of the specified walking route and the 12-ton Sigismund Bell is of particular ineterst; there are good views from here as well. We also visit the Royal Tomb and Cathedral Museum as part of our Cathedral visit.

We leave The Wawel and take the scenic Royal Route to Krakow's main market square and beyond...En savoir plus
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RHS Gardens Voyageur
RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey
11 avril 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Wisley is the historic home of the Royal Horticultural Society and houses one of the largest plant collections in the world.

We follow the recommended trail on the RHS Wisley map, starting at perhaps the most iconic view of Wisley; the old Laboratory building set among a terraced landscape with the striking Jellicoe Canal in front of it. We then pass by the Conifer Lawn, take the Wisteria Walk, see the Mixed Borders and Cottage Garden and walk up the hill to see the sculpture of a Drinking Horse Head entitled 'Still Water'. We walk through the Wildlife Garden, with its wicker structures providing a haven for wildlife, and see another sculpture outside the RHS Hilltop building; Hilltop is the new laboratory and the "Home of Gardening Science"; it is the UK's first dedicated horticultural scientific centre of excellence. There is an interactive exhibition here that demonstrates the benefits of gardens for wellbeing; there are also great views from the top.

We see the fruit tree collection (pleached) and cut across to the Bonsai Walk; from here it is a walk back via the Alpine Meadow and Rock Garden to The Glasshouse. This amazing building is 12m high and huge; entering it is like walking into a jungle with its tree ferns, tall palms, lush-leaved creepers and dazzling flower displays and there are three climatic zones to explore (tropical, moist temperate and dry temperate). We leave and walk through the Oakwood to reach the Walled Gardens and the Water Lily Pavilion; from here it is along the Equinox Borders to enjoy the Riverside Walk to the Heather Landscape. Then back through Howards Field and the Pinetum, the oldest tree collection at Wisley; there are some interesting tree sculptures to see here.

An excellent 3 hour walk with lots of interesting things to see.En savoir plus
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Wiltshire Voyageur
Cherhill White Horse and Avebury
10 avril 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Cherhill is a village that lies close to an old coaching road which ran from central London to Bristol. We cross the new version of this road - the A4 - and head up the hill, enjoying good views of the Cherhill White Horse and the Cherhill Monument (aka the Landsdowne Monument) on the Cherhill Downs.

We reach the Landsdowne Monument first; this is a Grade II 38m tall stone obelisk erected in 1845 now owned by the National Trust - access to the summit is not permitted at present due to renovation work. Close to it is the Cherhill White Horse which was cut into the chalk hillside in 1780 and may have been inspired by the Westbury White Horse; it is now also owned by the National Trust. We pass the banks and ditches of the Oldbury Hillfort and as we move between the two monuments and then head downhill to walk along the Old Bath Road running parallel to the A4 before crossing again to the other side to go to Yatesbury village. We then head back towards Cherhill via Compton Bassett.

It is a short drive from Cherhill to the Avebury World Heritage Site; we visited the stone circle henge on a previous visit, but still have some unfinished business here. We see Silbury Hill, a Neolithic (2,300 BC) artificial chalk mound; at 39.3m high and with a 167m base diameter, it is the largest prehistoric mound in Europe. It is a short walk from here to visit the West Kennet Long Barrow; this is a Neolithic (3,650 BC) chambered long barrow that was used as a burial chamber for a short time. It is has been partially reconstructed with a side chamber that can be explored - a "spooky" experience.En savoir plus
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Wiltshire Voyageur
Devizes; Caen Hill Locks / Roundway Down
9 avril 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C
Devizes is a town on the Kennet and Avon Canal; this is actually a waterway that comprises 3 sections;
1) Bristol to Bath via the natural course of the River Avon,
2) the Canal itself linking the River Avon to the River Kennet at Newbury, and
3) Newbury to Reading via the natural course of the River Thames.

We follow the course of the canal along the Caen Hill Lock Flight between Lower Foxhangers and Devize;; this canal flight allows boats to accommodate a change in height of 237 feet over 2 miles. This amazing feat of engineering, completed in 1810, comprises 16 locks for Caen Hill and another 6 at the Devizes end; there are large side ponds at each lock and the complete structure is now recognised as a scheduled ancient monument. It is truly incredible to see.

We now follow the course of the canal along the outskirts of Devizes past the Devizes Wharf and the former warehouse to pass large houses with gardens down to the water. We cross a bridge and walk up to the small hamlet of Roundway before carrying on to Roundway Hill to pass the Devizes Millenium White Horse, cut in 1999.

Further up Roundway Hill is Roundway Down, a steep, chalk grass covered down with great views; there is a triangular shaped Iron Age Hill Fort dating from 600 BC on top. The hill fort is also known as Oliver's Castle because a great battle was fought on Roundway Hill in 1643 during the English Civil War.

It is a long walk down to Devizes, but another great day has been spent.En savoir plus
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Wiltshire Voyageur
Devizes; Town
8 avril 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
Devizes is a market town situated on the Kennet and Avon Canal and has an incredible 500+ listed buildings. The town originally developed around an 11th century Norman motte and bailey castle, but very little remains of this as it was destroyed in the 17th century during the English Civil War; the site is now occupied by a privately owned Victorian-era castle.

We start at St John's Church, also Norman in origin as it was the garrison church for the castle; the castle is visible from the area around the churchyard. We walk down St John's Court, past the Old Town Hall and the Boots Building to the Market Place; it is surrounded by 18th and 19th century buildings and has a magnificent Market Cross and Fountain.

We walk along the Brittox, originally connecting the town and castle, and explore further seeing both the Shambles Market and St Mary's Church (also Norman) before reaching another significant site; the Wadworth Brewery, established in 1875 and well known for its 6X beer (a personal favourite).En savoir plus
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The Jurassic Coast Voyageur
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16. Sidmouth to Orcombe Point
7 avril 2022, Angleterre ⋅ 🌬 8 °C
We set off along Sidmouth Esplanade enjoying the view to the east (Salcombe Hill) and to the west (High Peak) before passing the outskirts of Connaught Gardens and starting the ascent up Peak Hill. We have a good view of the Big Picket Rock and Little Picket Rock as we follow the path up High Peak.

There are spectacular views of Ladram Bay and its red sandstone stacks; we pass Smallstones Point and walk southwest along the coastal path past Brandy Head, a historic RAF Observation Post (now available as holiday accommodation). We reach the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve at the mouth of the River Otter - a saltmarsh and mudflat habitat - and loop up and down a short way to reach the outskirts of Budleigh Salterton and its pebble beach; it is a very attractive small town.

We follow the cliff path and enjoy views back to Budleigh Salterton and Otterton Ledge and ahead to Straight Point, now an MOD area. We cross a large static caravan site to reach the High Land of Orcombe and Orcombe Point, the most westerly Point of the Jurassic Coast; this status is marked by the " Geoneedle", an obelisk monument unveiled in 2002 representing the variety of stone found along the Jurassic Coast.

Walking the Jurassic Coast has been a fantastic experience. Click on the blue "The Jurassic Coast" link at the top this post to see the whole trip.En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und Heidi Wonderful 👍😊
08/04/2022Répondre
Wolfgang und Heidi Wow !!!
08/04/2022Répondre
VoyageurSome lovely photos
09/04/2022Répondre
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The Jurassic Coast Voyageur
15b. Sidmouth; Byes to Donkey Sanctuary
5 avril 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C
The Byes in Sidmouth is an attractive green corridor that follows the River Sid from Sidford, a small village on the outskirts of Sidmouth, to the sea at Sidmouth; there are footpaths, open fields and parkland here. The Donkey Sanctuary is a British charitable organisation devoted to the welfare of donkeys and is based a few miles outside of Sidmouth, near Trow.

We start in Sidmouth at the picturesque Toll House on Waterloo Bridge that crosses the River Sid; it is actually a Grade II listed council home. Along the Byes we pass some weirs and explore Margaret's Meadow, before crossing the river to the village of Fortescue. It is then a steep climb through woods and across a field to reach the road for the descent to the village of Salcombe Regis; this is a tiny unspoilt village with a beautiful Norman Church and has a lovely churchyard. We then cross more fields to reach Slade House Farm, the home of The Donkey Sanctuary, home to over 500 donkeys and mules; it is interesting to walk round and see the animals.En savoir plus
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The Jurassic Coast Voyageur
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15a. Sidmouth; Town
4 avril 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Sidmouth lies at the mouth of the River Sid in a valley between Salcombe Hill to the east and Peak Hill to the west, and is characterised by red-coloured rock cliffs; it is a gateway to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

Sidmouth was a fashionable and popular Regency and Victorian resort and still has many Period buildings and a mile-long Georgian Esplanade; there are two beaches - Sidmouth town beach to the east and Jacob's Ladder beach to the west.

We walk along the beautiful Esplanade and then into town to see Sidmouth Market (a building) and walk along Old Fore Street before doubling back to the Parish Church; the museum is closed, unfortunately. We head down to the Esplanade and walk the rest of this and then up Clifton Terrace; there are three fine thatched houses here decorated in "cottage orne" style. We carry on up the hill to reach Connaught Gardens, Sidmouth's showpiece public gardens, overlooking Jacob's Ladder Beach; they are lovely and the so-called Clocktower cafe occupies a former lime kiln. There are excellent views to both west and east from up here.

We then walk back the edge of town up Glen Road past the magnificent Royal Glen Hotel; this was a former residence of the Duke of Kent, the father of Queen Victoria. Then it is along Glen Goyle, a secluded area, and Bickwell Valley, an impressive collection of fine detached houses in large gardens, before walking back to our holiday rental.En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und Heidi Lovely pictures 😊
04/04/2022Répondre
VoyageurSome wonderful photos
04/04/2022Répondre
VoyageurThank you. I have recently upgraded my mobile and am pleased with the improved quality of the images.
07/04/2022Répondre
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The Jurassic Coast Voyageur
14. Beer Head to Sidmouth
3 avril 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
We walk up to Beer Head, enjoying the lovely views both forward and back. Beer Head is a vertical-walled white chalk headland leading to the Hooken Cliffs, another undercliff walk along a huge landslip with the cliffs above us.

We reach Branscombe Mouth, cross over to walk above the village of Branscombe and then walk along Weston Cliff to Weston Mouth. Up from here we stop to look around Weston Plats, a 19th century clifftop market garden area farmed by villagers from Brannscombe, on an undercliff where donkeys transported seaweed for fertiliser from the beaches and harvested crops back to the village.

There is a steep ascent and then a walk along the Higher Dunscombe Cliff top and then more steep ascent up steps to reach the "Frogstone", placed here in 1965 by helicopter. We then walk through South Combe Farm and enjoy excellent views from Salcombe Hill before descending to Sidmouth, crossing a bridge over the River Sid to reach the Esplanade for a view back to the cliffs we have just come down.En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und HeidiThats real nice Andrew. We have shitty weather here
07/04/2022Répondre
VoyageurThanks, we have been lucky.
07/04/2022Répondre
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The Jurassic Coast Voyageur
13. Seaton and Beer
2 avril 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Seaton is s small town and fishing harbour located at the mouth of the River Ax and facing onto Lyme Bay.

We see the Seaton Wetlands in the distance - a freshwater grazing marsh comprising 3 local nature reserves - before passing the small harbour and walking along the seafront to the older part of town, the cultural quarter. Here we see the Jubilee Clock Tower (1887), the old Town Hall (now the Gateway theatre), the high Street and the Seaton Lion at the entrance to a shop (formerly a hotel). A short walk along the shingle beach and then it is up to the village of Beer.

Beer is a pretty coastal village one mile west of Seaton; it grew up around a smugglers' cove and caves which were once used to store contraband goods (we were not able to visit the caves).En savoir plus
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The Jurassic Coast Voyageur
12. Lyme Regis to Seaton
2 avril 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
We walk along the seafront, past the Cobb, and up a very steep ascent to join the path along the Jurassic Coast. This takes us through the Undercliff National Nature Reserve, a 7 km wilderness area that contains rocks from the Triassic, Jurassic and Creataceous periods. The paths are difficult in places; it is like going back in time, seeing the ferns etc. There has been a lot of tree felling to manage Ash dieback. The thick forest means that there are only occasional views of the cliffs above and the sea below.

This is a very active coastal area and there have been many landslips over the millenia that have shaped it. The most recent was in 1839 on Christmas Eve; a massive section of cliff slid seaward in an event known as the ‘Great Landslip’, causing a chasm to form behind the landslide block which is now known as Goat Island. We cross this and emerge onto fields and cross to a lane which leads to a path across a golf course. It is then a steep descent to the Axmouth Bridge over the River Ax and into Seaton.

A very different experience to other parts of the Jurassic Coast walk.En savoir plus
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Dorset Voyageur
Tolpuddle; The Martyrs' Trail
1 avril 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
Tolpuddle is a small village, but famous because of its association with The Tolpuddle Martyrs.

These were 6 Methodist labourers stuck in poverty in 1833 who founded a small society to protest against poor pay; this "trade union" was frowned upon by the local land owner who claimed they had sworn a secret oath together. His betrayal led to their arrest, trial by a biased judge and sentence to 7 years transportation and hard labour in Australia. People rose in their support and demonstrations led to their eventual return after a pardon; the government backed down as it transpired that a senior official's brother was in a "secret society". We now have many trade unions in the UK.

We start at the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Museum and Memorial Cottages; a statue, a row of cottages and a small museum commemorate the Martyrs. We visit the Parish Church of St John the Evangelist, where the grave of one of the Martyrs is to be found, and see the Martyrs' Tree, an ancient sycamore where their secret oath is alleged to have been sworn. We pass the Martyrs' Cottage on the way to the new Methodist Chapel (1867) with its Memorial Arch (1912), now a listed monument.

An interesting excursion.En savoir plus
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Gloucestershire Voyageur
Cheltenham - Parks and Spas
20 mars 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C
There are several parks in Cheltenham.

The Imperial Gardens are located just off the Promenade, at the rear of Cheltenham Town Hall, and are flanked by extensive Regency facades, with Regency terrace townhouses encompassing the other three sides. In the Gardens there is a signpost that points to towns which are twinned with Cheltenham worldwide, as well as a full size bronze statue of Gustav Holst as the centrepiece of a fountain surrounded by octagonal plinths depicting the planets (Holst was born in Cheltenham).

Behind the Imperial Gardens are the Montpellier Gardens and east of this is Sandford Park; this has one of the largest outdoor pools in England as well as several monuments and fountains of interest.

Heading back into town and walking north up Winchcombe Street takes us to Pittville Park; this is the largest ornamental park in Cheltenham and features the magnificent Pittville Pump Room and two lakes. We enter via the Pittville Gates and walk through Pittville Lawn, which is flanked by beautiful Regency houses, to reach the Park; overlooking the sweeping lawns and ornamental lakes is the Pittville Pump Room, the jewel of Cheltenham’s Regency architecture and the grandest survival of the town’s many spa buildings.En savoir plus
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Gloucestershire Voyageur
Cheltenham - Town
20 mars 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C
Cheltenham stands on the River Chelt, a tributary of the River Severn, and is a spa town (mineral springs were discovered there in 1716); it claims to be the most complete Regency town in Britain - there are tree-lined promenades and parks surrounding its several spas (these are covered in a separate post).

Starting at Royal Crescent, a terrace of 18 houses, we walk to and along the Promenade which was built at the height of the Regency Period; tree-lined and beautiful, it is flanked by the Long Gardens and contains the popular modern statue called "The Hare and the Minotaur" as well as an older statue of Edward Wilson, an Antarctic explorer, and the imposing War Memorial. At the end of the Promenade is the amazing Neptune Fountain, which was modelled on the Trevi Fountain in Rome.

This leads to the Montpellier district, now a trendy bar area with a rotunda building. Around the corner and backing onto the Imperial Gardens is Cheltenham Town Hall, an early-20th century and Grade II listed assembly rooms building; it is a public venue and not the seat of the borough council, which is housed in the nearby Municipal Offices. We pass Cheltenham College, a famous Victorian public school (English independent day and boarding school) and a number of other regency buildings on the walk round the town

Cheltenham Minster, St Mary's is the only surviving medieval building in Cheltenham, and has been in continuous use for 850 years. A short walk from this is the Brewery Quarter, Cheltenham's hub of leisure attractions, restaurants, bars and shops.En savoir plus
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Cambridgeshire; East District Voyageur
Reach and Swaffham Prior Circular
8 février 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
The ancient township of Reach, or as it was previously known Reche, has been inhabited for over 2,000 years and is situated at the termination of the Devil's Dyke earthwork; the village was the centre of considerable trade in mediaeval times and was granted a charter to hold an annual fair at Rogationtide by King John (Reach Fair continues to this day, an event attended by the Devil's Dyke Morris Men who dance there annually).

We see the village sign - each side is different - and across the village green is the Dyke's End pub; this is close to the Church of St Etheldreda which was built in 1860 on the site of the former chapel of St John - the ruined perpendicular arch of the old chapel is visible behind the new church. We leave the village and take a short detour through Reach Wood - volunteers from Reach and Swaffham Prior planted 3,200 young trees on this site in a single day as part of an initiative to create new woodland. Much to our surprise, we see an emu in a farm enclosure.

We walk up Barston Drove and turn right at the end to reach the village of Swaffham Prior; we see the village sign and the excellent Red Lion pub before reaching the twin churches that dominate the village. The Church of St Mary and the Church of St Cyriac and St Julitta have served the parish since at least the 12th century, but in 1667 an act of parliament combined the churches under a single parish. Swaffham Prior is also known for its two windmills; Fosters Windmill is still operating as a mill but the Smock Tower Mill, now a private property, is covered by scaffolding and undergoing extensive renovations for the new owner to return the mill to working order in order to generate electricity.

We leave the village and head east for a mile to reach the Devil's Dyke earthwork and walk along the top to get back to Reach. En savoir plus
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The Thames Path Extension Voyageur
Crossness Incinerator to Tripcock Ness
7 février 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C
Literally 200 yards from the Belvedere Incinerator built in 2012 is the Crossness Sludge Powered Generator, also futuristic with a curved chimney, which was built in 1998; they are separated by the Crossness Nature Reserve, and the building of the former so close to the latter was contentious at the time. Dried sewage sludge is burned here to generate renewable energy.

The Crossness Sludge Powered Generator is adjacent to the Crossness Sewage Treatment Works. This was opened in 1865 together with the Crossness Pumping Station as a result of the "Great Stink"; this was an event in Central London in 1858 during which the hot weather exacerbated the smell of untreated human waste and industrial effluent that was present on the banks of the River Thames - the stench from the river had become so bad that business in Parliament was affected. The Pumping Station, a Grade I listed building, is now decommissioned but still has occasional open days as a museum since it still houses the old Beam Engines that were used to pump London's sewage into a reservoir and then out to the Thames on the ebb tide! On the opposite side of the Thames we have views of the works at Ford Dagenham; car production stopped here in 2002, but engine manufacture continues.

The Thames Path now follows the riverbank with the outskirts of Thamesmead on our left; Thamesmead mainly consists of social housing built from the mid-1960s onwards on former marshland on the south bank of the River Thames on the old Royal Arsenal site that extended over Plumstead Marshes and Erith Marshes - part of the large estate was used as a location for the film "A Clockwork Orange". We see some historic cannons on the path as we proceed.

We soon reach what was a dangerous bend where the River Thames turns south-west towards Woolwich; there is a small red lighthouse here now and the promontory is known as Tripcock Ness. We also see an old pill box and have a view of the Barking Creek Barrier, a tidal flood barrier constructed in the 1980s as part of the Thames flood defence system; Barking Creek joins the River Roding in Essex to the River Thames.En savoir plus
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The Thames Path Extension Voyageur
Erith Pier to Belvedere Incinerator
7 février 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
From Crayford Ness the route leaves the river and goes along Manor Road, from Slade Green to Erith, and turns into Appold Street before reaching the Victorian Erith Pier and Pleasure Gardens; the proposed resort was shortly lived, however, due to the opening of the Southern Offall Works at Crossness in 1865 (see next post). The pier continued as an industrial ships deep water wharf until the 1950s when the modern, concrete, boomerang shaped pier was built (the longest in London).

We see the old Erith Causeway, 170m long and of historic interest (but due to be replaced soon because of its state of decay) and can look out across the Thames to Coldwater Point Lighthouse, on the side, marking the tip of Rainham Marshes in Essex, now a RSPB reserve. We walk along the path past old wharves and new wharves, with chutes and cranes for loading the ships that stop close to the several large industrial estates on our left; this is all a lot more interesting to see than it might seem! There are also many industrial sites on the other side of the Thames here.

We round a large bend in the river and pass the large modern quay where waste is collected from ships and barges for the futuristic looking Cory Riverside Resource Recovery facility (RRR), aka Belvedere Incinerator; this UK waste-to-energy incinerator site was opened in 2012 on the outskirts of Belvedere, the next town on after Erith.En savoir plus
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Essex Voyageur
Little Walden Circular
28 janvier 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C
Little Walden is a small village in North Essex and lies about 3 miles north of Saffron Walden, along the B1052 road that goes up to Hadstock and Linton (in South Cambs); a USAAF airfield was operational from 1942-45 - this has long since gone back to agriculture, although it is commemorated on the village sign. Little Walden is well known locally for the 18th century Crown Inn, a free house, and we have a quick look round the hamlet to see this as well as the small St John's Church, opposite Hall Farm, and the large village pond before walking north up Petts Lane.

We pass through Home Farm and on to the Grade II listed timber framed Burntwood End before following the path east towards Park Farm and then south down through Ravenstock Green Farm (it is very agricultural here); there are views over to Chesterford Research Park (biotechnology, pharmaceutical and technology R&D companies have offices and bases here).

We cross the B1052 to walk through Mitchells Farm and then east along a farm track; there are views of a windmill in the distance - Braggs Mill, near Ashdon (see Ashdon and Bartlow Circular FP entry; click on Trip - Essex). We head south now and reach Puddle Wharf Lane before heading west along the Harcamlow Way, turning off at Butler's Farm - where there is some fancy farm machinery on view - and back in the general direction of Little Walden.

It's been over 7 miles and a pleasant 3 hours walk.En savoir plus
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Museums of Cambridge Voyageur
Fitzwilliam; Gold of the Great Steppe
25 janvier 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C
Treasures uncovered at Saka burial complexes, comprising of mounds (kurgan), in East Kazakhstan have been on display in Cambridge at the Fitzwilliam Museum; the Saka were a prehistoric nomadic warrior horse people who inhabited the northern and eastern Eurasian Steppe and the Tarim Basin and dominated this region, from the Black Sea to Siberia, from about 900BC to 200BC. This part of the world is of interest to me due to its proximity to the Silk Road (see atdtravel.wordpress.com for my blog describing this overland travel adventure).

The highlights of the "Gold of the Great Steppe" exhibition are gold artefacts found with a high-rank teenage archer discovered in 2018 at the Eleke Sazy kurgans and include status symbols such as a gold neck torc and thousands of gold shoe beads; other items found with the teenage archer included a short composite bow designed to be fired from horseback and a bronze dagger with gold sheath.

There are stylised animal artefacts on display (including a stag plaque with twisted legs, griffins and argali on cloud stands) which point to the mythological view of the world that the Saka had. The exhibition also draws attention to the importance of horses to the Saka in Steppe society, to their metal working skills in general, as well as their ability to work with natural resources, including plants and herbs.

All in all, a very pleasant morning's diversion and a reminder of an interesting part of the worldEn savoir plus
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Museums of Cambridge Voyageur
Introduction to the Museums of Cambridge
24 janvier 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C
Together, the eight University of Cambridge Museums and Cambridge University Botanic Garden represent the UK’s highest concentration of internationally important collections outside London:

- The Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street; art and antiquities
- University Museum Of Zoology, Downing Street; scientifically important zoological material
- Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Downing Street; archaeological and ethnographic artefacts from around the world
- Whipple Museum of the History of Science, Free School Lane; materials related to the history of science
- Museum of Cambridge, Castle Street; Cambridge & County Folk Museum
- Scott Polar Research Institute (Polar Museum), Lensfield Road: centre for research into the polar regions and glaciology worldwide
- Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, Downing Street; geology museum
- Museum of Classical Archaeology, Sidgwick Avenue; one of the few surviving collections of plaster casts of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture in the world
- Kettle's Yard, Castle Street; a house full of 20th century art alongside a contemporary art gallery
- Botanic Garden; a plant collection of over 8,000 plant species from all over the world to facilitate teaching and research

There are also other museums in Cambridge:

- David Parr House, Gwydir Street; a preserved terraced house in Cambridge, with interior decoration in the Arts and Crafts style
- The Centre for Computing History, Rene Court; a permanent public exhibition telling the story of the Information Age
- Cambridge Museum of Technology, Cheddar Street; an industrial heritage museum
- Cambridge Science Centre, Clifton Road; an interactive science museumEn savoir plus
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VoyageurHave you been to all of them?
27/01/2022Répondre
VoyageurSome over the years, but having done the research I am inclined to visit the others.
27/01/2022Répondre
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Imperial War Museum Duxford Voyageur
Spitfire: Evolution of an Icon
7 janvier 2022, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C
With twelve Spitfires going on display at the aircraft's "home", another visit to IWM Duxford had to be done; this exhibition, running from 27 Dec 2021 to 20 Feb 2022 in the AirSpace super hangar, traces the plane's development at the base where an RAF squadron received the first operational aircraft in 1938. It is thought to be the largest number assembled under one roof in the 21st century.

Characterised by its graceful curves, elliptical wings and the sound of its powerful Rolls Royce engine, the Spitfire has become an icon of British air history; it was active in the Battle of Britain (1940) and also in North Africa, Italy and elsewhere in Europe during the 1939-1945 conflict. The aeroplane developed over this period, with changes to the Rolls Royce Merlin engine to make it bigger and more powerful leading to modifications of the aircraft design. For example: the nose was enlarged, the tail and propellers had to be changed because of the power that the newer engines produced and new wings were developed to hold more powerful armaments (originally eight machine guns, from Mark II onwards the wings were changed and heavier cannon introduced, with it eventually being able to carry bombs).

It was extremely interesting to see these changes over time close up.En savoir plus
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The Thames Path Extension Voyageur
Crayford Ness to Erith
4 janvier 2022, Angleterre ⋅ 🌧 4 °C
The Thames Path follows the River Thames from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier at Charlton, South East London and is about 184 miles long; from here to Crayford Ness, 10 miles further and just beyond Erith, is considered an extension of the Thames Path - this trip is in reverse, from Crayford Ness to the Thames Barrier.

Crayford Ness is a marshland area close to where the River Darent joins the Thames; the Dartford Creek Tidal Flood Barrier here prevents high rising tides and flooding of the local area. Just beyond this confluence is the Queen II Bridge over the Thames, the Dartford Crossing. As we walk along the footpath on the flood embankment, there is saltmarsh on the river side and the marshes on the other, with views of a wind turbine and the Erith Yacht Club ahead.

We reach a small industrial estate where the Thames Path diverts from the river and along Manor Road for a mile or so to Erith.En savoir plus
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