Category: NT and EH

National Trust, English Heritage, museums etc.

Middleham

On By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, PhotographyLeave a comment

Tuesday am: We’re in Yorkshire for a few days – Wensleydale today, starting with the magnificent ruins of Middleham castle. It’s more colourful than we’d imagined – there are masses of pinky-purple flowers all over the stonework (“erinus alpinus”, also know as alpine balsam and fairy foxglove. I didn’t know that at the time…). This castle has an amazing assortment of dark nooks and crannies, making for a fascinating exploration. Afterwards, lunch at a small cafe across the road, where, sitting outside, we watch local life pass by – including numerous racehorses heading for, or returning from, the gallops nearby.

Middleham Castle English Heritage

English Heritage

On By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, Photography, Railways...1 Comment

English HeritageDay 4 of the “Cambrian Coast Express” tour. Flying Scotsman is hauling the train (as I write) between Crewe and Paddington, via Hereford and the Severn Tunnel. We went out to Stokesay to see it, with the castle providing a (scaffolded) backdrop. Inevitably, a little cloud obscured the sun over the railway line, while the castle basked in full sunshine. I don’t think 60103 was feeling very well – a few minutes down at Stokesay, it has just arrived at Bristol Parkway (Realtime Trains!) around 30 minutes late. The photo says it all – no visible smoke or steam (it was around 25c – another warm one), thought the diesel at the back seemed to be working hard…

Update: The train left Parkway on time (it had been scheduled for a lengthy stop) and arrived at Paddington on time. I wonder what the problem was?

Croft Ambrey and Bircher Common

On By geoffspagesIn Herefordshire, NT and EH, Photography, WalksLeave a comment

We arrived at the Croft Castle car park at midday, to find it almost full, but once we were beyond the immediate surroundings of the house, we saw few other people. One or two were making their way up to Croft Ambrey, but we had the woodlands almost to ourselves when we chose a more roundabout route to the hill fort. Bircher Common is quiet too – just us and a few sheep. It’s very pleasant on a day like this – warm sunshine and a cooling breeze – on these Herefordshire hills.

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=344730&Y=266330&A=Y&Z=120

Berrington outdoors

On By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, PhotographyLeave a comment

It’s another warm sunny day (with the possibility of a shower later?) – we’ll throw together a quick picnic and find somewhere to eat it (Whitcliffe Common, Ludlow) on the way to Berrington Hall. We explored the interior about this time last year – today we’ll take a walk around the lake. It’s easy going, even on such a warm afternoon, and the ice creams in the gardens are very welcome, though I’m not sure we’ve really earned them.

Berrington Hall NT

Dudmaston in spring

On By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, PhotographyLeave a comment

Rain is threatened – better not stray too far. A wander around Dudmaston might be pleasant? It was! Spring is really getting going here – and not just the flora. The swans on the lake are quite excited about it, and the geese are honking happily. Just out of sight in the Severn valley, the steam trains whistle as they clatter along, a far more relaxing sound than the motorcycles screaming along the A442…

Dudmaston NT

Langley Chapel

On By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, Photography2 Comments

We’d driven past once or twice, but never looked more closely. The last regular service was held here in 1871, according to English Heritage, its owners. They also say it was one of the first historic buildings to be taken into the care of the state – in 1914! It’s in the middle of nowhere (i.e roughly half-way between Acton Burnell and Kenley, perhaps 10 miles to the south of Shrewsbury), built for the farm nearby, Langley Hall (itself worth a second glance), when presumably it was of some significance in the area. A remarkable little building – heavy, rather plain and rustic oak pews (and box pews), very simple, very quiet ( a perfect brief Good Friday outing – there’s no-one else here!), and kept clean and tidy despite its long redundancy.

Langley Chapel EH