Martin's Mag.

Chew Valley lake

Posted on 21/11/2013 by Martin

We had a walk around Chew Valley Lake. A reservoir created in 1956. A bit cold, so had lunch in a bird hide.

Chew Valley lake.

Bird hide on Chew Valley lake.

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Clevedon at low tide

Posted on 19/11/2013 by Martin

Clevedon sandband. Second Severn Crossing in distance.

Clevedon sandband. Second Severn Crossing in far distance.

Clevedon. Sea-lakes and pier in distance.

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It looks as if the building work in Portishead will be coming to an end in a year or so. In the final stages, two massive cranes have been erected, overshadowing Michael Dan Archer’s sculpture “Full Fathom Five”.

“Full Fathom Five” by Michael Dan Archer.

Read about the sculpture, and artist, here: www.publicartportishead.co.uk

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Avon Gorge

Posted on 07/11/2013 by Martin

Bristol Downs, Circular Road, near where we used to live. Picture taken from Leigh Woods on southern side of Avon Gorge.

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Brunel’s Buttery

Posted on 04/11/2013 by Martin

If you want a traditional breakfast in Bristol, go to Brunel’s Buttery on the south side of the docks. Wait long enough and most of Bristol will pass by.

Breakfast at Brunel’s Buttery, Bristol.

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Rainy afternoon at Clevedon

Posted on 02/11/2013 by Martin

Clevedon, Somerset.

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More about mushrooms

Posted on 30/10/2013 by Martin

Another morning with those nice Avon Wildlife people, this time looking at mushrooms. After the ceps in France recently, I have a new-found enthusiasm. Whilst I struggle to remember the names of wild flowers and butterflies I think I may be in with a chance with fungi. Well, we’ll see. I can’t guarantee any of the below being correct, so probably best not to base a meal around anything stated here.

This dragonfly took a liking to Brian’s hat.

Er…

Umm…

Beefsteak bracket

A sort of Lepista. Possibly…

Maybe an Agaricus. Then again…

Puffballs. Definitely.

King Alfred’s Cakes

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Bagnoles de l’Orne, Basse-Normandie, France

Posted on 23/10/2013 by Martin

We’ve been to Bagnoles for a couple of weeks. We’ve visited the town a few times, either to stay or en route to somewhere else. It’s a genteel but relaxed and comfortable place, with some good restaurants, interesting Belle Époque architecture, a lake and casino. Not a seedy rip-off casino, popular in British suburbs, but a rather restrained affair populated by elderly, fur-clad, mesdames drinking tea.

Best of all is the Forêt des Andaines to the north of the town. I could walk all day (which we did, often) in these forests and in Autumn there is the added incentive of ceps (fungi) and chestnuts to be collected. Ceps are €30 a kilo in the local shops and markets and the few other people we encountered in the woods were all carrying a basket or bag in case any were found. Sally should take all the credit, as usual, as she not only knew what wouldn’t (and would) kill us, but also was much better at finding them than I was, and also (surprise, surprise) better at cooking them. I was in charge of carrying and subsequently eating them. An ancient path runs through these forests which has been used for at least 1000 years by monks and others travelling between Paris and the coast, and there are a number of interesting small chapels and other artefacts, as well as ghosts for those of a nervous and/or gullible disposition.

We also visited many of the surrounding towns and villages (mostly on their market days) and got as far as the coast at Mont St Michel, a nightmare to visit at the height of the Summer as it’s so crowded, but much easier at this time of year.

On this and our previous visit we have stayed in a small apartment in the Tessé-la-Madeleine end of the town (until 2000 a separate village), a few metres from the gardens surrounding the chateau.

Bagnoles Chateau.

Sal on bridge over Bagnoles lake.

Bagnoles de l’Orne.

Bagnoles de l’Orne, looking toward the casino.

Tessé-la-Madeleine (ages ago).

Tessé-la-Madeleine (today).

Footpath markings in the foret des Andaines.

Bay boletes and ceps, ready for cooking.

Fungi (untested!) in The Foret des Andaines.

The Foret des Andaines.

Holiday home by lake in La Ferté-Macé.

Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei.

Bridge over the River Sarthe, Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei.

Postbox in Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei.

Carrouges Chateau.

Belvedere (tower) in the forest of Perseigne.

View from belvedere (tower) in the forest of Perseigne. Well, it was windy up there!

Street sculpture in Alencon.

Bagnoles market day.

La Sauvagère.

Smallest building in Domfront!

Forest near Chamsecret.

Champsecret near Domfront.

Fungi (and gal!) near Champsecret.

Bi-directional shuttle bus at Mont St Michel.

My reflection in chapel window at Mont St Michel.

Mont St Michel.

Shadow of Mont St Michel.

Avranches cathedral.

Foret des Andaines, St Genevieve’s Chapel.

Foret des Andaines near St Genevieve’s Chapel.

Tractor, outskirts of Bagnoles.

Le Roc Au Chien hotel, Bagnole de l’Orne.

Apartment, Bagnole de l’Orne.

Fruits of the forest.

Farmland south of Couterne.

Spooky carving (1) south of Couterne.

Spooky carving (2) south of Couterne.

Spooky carving (3) south of Couterne.

Farmland south of Couterne.

Gardens of Bagnoles Chateau.

Bagnoles Chateau.

Derelict buildings, Bagnoles de l’Orne.

Wash-house in Bernay, about 50km from Évreux.

Bernay, about 50km from Évreux.

“Insect hotel” in Bernay, about 50km from Évreux.

Bernay, about 50km from Évreux.

Ferry, Le Havre to Portsmouth.

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Three Cliffs bay

Posted on 26/09/2013 by Martin

We gave Freda probably her last outing for a while. The weather wasn’t good but we’d already decided on Three Cliffs Bay, on The Gower Penninsular, west of Swansea. Hadn’t been there for a year or two. We stopped in Swansea and visited the indoor market, recently featured on a TV reality show, apparently. It was good; we bought four crabs which Sal dressed* later. [*Technical term, not as exciting as it sounds.]

We then walked around the dock area, including the Dylan Thomas museum.

Swansea docks.

This little boy seemed to regard Dylan Thomas as a family friend, saying "Hello Dylan Thomas, have you been a good boy?". Maybe he was.

This little boy seemed to regard Dylan Thomas as a family friend (maybe he was), saying “Hello Dylan Thomas, have you been a good boy?”.

Dylan Thomas Museum, Swansea.

On, then, to Three Cliffs. It’s a mile or so walk from the road, and this involves paddling through the river (at certain times/tides it’s a bit more than a paddle).

Well worth it, though, and even on a less than perfect day it was as spectacular as ever.

Three Cliffs Bay, on The Gower Penninsular.

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Glastonbury

Posted on 10/09/2013 by Martin

A visit to the Somerset town of Glastonbury’s always a bit of a laugh. It’s where hippies live. It’s “mystic”, man. The shops are unusual and interesting. Apart from food and clothes (I’ve found a good shop for shirts made from hemp “WARNING: the composition of this material makes it unsuitable for use as a drug”) there are all sorts of bonkers places claiming to cure most illnesses. Imaginary illnesses are the best for imaginary cures. The healing power of crystals features extensively, and the ability of certain procedures to “harness cosmic forces”. You get the picture. There are many adverts in shop windows for self-awareness-type courses, mostly loosely based on Budism. Hillarious. I’m off now to try to smoke my new shirt.

Glastonbury.

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Martin's Mag.

Chew Valley lake

Clevedon at low tide

Sculptures

Avon Gorge

Brunel’s Buttery

Rainy afternoon at Clevedon

More about mushrooms

Bagnoles de l’Orne, Basse-Normandie, France

Three Cliffs bay

Glastonbury

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