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  • TravelerGuazzelli Europe & UK 2024
    1
    Day 27

    Cambridge - London

    October 12, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Wet night, but clearing by the time we got organised. Caught the train to Whittlesford (my grandfather grew up here [Mum's dad]). We went over the road from train station to the Red Lion hotel. They agreed to hold our bags while we went off. The pub began life as a monastery in the 1300s. Beautiful carved beams and revealed wood wall frames. A most gorgeous pub. We got a taxi to the Duxford Air Museum and spent 2 of the most amazing hours of our lives. Bi-planes and others were taking off and landing (joy flights).
    The collection and display was so awesome!
    We got a taxi back to the pub, planning to have lunch, only finding that the chef became ill and had to be taken to hospital! So we got on the train to London. We got there and finally sorted the right train to be on. Got to our accommodation just after 5. Not a flash area but accommodation is good. Out to find tea then back by 9pm.    Read more

  • TravelerUK and a bit of Asia 2024
    1
    Day 36

    Walking Cambridge II and IWM Duxford

    September 27, 2024 in England ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    It was yet another split-up day. Again, nobody wanted to come with me to IWM (Imperial War Museum) Duxford to see a different and bigger collection of aircraft—just as well, as it cost an eyewatering 24 quid. The ladies, dodging the rain showers, went back into Cambridge and did some more sightseeing and window shopping—it’s been 24 hours since they last did that.

    I set off to recharge the car at Trumpington (south end of Cambridge). I had to wait for 25 minutes as all 12 units were in use, with 3 to 4 cars queuing. The guy next to me often uses this one and said he had never seen it full. It charged very quickly when I did get access.

    I went on to Duxford - only 10 minutes from the chargers - and parked. I started in Hangar 1 (of 6) and was gobsmacked by the size and the number of aircraft. Several other hangars were just as large, with some big planes on display. B-52, Concord, Sunderland flying boat, Vulcan, B17, Liberator, SR71,… And then there were the smaller planes, more Spitfires than when this was an active airbase…
    Outside the airfield (used as a fighter base during the Battle of Britain) was a B17—Memphis Belle—which regularly flies in airshows here (one just a few weeks back). I was particularly interested in the B17 as my Dad flew in B17s that were used by RAF Coastal Command during the war for anti-submarine patrols. They had another one on display in Hangar 6—the American collection! It was good to get to see them.

    There was so much to see that I can’t describe it all here (‘what a relief’ I hear you say). The pictures will be better than my descriptions anyway,

    Got home mid-afternoon. We walked to a nearby chippy and bought far too much food - but it was good.    Read more

  • TravelerSabbatical
    2
    Day 5–6

    Heading up North

    August 29, 2024 in England ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Ich bin heute Morgen nach 10!! Stunden Schlaf aufgewacht, allerdings mit ziemlich fiesen Nacken- und Schulterschmerzen. Kann mich immer noch kaum bewegen, deswegen hat natürlich alles ein bisschen länger gedauert…
    Ich war aber in einer ziemlich fancy Markthalle und mit Holly am Strand spazieren bevor wir weiter Richtung Norden gefahren sind.
    Heute übernachten wir wieder an einem Pub in der Nähe von Cambridge.
    Morgen muss ich aber auf jeden Fall mal auf einen Campingplatz, weil ich dringend Hollys Sachen waschen muss (Pinkel-Schwein). Madame hat sich heute bei einem Spaziergang an einem Bach den Bauch so mit Wasser vollgeschlagen, dass sie danach locker ne Stunde Bauchschmerzen hatte… am Meer konnte ich sie auch nicht mehr ableinen, weil sie sonst die ganze Zeit Salzwasser getrunken hätte. Bisschen sad, sie hat ja eig immer geliebt am Strand rumzutoben…
    Gehen jetzt noch mal ne kleine Runde nach dem Essen spazieren und dann geht’s wieder in die Koje :)    Read more

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  • 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

  • TravelerImperial War Museum Duxford

    Scramble! - The Summer of 1940

    February 13 in England ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    It is that time of year again when IWM Duxford holds its winter spotlight exhibition; this year, it is "Scramble!" - the signal for RAF pilots in the Summer of 1940 during the Battle of Britain to run to their aircraft, take off, and engage the Luftwaffe in a battle for the skies. 

    The exhibition brings together some of the aircraft that actually flew during the Summer of 1940 during both the The Battle of France and The Battle of Britain campaigns; the captions on the photos describe where they were used.

    All exhibits have an interesting history. For example, the first Supermarine Spitfire Mk I (G-CFGJ) is the only airworthy aircraft in this IMW collection; it was issued to RAF Duxford in April 1940 flown by Squadron Leader Geoffrey Stephenson and was shot down in late May 1940 onto a beach near Calais - the remains were rediscovered in the 1980s; it returned to flight in 2014 and was then gifted to IWM Duxford. In addition, the Hispano Buchon was a Spanish license-built version of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter - it featured in the film "Dunkirk" and the TV series "SAS Rogue Heroes". Furthermore, the MG Midget TA (GPC 671) car is of interest because it was registered to Douglas Bader who led the five-squadron "Big-Wing" from RAF Duxford in Sept 1940; Bader owned it until 1946, and is now in private ownership.

    Another interesting exhibition at IWM Duxford.    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

  • TravelerDuxford and Local Walks
    11

    Duxford Village 1

    July 3, 2020 in England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We have lived in Duxford, a village in Cambridgeshire about 10 miles south of Cambridge, for over 30 years now. Duxford is well known for its airfield (now owned by the Imperial War Museum, IWM) and its air shows; the airfield was used as a sector station during the Battle of Britain.

    The village was originally formed on the banks of the River Cam and there is an old Water Mill; this is now a private property, but opens on local garden days.  There are two Grade I listed medieval parish churches, St Peter's Church (with the war memorial outside it) and St John's Church (now redundant, but open for visitors as it contains a variety of interesting wall decorations ranging from medieval wall paintings to graffiti - some of this dates from the Second World War). There is a lovely village green and we have two pubs – The John Barleycorn and The Plough. There is a new village community centre opening shortly; overall, it is a great place to live.    Read more

  • 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

  • TravelerImperial War Museum Duxford

    Spies in the Skies

    February 15, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 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.    Read more

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