Author Archives: Martin

Weston has lots of potential, and a huge amount has been spent in recent years on the general infrastructure. It’s very similar, architecturally, to northern French and Belgian seaside towns, but they just haven’t managed to get the catering right … Continue reading →

Looking down The Avon to the M5 bridge and Avonmouth.

Our nearest pub, opposite us on the marina, is The Hall and Woodhouse, made from shipping containers. (Using them for international trade is so pre-Brexit, darling!) And they have episodes of “Hancocks’ Half House” playing in the gents. Lucy and … Continue reading →

We popped into the Grayson Perry exhibition at the Arnolfini Gallery. Interesting, witty social commentary from another Essex boy made good. Worth a second (and third?) visit.

A circular walk, with F. and P., from Stroud up onto Rodborough Common, stopping at The Bear for lunch. Lucy reasonably good, much to Sal’s relief.

Nice old Massey-Ferguson in a field near Portbury.

Until now when working on Walton Common we have had to carry tools from the small lay-by on the road near the entrance. This can include some heavy-duty equipment and as it’s quite steep up onto the ridge some of … Continue reading →

The Forest of Dean sculpture trail is always good for a stroll. There are a few new installations this year, so I’ve saved you from ploughing through them all again and just concentrated on the new ones:

Much of the new building in Portishead is on previously industrial (“brown field”) sites. Conditional in the developments was the provision of areas sympathetic to wildlife. Ponds were constructed, which, as well as being safety “valves” for flooding, provide attractive … Continue reading →

…the Roman name for the river Severn. We walked around the long loop, south of Gloucester, centered on Arlingham, with views of Newnham and Bullo Pill on the west (right) bank.