Half Term Trip South-February 2011-Part 1-Humber Bridge,Barton and Grimsby

I'm heading down to North and North East Lincolnshire for a visit.
It's half term and my grandkids are off school.I'll get to see how quickly they're growing up.

My drive down was uneventful,with the weather clearing enough on the A66 to get the above pictures close to Barnard Castle.

A game of golf,visiting friends and dinner with the family got me settled in.
Me, Callum and Erin are heading for Barton on Humber.

This link contains lots of technical information.
The Humber Bridge
Callum and Erin have crossed the bridge often enough,but never walked on it.I remember it being built.At the time it was the longest single span suspension bridge in the world.

It's a misty cold day,but that doesn't stop us having fun.

We get as far as the South tower before the biting wind makes us turn back.
Now we'll have a look at the Far Ings nature reserve.

A dozen bird snapshots from the car gets me only the one decent picture.

Here's a couple of would be country bumpkins.

Fun and games in the bird hide.

Next we're heading to the Water's Edge Country Park.
Water's Edge
Earth Centre Network

This is open all the year round and deserves all the accolades it gets.

Great for kids.

Posers ! but so photogenic.

The centre's curved glass frontage looks out onto ponds with numerous varieties of birds at all times of the year.Inside it contains hands on displays about wildlife and issues such as climate change.Most schools in the surrounding area visit regularly.

I guess that's a tufted duck above.

Who's the silliest goat then ?
A further wander round and another run over the assault course saw us heading back home.That was a very enjoyable outing.

After a night out wining and dining with family and friends I'm now heading for

Grimsby 

Me,Jack,Charlotte and Mummy are going to visit the Fishing Heritage Centre.
Fishing Heritage Centre
I visited this place many years ago and wasn't too impressed.Now I'll thoroughly recommend a visit.It's excellent. We won't be going on the boat though.It's pouring down outside.

Most of the building has been turned into a museum of 50's life for the trawlermen of  Grimsby.

I wonder who the car belonged to.Perhaps it was used to drive around a 50's pin up girl ?

Many of the exhibits are so lifelike.
Top left of the above collage ? I could swear I saw movement.

I can't see that the trawlermen  would have kept their mirrors this shiny.
Jack and Charlotte are having a great time.Mummy nearly had a fit when she saw four of them.

Here's a pair of would be trawler crew.Situations vacant for Stokers and Net repairers.

Even as a fifties laddie from Fife I can relate to most of the above pictures.

As you make your way through the different rooms of the centre,it seems that each of them has the smell that was most likely at the time.Especially down here in the boiler room.

Looking at the pub in the top right,there's still a few I've visited recently that haven't changed much.

This visit was a very enjoyable experience.Jack and Charlotte certainly enjoyed themselves.
We're going to The Deep in Hull tomorrow.That'll be a separate post.

Jump forward a day and my visit to Grimsby ends with a walk in Peoples Park where a kick about and helicopter flying were followed by hot chocolate in the cafe...

...the play park and a look at the geese and ducks.

Next posting coming soon will be 'THE DEEP',it will be colourful.

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.