A trip south-Final Chapter

It's Wednesday the 23rd of September and a couple more days will see me heading back home to Galloway.
Which means i'll soon be saying cheerio to these two...

...and these three.

Today i'm having a look around Scunthorpe.I lived here for a while.Not a great deal changes.I dined out in Ravendale Street.It was declared the 'Culinary Centre of Scunthorpe' when they decided in 2003 to put out tables and chairs so customers could eat 'Al Fresco'.

Delicious food from Scalinis,but only pigeons and starlings for company today.It is quite cold though,and i suppose summer is over.

I'm taking a look at my ex employer now.It wasn't Corus or part of the Tata group then.It was the old dyed in the wool British Steel back then.If only they'd moved with the times,maybe we'd still be an industrial country.
I'm over in North East Lincolnshire tonight,home of the National Fishing Heritage Centre.Grimsby is still home to the largest fish market in the U.K., but most of what it sells these days comes in by road,rail,containerisation and even plane.There's very few if any Grimsby based trawlers these days-another great British Industry lost.
These two are the reason i'm here in Grimsby tonight.Cheeky Charlotte and Jaunty Jack.It's only a month since they were up in Galloway,but it's great to see them again.
As well as visiting the grandkids today,i visited old friends and neighbours,and it was nice to see them all,but i won't be moving back.

THURSDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER
I've taken a run down the Trent Ports today.
I occasionally worked in these docks as well...

...but this picture is pure nostalgia and gratitude.The thick reinforced concrete wall behind these pallets is the reason i can write this blog today.Back in 1974 on the 1st of June this building was under construction.The walls were up,and some wooden roof trusses were in place.I and other chemical process operators in area 3 were saved from certain death when the biggest peace time explosion in the U.K occured.This wall deflected the blast upwards.
Deep bruising from falling roof trusses,displaced adipose tissue and being a nervous wreck for years afterwards soon used up the £250 compensation i received.
Read the HSE summary report here.
NYPRO

But on a happier note now,i'm taking my good friend out to the Waters Edge at Barton on Humber today.
Barton on Humber was the home of John Harrison the inventor of the Maritime Clock,and is always a pleasing place to visit.

The Waters Edge Visitors Centre and Country Park celebrates the wildlife and unique environment of the Humber estuary.
More info here.
Waters Edge
As well as great interactive displays,it has a nice cafe(The home made soup was delicious).With our shared interest in taking pictures and video we get some good footage.


On then ..

Panorama of The Humber Bridge on CleVR.com

..to the Humber Bridge,one time longest suspension bridge in the world where i get this panorama.

There are views from hills to be had in North Lincolnshire.From South Ferriby head south on the road above Saxby and Horkstow.Here the extreme ends of the Lincolnshire Wolds give a view to the west and the Scunthorpe Steelworks and Windfarm...
...where the hazy sunshine gives the view a kind of Lowry come Landscape look.
It's been an enjoyable day in really great company.Tomorrow i head home.

FRIDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER
The run home today...
...but first i get nine holes in with the boys.I'm just glad i only embarrassed myself at the first.
Back to No 1's house for coffee and presents (and the delicious Plum Bread made with the secret recipe)and i'm on the road.
I've had an enjoyable trip despite being full of cold.

A trip south-Part 6-A Lincolnshire Afternoon

Tuesday the 22nd of September.
I'm taking a very good friend for a run out this afternoon.
On the route,i get a few more pub signs.
Just south of Laughton we saw a couple of tractors working.The sky and the seagulls completed the picture.
Thanks for this great picture Sam.
At Gainsborough we stop at the 'Trent Port'.
Owned by Crown Carveries you get an excellent main meal for £3.50.They've got the right idea.Keep the food prices low and you'll attract the customers.Crown Carveries
There's not too many in Scotland yet,but they're opening up everywhere.
Well fed,we head up to West Stockwith.It's here that the Chesterfield Canal runs into the river Trent.It's a popular spot for boaters.The marina was full,and quite a number of boats were moored along the canal.
A run through the picturesque Isle of Axholme villages on the banks of the Trent completed a lovely afternoon.

A trip south-Part 5

It's Sunday the 20th of September,we're heading for the Red Lion at Westbury on Severn.
We're a bit early so we look around the nearby churchyard.The river Severn widens out along here.
After an excellent lunch we tour a little of the Gloucester countryside.At Twigworth there's a Georgian Mansion built in the mid 1700,that houses an exhibition called 'Nature in Art'.It's probably very nice,but we decided the £4.50 entrance fee was too steep.We then headed through to the village of Sandhurst where they were playing a leisurely game of cricket.
On then to Flaxley Abbey.Flaxley where i climbed the neighbouring hill and got lovely views over the Severn.
On then to another Red Lion,this time at Wainlode Hill.Here the pub own the riverbank,and have picnic tables out.Very popular,i only took video of the boats which i'll upload later to YouTube.
Back then to Burley Fields at Cheltenham,where the deer were roaming freely.
That evening we walked the couple of miles into town to meet up with the others at the Jolly Brewmaster.

Monday
It's Monday the 21st of September,and after saying goodbye,i'm travelling up to North Lincolnshire...
...where i meet up with my eldest daughter,and my grandkids Callum and Erin.That night we dine out at the Old Farmhouse.

A trip south-Part 4-Cheltenham and the 2.13 Musical Relay

Saturday the 19th of September,and i'm leaving Wales.
After a hearty breakfast i have to say a reluctant goodbye and thanks to my kin for their wonderful hospitality.I'm travelling along the M4 and M5 heading for Cheltenham.
I'm met at B & Q by my twin daughters Sarah and Marie,and Sarahs partner Phil.Our first stop is a farm shop for some food.This 'Billy' couldn't care less.
After lunch we head down to the metropolis that is Cheltenham.
We're at the museum and art gallery this afternoon for a musical improvisation extravaganza.
Marie's parner Chris is co-organiser and one of the sixteen musicians for 'The 2.13 Musical Relay'.
In honour of the world famous 2.13 Music Company,at precisely thirteen minutes past two in the afternoon three trios will start improvising at three different locations respectively.
Some minutes after this the remaining 'nomadic' musicians set off in search of one of the three locations at their own discretion.
When a new musician appears and starts playing,one of the existing trio players has to make the decision to leave and heads for a new location (so that there are only ever trios playing at any one time)and so on and so on for two hours and thirteen minutes.

This wouldn't be every one's cup of tea musically,but i must admit it was highly entertaining.
In between times we had fun around the other exhibits.
The Bayshill was close by for refreshments...
...of the liquid kind.Pictures were taken all round...
...including funnies and others.
We spotted this wee lassie in a window-she wasn't really a prisoner.
In the evening we took a ride down to Cirencester,and a walk round.

These last few pictures are from that visit...
we got a few whoops and hollers from the limo.
I'll sleep tonight.

A trip south-Part 3-Glamorgan Heritage Coast

It's Friday the 18th of September and we're heading for Ogmore by Sea.
On our way we cross this known as the 'Dipping Bridge'.Apparently at sheep dipping time,they'd dam the river,and the sheep would be herded through these holes in the side.
After parking up at Ogmore,we head south east.This is great walking country.There's quite a few folk around,including what appears to be a class of Geology students.Dirk enjoys getting a run on the beach,
There's lots of crumbling rock and crevices,and when we stop for our picnic,i'm soon off exploring.The rocks are full of imprints of small fossils of ancient creatures,like the one in this collage.
We continue on to Dunraven Bay,where the students unroll what seems to be a map of sorts.
This is even more popular than Ogmore,and the car park is fairly full.It's a pretty dramatic coastline.
There's a good bit of history here Dunraven
I reckon this VW lookalike is a DIY car.It's someone's pride and joy anyway.
Now we look around the walled garden.Volunteers are bringing it back to some of it's former glory.
A little further on we reach the steps leading down to the beach at Southerndown.Certain lassies may remember this scene from their childhood.It's been a fair walk as we retrace our steps back to the car.
We head off to St Brides Major in an unsuccessful attempt to get to the farm shop before closing time.No bacon and eggs,but i pictured goats,cockerels and turkeys.
Back to Laleston for a short rest up before heading out for dinner with a fellowship group at the Watermill near Ogmore.
Another very enjoyable day.