Tour of the garden - Part 1

Going back a week or so - this is our bluebell wood!

Around the village

Nice tree on the common.














Nice, and probably very expensive thatching job.

To Hemel Hempstead and back

Hottest day of the year so far - so we went for a nine and a half mile walk to Hemel Hempstead and back along the Nickey Line!














As it was so hot, we chose this walk as it's nice and shady all the way. It's a nice walk until you get to the Industrial Estate in Hemel Hempstead where you have to do a bit of winding around factory units and the tidy tip - and it's not particularly well signposted. From there it's between houses and allotments down to The Midland pub - how convenient!














A geocache we found on the way - stuffed with 'goodies'.














This is the reservoir near Three Cherry Trees Lane. I've passed it hundreds of times but have never looked in - it's empty!













It would make a good nature reserve now?

Our average speed was 3.2mph according to the G.P.S. so that wasn't bad considering it was so warm.

Church End - Redbourn

Of course, the advantage of printing the parish magazine at the church is that you have to come home via Church End. Past the almshouses (click on the picture to enlarge it and read the inscription).














Then you happen to come across The Holly Bush...














If the door is open, it seems a shame not to take a look inside...
Oh! beer pumps - well perhaps just the one then?

Medical Bellringers - Final Chapter

The final tower of the afternoon was at Godmersham.














Following the evening meal there was handbell ringing.














On Sunday morning SWMBO rang at Canterbury Cathedral.
This is just the entrance to the precinct - mere mortals like me have to pay £6+ to get past this point - no thanks, seen it before.


















At lunch I had a green (yes, take a closer look) pint of Sign of Spring brewed by the Stonehenge Brewery

Medical Bellringers - between towers

On our way to the last tower of the day, we took a detour to Crundale church to find a geocache...















Inside Crundale Church

Medical Bellringers - Tower 3

After lunch, the next tower was at Brabourne.














The Five Bells was not very photogenic, but served good beer and had a nice sunny garden where we sat and enjoyed our drinks. The food here was about half the price of the pub in Wye where we had lunch - you win some, you lose some...

Medical Bellringers - Tower 2

The second tower was at Wye














Where we had lunch in The New Flying Horse Inn clickylink














Aha! Shepherd Neame clickylink one of my favourite beers.

Medical Bellringers - Tower 1

This weekend we have been to Canterbury where SWMBO was ringing with the Guild of Medical Ringers - I was her chauffeur.
The first tower we joined them at was Chilham which is a real 'tourist trap' as you can see.
















Chilham Castle

Spotted Dog - Flamstead

Walked up to Flamstead, and went by this bluebell wood which is pretty pathetic compared with those at Ashridge.
Although of course, this is a few weeks later in the year.















Obviously I was in a hurry to get into The Spotted Dog as I forgot to take a photo, so I found this one on t'internet.
Shame about the rubbish bins, but beggars can't be choosers!















Very rural walk back to Redbourn, through farmer's fields.















Then, back across the M1 to get back to Redbourn.

Wicket Brood - video clip

Wicket Brood Morris Dancers

These Morris dancers clickylink were at The Cricketers clickylink in Redbourn last night.
In fact, it was a year ago yesterday that the new landlords took over the pub.















The photos are not particularly good as the light was fading fast (8:30pm) and the flash on my little camera is not powerful enough for this sort of thing.















Here's an oriental Morris Dancer - very good he was too!

Video clip to follow - tomorrow!

Third out of 67,100

I seem to be getting a lot of people arriving on the blog looking for information about Luton Airport's pickup/dropoff point which I mentioned a while ago.

I thought I'd do some investigating.

If you click on the link below you will see that my blog is the third choice on this Google search - out of 67,100 other posts.

pick up luton airport - Google Search

How many people make it to the front page of a Google search?

Another popular 'hit' is for Tea at Luton Hoo.

Hopefully my ramblings prove useful to all these people?

Magic bridge

This extraordinary hydraulically operated bridge was across a tiny wharf at an office block in the Paddington Basin. It really served no purpose as it was only a few yards longer to walk around the back of the wharf.
Very interesting though, and quite stunning too.