Category: Photography

Just photos – no particular theme

Sunshine

On By geoffspagesIn France, Photography1 Comment

Wednesday 23rd May: Another look at the coast. Before lunch, a trip to Noyelles (again), then perhaps a shot where the line comes close to the road, on the run to Saint Valery. The train got there more quickly than anticipated – so sheep provide the foreground interest that should have been a pool. Another day perhaps.

After lunch, we drove to Le Treport, parking on the Terrasse and taking the cliff railway down to the shore, then drove back up the coast to Le Hourdel to explore the shingle spit at the mouth of the Somme estuary.

A fine evening followed – for an exploration of Saint Valery, walking from the quay to explore the medieval quarter.

The underground city

On By geoffspagesIn France, Photography2 Comments

Tuesday 22nd May: A grey start… Firstly a quick pre-lunch visit to the CFBS at Noyelles-sur-Mer, junction with the SNCF main line. After lunch, we drove inland to Naours, to visit its Cité Souterraine. The underground passages and caverns here, hollowed out over many centuries, are extensive and amazing – well worth a visit

Our return journey took us through the village of Saint-Riquier, whose abbey church, described as “flamboyant Gothic”, is certainly eye-catching. (The bread and cakes from the baker’s shop were pretty good too). The day’s cloud was starting to break as well…

By the time we’d eaten the cakes, it was a fine sunny evening – time for some local exploration beside the Somme. Sadly, all the tall trees lining the river bank (clearly visible on Google street level) have been replaced by young saplings…

Cold côtes on Monday

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Monday 21st May: Cool and windy – just how cool we found when we braved the shingle beach near Le Hourdel – for all of three minutes.

We’d started the day with another look at the CF Baie de Somme – No. 1 “Aisne”, in attractive red livery, making a fine sight on the quayside at Saint Valery. After lunch, we would explore the coast – not staying long at Le Hourdel, then checking out the amazing lines of beach huts at Cayeux-sur-Mer (just along from Brighton Plage…)

We paused briefly at Ault – perhaps come again when it’s a bit warmer? – then on to Mers-les-Bains, and the wonderful belle epoque seafront buildings. Lastly, the short journey inland (it seemed longer, stuck behind the road train…) to the small and historic town of Eu.

Dry afternoon…

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Making the most of a brief dry interlude – a wander with the camera, to the Severn at Jackfield and Coalport. A little light would have been too much to hope for…

A plaque on a brick plinth marks the site of the Caughley porcelain works, an undertaking which became better known when manufacture moved to nearby Coalport. Someone has placed small pieces of broken china atop the plinth – presumably found nearby

Old Haunts

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Three days in Yorkshire, for an exploration of  places that once were familiar and regular venues for family outings

Bridlington:

Sutton Bank:

A walk from the top of the once-notorious ascent, on the main road from Thirsk to Scarborough, along to the gliding field and the White Horse

Scar House and the Druid’s Temple:

The road to Scar House dam follows the trackbed of the railway used when the reservoirs were built, to the site of the contractors’ “village”. Reservoirs aside, the upper reaches of Nidderdale are remote and bleak. An old track, impassable to all bar walkers, leads over Dead Man’s hill to Coverdale

From Lofthouse, a hill road leads to Masham (that’s “Massem”, not “Mashem”). The Druid’s Temple is near Ilton, a little way off the direct routs. It’s not as old as it looks (see http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/england/north-yorkshire/featured-sites/druids-temple-ilton.html) and was a fun place when we were children – no-one else knew about it. It was rather crowded on this cold, clear February day (dodgy-looking “druids”…)