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Baldock

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  • TravelerUK and a bit of Asia 2024
    1
    Day 35

    Walking Cambridge and Shuttleworth

    September 26, 2024 in England ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    It was another split-up day. Nobody wanted to come with me to Shuttleworth to see the collection of vintage aircraft. I have no idea why, as it seemed a no-brainer to me. So the ladies did their own things, with Christine walking around the river to see that and the colleges that make up Cambridge University. Tricia followed on later to locate the cattle on the Midsummer Common. They met up later.

    I set off for Shuttleworth in the sunshine and got there with no incident (a 50-minute drive). I got a car park in the small one by the entrance, which was good. Inside, I showed my prepurchased ticket and went in. The doors of the first hangar opened onto a collection of WWI aircraft, some replicas and some original. Most of these were in flying condition but weren’t flying today. When they do at their flying events, the crowds are much larger. I have always had a fascination with this era - maybe it was all those Biggles Books that I read as a child. I recognised most of the aircraft, so my dementia hasn’t yet taken hold. On to the other hangars, which included some pre-WWI aircraft like an original 1909 Bleriot, still with its original engine and still in flying condition (only on fine, still, days). Also, a couple of American racing planes from the 30s and the DH88 Comet that won the MacRobertson Air Race from the United Kingdom to Australia in 1933. Incredible machines, and many others too numerous to mention.

    I went through the displays and had a quick, late lunch before driving back. The ladies had luckily beaten me home as they had the keys.

    One of my bucket list items is ticked off. Can I do another tomorrow?    Read more

  • Traveler7T is lucky
    2
    Day 5

    Sunday

    October 24, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Today was catch your breath day. We all slept in, then Sue's son, James, & family came by for brunch that Malcolm prepared, followed by a visit from long-time friends, Trisha & Jamie. We returned several things friends had lent for party, took a nice hike, & just enjoyed the day.Read more

  • Traveler7T is lucky
    1
    Day 6

    Wednesday

    October 25, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Today started at the gym with remainder of the day spent in Letchworth & Baldock. I'm not sure I defined a garden city, it was designed by English Ebenezer Howard. A space with a lot of greenery & open area. Letchworth the first & cottages I shared earlier were his design & noted w/ historic plaque.Read more

  • TravelerVelotour 2024
    Day 43

    Letchworth Garden City

    May 13, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Die englische Stadt Letchworth Garden City (oft kurz Letchworth genannt) in der Grafschaft Hertfordshire war der erste Realisierungsversuch einer Gartenstadt. Sie wurde im Jahr 1903 rund 50 Kilometer nördlich von London gegründet.

    Letchworth Garden City sollte die neuen sozialreformerischen Ansätze, die Ebenezer Howard an den Städtebau gestellt hatte, erfüllen. Zur Bildung einer eigenständigen kleinstädtischen Einheit wurde eine eigene Industrie angelegt. Allerdings war diese Stadt nie autark, sondern von Anfang an von London abhängig.    Read more

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  • TravelerHertfordshire

    Reed, Buckland, Anstey, and Nuthampstead

    April 10, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 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.    Read more

  • TravelerHertfordshire

    Ashwell, Hinxworth, and Caldecote

    February 21, 2024 in England ⋅ 🌧 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).    Read more

  • TravelerUK, Londona’23
    Day 1

    RIX - LTN

    July 1, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Šī brauciena pirmais un galvenais mērķis Def Leppard un Motley Crue koncerts pasaulslavenajā Wembley stadionā - Londonā. Nopērkot biļetes uz koncertu vēl nebija nekādi plāni šim pavasarim tāpēc sanācis tāds ļoti piesātināts pirmais 2023. pusgads gan morāli, gan finansiāli. Maģistrs-būvinženiera sertifikāts - Patagonija - Rammstein - jauna mašīna - un tagad Def Leppard/Motley Crue koncerts Londonā. Gads ir tikai pusē. Neslikti grafiks...
    Atkal sagrabinājis atvaļinājuma dienu putekļus, kas man palikuši dodamies ceļā! 🤘🏻    Read more

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  • TravelerHertfordshire

    Baldock

    April 24, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Baldock is a historic market town in Hertfordshire less than 10 miles southwest of Royston; it has an association with the Knioghts Templar, is mostly Georgian, and also has an exceptionally rich archaeological heritage.  Malting and brewing were formerly major industries in the town, but today, it is mostly a commuter town.

    The majority of the interesting buildings are near to, or along, the High Street; we start at the War Memorial and see some of them (see captions on pictures).  After a slight diversion to walk along a street where there were originally roman buildings (The Twitchell) and an area where there was an Iron Age burial site (The Tene), we double back to see the Tesco supermarket (originally a film processing laboratory) before walking along what was the southern edge of the Medieval New Town (South Road). 

    We turn into Clothall Road and soon cross over to a footpath over a field towards Clothall Common; this field is where the Iron Age and Roman towns and several burial sites have been found.  We then head back into town along Royston Road; Raban House is at the junction with Whitehorse Street.  Then it's along Sun Street to St Mary's Church and back to the War Memorial to complete this short tour of Georgian and Ancient Baldock    Read more

  • Whiskytrippers 2022
    Day 4

    Tussenstop op London Luton

    November 7, 2022 in England ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Een echte reisdag vandaag. Van het huisje terug naar de luchthaven Inverness. KLM cancelde een paar weken terug ineens onze terugvlucht. EasyJet bood de oplossing om via London Luton terug te vliegen naar Schiphol. Vandaag dus een dagje wachten, zitten, eten, wachten, vliegen, zitten, wachten, etc. Straks vanaf Schiphol met de trein naar huis en is het Whiskytrippers weekend 2022 ten einde.Read more

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  • TravelerHertfordshire

    Royston

    October 31, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Royston is a town in North Hertfordshire about 10miles from Duxford; the town has excellent road and rail communications and has grown rapidly in recent years.  Despite its size, the out-of -town shopping zones, industry etc there is still an area in the centre of the town that reflects its place in the history of the local area and this is where I planned a "cultural" visit based on the town trail map.

    Royston grew at the crossing of two ancient thoroughfares; Ermine Street (created after the Roman conquest) and the Icknield Way (originally a prehistoric routeway).  Roisia's Cross was erected at this crossroad and the name evolved to Roisia's Town and then Royston; a large boulder with a socket in it, supposed to be the base of the original cross, is now there.  Royston Cave - an artificial circular, bell-shaped chamber cut into the chalk bedrock - is underneath it and accessed from Melbourn Street (it is only open to the public on certain days during the Summer).

    Nearby, on Kneesworth Street, is a large house known as King James' Palace; King James VI stayed in Royston in 1603, went hunting and liked the area so much he decided to build a house here (actually a royal hunting lodge) as it was also close to his other favoured area of Newmarket.  The Royston Museum is on the other side of the road to the house.

    Back on Melbourn Street, I detour to see the County Court House - now a trendy bar and kitchen - on Fish Hill. I then double back to pass the Grade II listed Georgian Banyer's House and the Old Town Hall, now Royston Picture House.  These buildings are opposite the Priory Memorial Gardens, formerly attached to a nunnery, where The Parish Church of St. John the Baptist is located; this is Grade I listed and dates from the 12th century.  The border of the Gardens with Melbourn Street is where the WWI War Memorial is located - it features a two-foot high bronze statuette of a private of the First World War with a crow at his feet - and the gardens also house a war memorial dedicated to members of the United States Army Air Force 91st Bomb Group who died whilst stationed at Bassingbourn from 1942 to 1945.

    I walk over to the High Street and then up to the Old Bull Inn, a former 15th century coaching inn with stabling for over 100 horses, and a very popular place as on the other side is the Market Square.

    An interesting visit; I now see Royston a little differently to how I used to!    Read more

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