Andrew's Travels

Andrew's Travels

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Cambridgeshire; Cambridge City Voyageur
Hobson's Conduit; Nine Wells - Cambridge
2 mai 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
I have long wanted to do this complete walk, from the source of Hobson's Conduit to the city centre, having walked parts of various sections over the years. Hobson's Conduit, also called Hobson's Brook, is a watercourse that was built from 1610 to 1614 to bring fresh water into the city of Cambridge from the freshwater chalk springs at Nine Wells; the scheme was financed by Cambridge University, but Thomas Hobson, a local businessman, was involved in the construction and set up a maintenance endowment for the waterway which is now named after him.

Nine Wells is a nature reserve close to Addenbrooke's Hospital; there are four springs here and a monument, one of two, to the conduit. Hobson's Brook runs past the hospital and biomedical campus; there is a slight diversion for walkers away from the brook due to ongoing building work at the new Cambridge South railway station, but I soon re-join the path and follow it with the Hobson Park Bird Reserve on one side and the edge of Great Kneighton village on the other. I then cross the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway track before walking through more green space to reach Long Road (A1134); after this, the waterway reverts to its original name of Vicar's Brook as I cross over and onto Darien Meadow.

At the end of the meadow, the man-made channel of Hobson's Brook branches off from Vicar's Brook - there is a small bridge to cross here (obviously) and the two run parallel for a while enclosing a stretch of common ground, now used for allotments (the Empty Common Community Garden), emerging at the junction of Brooklands Avenue and Trumpington Road. The waterway passes the west side of the Cambridge University Botanical Gardens (it supplies water to the small lake here) before reaching the conduit head at Lensfield Road, where there is the second monument to Hobson and the conduit - the original Market Fountain was moved here in 1856.

The flow of water was divided into four separate branches from here for different uses, but only one branch remains - the Trumpington Street branch, which fed Peterhouse and Pembroke Colleges, as well as the original Addenbrooke's Hospital. I follow this, seeing the deep channels known as runnels at the side of the road that did this, and then divert to the Market Square; the original fountain was partly moved to form the monument in Lensfield Road and soon after a Gothic Revival gabled fountain was erected, but most of this Victorian fountain was pulled down in 1953.

It has been a very interesting 4.4-mile walk with great views in places (see captions on photos).En savoir plus
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Norfolk Voyageur
Oxburgh Estate
21 avril 2024, Angleterre ⋅ 🌬 8 °C
We stop off at the Oxburgh Estate, near Swaffham, on our way home. Oxburgh Hall is a moated Manor house originally built by Sir Edmund Bedingfield as a symbol of power in 1482. It underwent extensive refurbishment in the mid 19th century, and this Grade I listed building is now managed by the National Trust

The Bedingfield family were strong Catholics, but things changed in the 16th century during the reigns of Elizabeth I and Henry VIII when Catholics were persecuted and even executed for sheltering Catholic priests.

We walk around the gardens and part of the grounds before visiting the house itself (part is still used as a family residence); there are many portraits and artefacts describing the Bedingfield family's turbulent history. The house is particularly noted for the Oxburgh Hanging and a priest hole (see pictures and captions).

It has been another excellent visit to Norfolk.En savoir plus
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Norfolk Coastal Path Voyageur
1
Old Hunstanton to Hunstanton
20 avril 2024, Angleterre ⋅ 🌬 7 °C
It's a short walk from our accommodation to Old Hunstanton Beach, where we rejoin the coastal path and walk up to the lighthouse and cliffs at Hunstanton (a popular coastal resort on the North Norfolk coast). Both the coastal lookout and the lighthouse at the top are now holiday homes that are available for rental.

A stone's throw away is the ruin of St. Edmunds Chapel, which was erected in 1272 in memory of Edmund who landed in 855 and was crowned King of East Anglia. He led an army against Viking invaders but was captured and killed. He was later martyred, becoming a patron Saint of England; when his body was found, it was being guarded by a wolf.

We follow the path along the top of the cliffs, noted for their distinctive stripes of carrstone, white chalk, and red chalk, to the Esplanade Gardens and then further to The Green. The Norfolk Coastal Path starts or ends here.

By coincidence, some family members are staying in Hunstanton this weekend, and we meet up with them for coffee.

It's been a good morning!En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und Heidi nice pics
21/04/2024Répondre
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Norfolk Voyageur
Burnham Thorpe and the Creakes
19 avril 2024, Angleterre ⋅ 🌬 10 °C
We drive to Burnham Thorpe and park near the church. Burnham Thorpe is a hamlet on the River Burn and famous for being the birthplace of Horatio Nelson, the victor at The Battle of Trafalgar on HMS Victory. His father was the rector of All Saints Church when he was born; the house where Nelson was born was demolished soon after his father's death, but a plaque commemorates his birth.

We start our walk at the church, passing a flint and stone barn, to meet the wall around Holkham Park. Here, we follow the course of an old Roman Road south and then turn down a farm track. There are good views en route before we turn to follow the road to North Creake, also situated on the River Burn. We visit St Mary's Church and walk through the village before taking the road and then a bridleway north towards Creake Abbey ruins; these Grade I listed ruins are St Mary's Abbey and now under the care of English Heritage.

The Abbey was at its peak in the 14th century but was destroyed by fire in 1483. It was rebuilt in parts, but the Monastic community was wiped out by sickness in 1506.

We walk on to Burnham Thorpe, seeing some more of the pretty village. Another great day out, and 10.1 miles of easy walking.

In the evening, we meet up with our old friends Paul and Miriam for dinner; they used to live in Duxford, but now live in Norfolk.En savoir plus
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Norfolk Coastal Path Voyageur
Brancaster Staithe to Old Hunstanton
18 avril 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C
It's a nice day as we set off on the 9:34am Coastal Hopper to Brancaster Staithe to resume the walk from where we left off. After a short while, though, we had to retrace our steps as the path was flooded and workmen were rebuilding it. We walked back and followed the diversion to Brancaster along the A149. From there, the coastal path and diverts inland behind Titchwell.

There are good views of the countryside and of a pig farm before the 1 mile walk down to Thornham and the coast. The path is raised as we walk along a coastal defence towards the Holme Dunes National Nature Reserve, enjoying great views of saltmarsh, water pools, and pasture. There is a "wild" beach at the Nature Reserve; this is ideal for coastal breeding; we see a lot of bird watchers and stop here for a late cappuccino and lunch.

We then set off for Old Hunstanton along the coastal path and have good views from the beach on the walk there. Another good 12 mile walk.En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und Heidiengland is a nice country !
19/04/2024RépondreTraduire
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Norfolk Voyageur
1
Royal Sandringham; House and Garden
17 avril 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Sandringham House is a royal residence of King Charles II, and usually used by Royalty in the winter; it was originally a large manor house in the Elizabethan era and was rebuilt in the Jacobean style between 1870 and 1900. It is the home of the Royal Stud and has excellent shooting on the grounds.

We visit inside the house, where there are excellent guides to describe the various rooms downsrairs that are open to the public; these include the saloon, drawing rooms, dining room, and no photographs are permitted. We also see a collection of 26 innovative garments and accessories, made using plant waste taken from Royal Gardens, including Highgrove and Sandringham, as part of an ongoing collaboration between VIN + OMI and His Majesty.

Outside, we visit The Old Stables Courtyard and former Coach House, where there is a small museum showing old Royal Cars and the Sandringham Fire Engine (now no longer used). We walk around the Sandringham Gardens via the stream, Lower Lake, Upper Lake, Topiary Garden, and North Garden before visiting St Mary Magdalene Church; this is used by the Royal Family when in residence. After lunch, we follow the 3 mile Nature Trail walk around the Royal Parkland.

It has been a really interesting visit.En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und Heidi 👍
18/04/2024Répondre
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Norfolk Coastal Path Voyageur
Wells-next-the-Sea to Brancaster Staithe
16 avril 2024, Angleterre ⋅ 🌬 8 °C
We take the Coastal Hopper 36 bus (free for people of a certain age) from Old Hunstanton to Wells-next-the-Sea and get off at Quayside to resume the Norfolk Coastal Path.

We follow the coastal path to the lifeboat station, where it diverts across and through Holkham Nature Reserve. We walk along the outskirts of pine woods and then along alongside salt marshes and the tidal foreshore. We then turn sourh west through the Overy Marshes, water meadows, and the Overy Creek towards Burnham Overy Staithe, a hamlet and small harbour one mile north of Burnham Overy (Staithe means a landing place for boats in the local dialect).

We walk close to the Burnham Overy Staithe Windmill, a Grade II listed Tower Mill that is now holiday accommodation, where the coastal path doubles back around the Norton Marsh and then goes on west past Deepdale Marsh and down to Burnham Deepdale. We then walk on to the neighbouring village of Brancaster Staithe - a landing place / harbour for the nearby Brancaster- with more saltmarsh on our right.

Then it's back on the 36 bus, for a well-deserved cup of tea after a lovely 12 mile walk (despite the wind and rain at times!)En savoir plus
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Norfolk Voyageur
Old Hunstanton and Ringstead
15 avril 2024, Angleterre ⋅ 🌬 8 °C
It started off very windy and wet today but perked up before midday when we went out.

Old Hunstanton is a quiet, small village compared to what is known locally as "New" Hunstanton. We walk around the village and see many very expensive houses that have been built or are being built. Hunstanton Golf Course is here, and we walk along a footpath, skirting the edge of the links course and following the course of the River Hun, to the next village, which is Holme-next-the-Sea This is the meeting point for the Peddars Way and the Norfolk Coastal Path; we follow the Peddars Way as far as Ringstead. This is a small village, also known as Great Ringstead, to distinguish it from the nearby deserted medieval village of Little Ringstead, aka Barret Ringstead.

We walk across the attractive Ringstead Downs, a chalk grassland nature reserve on the edge of the L 'Estrange family estate where Hunstanton Hall, the original family home, is situated; as we head back up to Old Hunstanton, we see the ruins of the Chapel of St Andrew at what was Little Ringstead.

It's been 8.4 miles and a good walk.En savoir plus
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Norfolk Voyageur
2
Castle Acre; Town, Castle and Priory
14 avril 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
We're staying in Old Hunstanton in North Norfolk for a week and stop off at Castle Acre on the way here.

Castle Acre is a rare and complete survival of a planned Norman settlement; it includes a castle, town, parish church, and associated monastery. It is situated on Peddar's Way, a trade and pilgrim route. There is a 12th century Bailey Gate as you enter the main street

The Castle was founded as a country house after the Norman Conquest by William de Warenne, a Norman Knight who fought at Hastings. It was converted to a strong keep in the 12th century.

From the Castle, we walk up to the Church of St James the Great; this has Norman origins but was restored in the 14th and 19th centuries - it is very large, reflecting how busy the town was then.

Castle Acre Priory is one of the best preserved Monastic sites in England. It was founded around 1090 by the son of William de Warenne and was inspired by the monastery at Clunes, France. We enter via a 15th century gatehouse; the Priory has a spectacular west frontage, with access to the 12th century Priory Church. We follow the route via the nave, cloister, and chapter house to the Prior's lodging, chamber, and chapel (dating from the Tudor times).

A spectacular start to our week away.En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und Heidi (Heidi) I love these places, Andrew !
15/04/2024RépondreTraduire
VoyageurSo do I!
17/04/2024Répondre
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Hertfordshire Voyageur
Reed, Buckland, Anstey, and Nuthampstead
10 avril 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
This post describes a 12 mile circular walk from Reed done with the Cambridge Rambling Club, combined with a follow-up trip by car to visit the churches properly.

Reed is a small, pretty village in North Hertfordshire and is situated on a chalk ridge approximately 3 miles south of Royston. We walk around the village green, past the old chapel (used as the local school for many years before becoming a private residence) and down to St Mary's Church; this had a new organ installed at a cost of £170,000! We then walk north for a while to the main footpath and past Reed Wood on the route to Buckland (another small village). Then it is east and over towards Anstey, passing Anstey chalk pit. The church here, St George's, is cruciform in shape and noted for its stained glass windows in memory of the USAAF 398th Bombardment Group who lost their lives in combat in WWII - they flew from the nearby former air station at Nuthampstead. This is a short distance away, and we walk up along one of the runways of what was USAAF Station 131 during the war; the airfield was constructed by the U.S. Army engineer battalions starting in 1942. We pass the Barkway DVOR (Doppler Very high frequency Omnidirectional Range Station), an aeroplane navigation aid that is in active use. There is another monument to the USAAF 398th outside the Nuthampstead Airfield Museum, but this is unfortunately closed.

After a break - we have walked over 8 miles so far - it is back to Barkway via a footpath along the Cokenach Estate and then back to Reed. Another great day out in a local area not that far from Duxford.En savoir plus
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Cambridgeshire; East District Voyageur
Six Mile Bottom and Burrough Green
3 avril 2024, Angleterre ⋅ 🌬 12 °C
This post describes a 12-mile walk with the Cambridge Rambling Club.

Six Mile Bottom is a hamlet within the parish of Little Wilbraham, near Cambridge; it is 6 miles from Newmarket and located in a "valley." There are few houses here and a small church, but the A1304 main road runs through it and it is on the Cambridge to Ipswich railway line; the station here was closed in 1967, however, and is now a private residence.

We circle round the back of Six Mile Bottom and cross open countryside towards Weston Colville; we then join the Icknield Way Trail and head through Brinkley towards Burrough Green - this is a small parish in Cambridgeshire, close to the Suffolk border, and also 6 miles from Newmarket. There is a lovely village green here, a pub and the parish church of Church of St Augustine (a Grade II listed building dating from the 13th century); nearby the church is the Old Hall, a manor house which is now a farm. Also of note is the primary school, which has been operating for over 400 years and the Reading Room dating from 1887.

We then walk to Westley Waterless; this is a small, long, and thin village that is featured in the Domesday Book. The recently restored Parish Church of St Mary-the-Less is known for its 1324 brass monument to Sir John de Creke and his wife, Alyne (Anne) Clopton.

It has been a really interesting walk.En savoir plus
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Cambridgeshire; South District Voyageur
Cambourne and neighbouring villages
20 mars 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Cambourne is the largest town within the South Cambridgeshire district, comprising the villages of Lower, Great, Upper, and West Cambourne. It is a new town, and construction began in June 1998 on what was previously the land of Monkfield Farm, with Upper Cambourne completed in 2016. In January 2017, outline planning consent was granted for a further 2,350 homes to the west of Lower Cambourne. The name of the community was created from the names of Cambridge, the nearest city, and Bourn, a nearby village; the local area is interesting, with some good walks - this post is a compilation from two of them.

We start off from Cambourne, up to the local nature reserve and pass by couple of small lakes (see picture captions) enroute towards Bourn, but not into the village itself; we visit the local landmark that is Bourn Mill, which dates from 1636 and has been recently restored (thanks to the Cambridge Past, Present and Future organisation). Another nearby village is Eltisley, which has a large village green and an interesting church with a lychgate (a covered gateway found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard). We then walk to Cambourne via the village of Caxton; note that Caxton Gibbet (now a replica of the original) is a long way outside of Caxton itself, on small knoll on Ermine Street (now the A1198) - the original was reputed to be a gruesome example of the cage variation of the gibbet, into which live victims were allegedly placed until they died from starvation, dehydration or exposure!

It has been an interesting couple of walks, and there is more to the Cambourne area than I originally thought.En savoir plus
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Norfolk Voyageur
1
Blickling Hall, Gardens, and Estate
27 février 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C
After a visit to Cromer yesterday, as part of a circular walk from the hotel, we are now on our way home and visit Blickling Hall en-route (this is also a National Trust property).

Blickling Hall is a Jacobean stately home built on the ruins of a Tudor house; this is believed to have been the birthplace of Anne Boleyn, one of the future six wives of King Henry VIII. During the Second World War, RAF air crew were billeted here while its owner, Lord Lothian, influenced Winston Churchill’s actions; the Hall was the Officer's mess, whereas service men where in Nissen huts. Blickling Hall is very large and really beautiful, a jewel in the NT crown; we are able to walk round parts of the ground and first floors (see captions on photos) - the Long Gallery, now the library, has 12,500 books and is the largest book collection cared for by the NT.

We visit the Gardens - seeing the parterre garden, the Doric Temple and the Orangery - before setting off on an Estate Walk (excellent maps are provided by the NT). We walk up past the lake behind Blickling Hall and across to the Great Wood, seeing The Mausoleum; this large pyramid was built in 1794 for John Hobart, the second Earl of Buckinghamshire. Then it's across to The Tower; this was built in the 18th century as a grandstand for the steeplechase racecourse that occupied what is now Tower Park (now a grazing area). Then it is through Plantation Wood and via Pond Meadow to Blickling to pass the Church of St Andrew on our way back to Blickling Hall. It has been another excellent walk; this is followed by a quick lunch and the journey back home to reality!En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und Heidi England is so beautiful 👍😊
28/02/2024RépondreTraduire
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Norfolk Voyageur
Felbrigg Hall, Gardens and Estate
25 février 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
We're off to Cromer in Norfolk for a couple of nights and stop off at Felbrigg Hall en-route (to make full use of our National Trust Membership!).

Felbrigg Hall is a 17th-century English country house noted for its Jacobean architecture and fine Georgian interior. We visit the house interior (see captions on photos); it is very attractive and interesting. We look round the Walled Garden (not the ideal time of year to do so, unfortunately) and then head off from the Hall on a circular walk via the Estate (seeing St Margaret's Church and Felbrigg Lake) and through the nearby villages of Metton and Sustead; it is 6.2 miles and a good walk.

After that, it's off the Cromer Country Club, where I enjoy a swim, hot jacuzzi, steam room, and sauna before dinner! A good day.En savoir plus
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Hertfordshire Voyageur
Ashwell, Hinxworth, and Caldecote
21 février 2024, Angleterre ⋅ 🌧 9 °C
This walk was done with the Cambridge Rambling Club, taking in 3 villages off the beaten track on the border of Hertfordshire with Cambridgeshire.

Ashwell is 4 miles north-east of Baldock; it is a pretty town that I explore over the lunch break, with some of the sites being seen on the walk back. It is well preserved, with many listed and other buildings of note (see captions on photographs); these include a the 16th-century town house (now a local museum) and the Maltings (now converted into flats). Ashwell Bury, a large Victorian house, was remodelled by Edwin Lutyens in the 1920s; Lutyens also designed the Grade 2 listed Ashwell War Memorial, unveiled in 1922.

The village is noted for Ashwell Springs, a site of Special Scientific Interest; the site consists of a series of freshwater springs, which form the start of the river Rhee, one of the main sources of the River Cam.
The Cam flows through the centre of Cambridge, then to Ely, where it joins the Great Ouse and eventually reaches the Wash 65 miles away.

We leave Ashwell via the Church and follow footpaths, including part of the 12th century Ridgeway, to Hinxworth; we stop at the Church of St Nicholas and pass the home of John W Mills, a British Sculptor. We continue on to Caldecote; this tiny village consists of a cluster of cottages around the redundant Church of St. Mary Magdalene, which dates from the 14th and 15th centuries and is currently in the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches charity. From here, we walk back to Ashwell via Newnham Hill; it has been an enjoyable 7.1 mile walk (although the conditions were rather muddy).En savoir plus
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Cambridge University Colleges Voyageur
3; King's College
17 février 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, known as simply King's College, was founded in 1441 by King Henry VI soon after he had founded its sister institution at Eton College. King's College Chapel is regarded as one of the finest examples of late English Gothic architecture and has the world's largest fan vault ceiling, while its stained-glass windows and wooden chancel screen are considered some of the finest from their era; the building is an emblem of Cambridge.

We enter via the Gate House along King's Parade and face the magnificent Front Court with the Chapel on our right, Gibb's Building (used for teaching, study and admin) straight ahead and the Wilkin's Building (used for dining) on our left; in the centre of the Front Court is the Fountain with a statue of Henry VI, the "boy-king", on it - he was born in 1421, the only child of Henry V, and succeeded to the English throne at the age of nine months upon his father's death! We enter the chapel and see the dark screen from the ante-chapel area, before passing through this to the magnificent choir area with its many stalls; ahead of us is the Great East Window and the Rubens painting "The Adoration of the Magi", a gift to King's College in 1961. We visit the Chapel of All Souls and St Edward's Chapel before passing an exhibition housed in various side chapels.

We exit the chapel and walk around the Back Lawn to the bridge over the River Cam; just after this is the Xu Zhimo memorial stone and Chinese Garden built in his memory. He was a student here in 1922 and his poem “Second Farewell to Cambridge” has become emblematic of modernist Chinese poetry - it has been learnt by millions of schoolchildren in China. Chinese tourists have flocked to Cambridge ever since in search of the scenes that so inspired him.

We exit via the backs; what a day!En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und HeidiI think we should visit England
19/02/2024RépondreTraduire
VoyageurYou would be welcome in Cambridge
20/02/2024RépondreTraduire
Wolfgang und HeidiThank you! Would be nice to see you again! And Helen of course 😊
20/02/2024RépondreTraduire
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Cambridge University Colleges Voyageur
2; Trinity College
17 février 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
Trinity College was founded by King Henry VIII in 1546, by merging the existing colleges of Michaelhouse and King’s Hall; Michaelhouse had existed since 1324, whereas King’s Hall had been established by Edward II in 1317 and re-founded by Edward III in 1337. Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge or Oxford.

We enter via The Great Gate, the main entrance to the college; a statue of the college founder, Henry VIII, stands in a niche above the doorway. We cross the Great Court, and from the far side, we have a great overview of the Clock Tower, Trinity Chapel, the Fountain, and the rear of The Great Gate. We enter the chapel via the clock tower and see the fine statues of notable Trinity College alumni in the ante-chapel; the chapel itself is magnificent with a fine organ and stained glass windows.

From here, we leave to visit King's College.En savoir plus
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Cambridge University Colleges Voyageur
1
1; St John's College
17 février 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
We are out with our daughter Sarah today; as an employee of one of the Colleges, we can visit them with her - even if they are not open for visitors. First of all, we visit St John's College; St John’s is one of 31 colleges at the University of Cambridge and was founded in 1511 - it is one of the largest colleges here. Although self-governing, colleges are all part of the university.

St John's entrance is via the Great Gate (1516) and features a carving of the coat of arms of the Foundress, Lady Margaret Beaufort, supported by mythical beasts called yales; above is a statue of St. John the Evangelist and at his feet is an eagle, the traditional symbol of the Saint. From here we cross the First Court and visit St John's Chapel before crossing the Second Court to have a quick lunch at the College cafe; from here we cross the Third Court and pass over the Bridge of Sighs. Named for the famous Venice landmark, this 1831 covered arch bridge connects College buildings on the other side of the River Cam, on the Backs; the bridge is a famous Cambridge landmark, usually only visible from a punt. We see The New Court at St. John’s College, a significant building built in response to increased demand for housing inside the college during the 1820s; it has a Gothic Revival design.

From here, we leave St John's on our way to visit Trinity College, the next college along.En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und Heidi She looks like Steffi Graf 😊
18/02/2024RépondreTraduire
VoyageurSo do I!
18/02/2024Répondre
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Cambridgeshire; Cambridge City Voyageur
University Library; Spitting Image
17 février 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Cambridge University Library is the main research library of the University of Cambridge and the largest of over 100 libraries within the university; the current building opened in 1934. The main University Library hosts exhibitions in its purpose-built Milstein Exhibition Centre; this is the reason for our visit, as there is an exhibition relating to Spitting Image, a British satirical television puppet show, created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn in 1984. There is a Cambridge connection as Fluck and Law both attended the Cambridge School of Art; indeed, Robert Fluck used to live in Duxford, where I live.

The series featured puppet caricatures of contemporary celebrities and public figures, including British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major and the British royal family. Some of these were on display together with original drawings, letters, and notes at the small exhibition. It was excellent and brought back many memories of the program.

From there we walked across the University's Sidgwick site (home to several of the university's arts and humanities faculties, and where there are a couple of interesting statues and carvings) and past Ridley Hall (a theological college that trains men and women intending to take Holy Orders as deacon or priest of the Church of England - it is not a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, but the school does have ties with the university's Faculty of Divinity).En savoir plus
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Wolfgang und HeidiNice pics, Andrew
18/02/2024RépondreTraduire
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Imperial War Museum Duxford Voyageur
Spies in the Skies
15 février 2024, Angleterre ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
During the Second World War, Aerial Reconnaissance Units special squadrons - such as the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) - were tasked with flying behind enemy lines to gather intelligence from the air, operating far behind enemy lines in specialised aircraft modified to carry high performance cameras.

The Lockheed 12A Electra Junior G-AFTL was a civilian aircraft adapted for use as a reconnaissance in 1939; the Spitfire was continuously modified during the war for this purpose and a Westland Lysander V9312 served as a reconnaissance aircraft with 225 squadron, flying over 30 sorties in 1940-41.

These were all on display at an interesting and informative exhibition in the AirSpace super hangar.En savoir plus
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Patagonia Adventures Voyageur
Buenos Aires; River Plate walk
11 décembre 2023, Argentine ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
From Retiro, I walk to the River Plate, or as close as I can get to it, and follow the path. There are some great views, and an upmarket restaurant area along the sourh side; Puerto Madero is on the other side. I see a museum ship, The Uruguay, and the reach Puente de la Mujer and the Sarmiento Frigate (both seen from afar yesterday, from further up the river). I soon reach the area where the Casa Rosada is located and head back to the hostel.

Combined with Avenida Florida, it has been a lovely circular walk (in the heat, unfortunately).

Later on, we go out for beers at our favourite bar and a meal at a restaurant we have been to before - creatures of habit......

It has been a fantastic trip to South America.En savoir plus
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Patagonia Adventures Voyageur
Buenos Aires; Avenida Florida to Retiro
11 décembre 2023, Argentine ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
We are able to collect our luggage from the truck and are back by 10;30am; slightly stressful waiting for the timing, but a happy ending. It is the end of the trip with Oasis now....

Ant and I do our own thing today for shopping reasons. I go out to Avenida Florida; down by the Casa Rosada, it is a pedestrian walkway lined with shops and posh malls (galerias). It's worth visiting in its own right, as there are some interesting sites.

Avenida Florida ends at the Plaza San Martin in Retiro barrio, and I walk through this to reach the Torre Monumentale; it is possible to go up this and enjoy some lovely views, which I did. Retiro is where the main bus and train stations are located for Buenos Aires.En savoir plus
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VoyageurHope your shopping expedition was successful !! 🤣🍷
12/12/2023RépondreTraduire
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Patagonia Adventures Voyageur
Buenos Aires; Avenida de Mayo
10 décembre 2023, Argentine ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
It is Presidential Inauguration Day and we arrive at Plaza de Mayo on Avenida de Mayo and the Casa Rosada Presidential Palace; the crowds are watching screens showing what is going on at the National Congress (at the other end of Avenida de Mayo) - it is the inauguration of President Javier Milei.

We walk up to the National Congress, it's heaving with people en route and there; we manage to sit outside at a bar and watch the thousands of people with their Argentina flags, shirts, etc. It is an interesting experience for us both; lots of loud music and celebrations. Eventually, the crowds go down to the Plaza de Mayo and the Presidential Palace; there is breathing space, and we can cross the road to go back to the hostel for RnR.

After dinner, we go on a guided tour of the Palacio Barolo, also on the Avenida de Mayo. The construction of this 22 storey building in 1923 was inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy, a three part epic poem in 22 stanzas describing Dante's journey through the Divine realms of Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise; the lobby represents Hell, the 4 - 14th floors represent Purgatory, and the balconies on the 20th floor represent Paradise - there is also a lighthouse two storeys up via a narrow staircase, which we visited. It was a really interesting visit; I must read the poem sometime......En savoir plus
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Patagonia Adventures Voyageur
Buenos Aires; Puerto Madero
10 décembre 2023, Argentine ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
From San Telmo, we cross the River Plate and walk across to Puerto Madero; this is a revamped dockside area with fancy accommodation in new skyscrapers.

We cross to the Ecological Park and walk along the edge of a lagoon with great views of this well developed barrio. Crossing back via another bridge adorned with large cranes, we see the Sarmiento Frigate and the Woman's Bridge (Puente de la Mujer) before walking back to the Plaza de Mayo - and the Inauguration crowds and celebrationsEn savoir plus
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Patagonia Adventures Voyageur
Buenos Aires; San Telmo
10 décembre 2023, Argentine ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
It is President Inauguration Day, but we walk to the barrio of San Telmo; this is the oldest barrio in Buenos Aires and has many interesting buildings. It is well known for its Sunday street market, which we visit; there is also a covered market which is open daily.

A good way to start the day!En savoir plus
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Patagonia Adventures Voyageur
Buenos Aires; Porteno Tango Evening
9 décembre 2023, Argentine ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Tango Porteno is on every evening and located close to the Teatro Colon and Obelisk.

This was 42 USD well spent! It was a fantastic evening with a 3 course dinner (empanades, steak, dessert) and all the red wine you could drink; oh, and some wonderful dancing and music as well!

Hopefully, the pictures can do the event some credit.....En savoir plus
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VoyageurYou'll be looking forward to watching Strictly then!! I'm sure it will be available on catch-up too 🤣🍷🍷
10/12/2023RépondreTraduire
VoyageurAfter unlimited red wine I'm sure you tangoed all the way back to your hostel!
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