Pangbourne to Goring and Streatley
Fine views in the sunshine and clear air with the birds singing but the Thames river level is so high we were pretty much unable to follow the tow-path.
Southbank Skatepark
Skateboarders, riders and freerunners make disciplined mayhem together in the graffiti galleries of the concrete undercroft of the Southbank Centre. Renowned as “London’s premier skatepark”, it’s the antidote to the highbrow culture of the South Bank Centre just above.
Wimbledon Common
A bimble on Wimbledon Common in south-west London for a taste of a spring day in early January.
Architecture of Crawley New Town
Crawley Town Hall (opened 1964) has twice been refused a listing.
Photos from a walk around Crawley in Sussex.
New Year’s Eve 2019 Viennese Gala
The Brighton Philharmonic return with their New Year Viennese Gala. Varied as ever and not restricted to the music of the Strauss family of the 1860s and 1870s, Brighton’s own orchestra draws a near sell-out audience to Brighton Dome on New Year’s Eve. Conductor Stephen Bell mounted the podium with a hop, skip and a jump and bounced along in the programme.
The Brighton Philharmonic is growing in strength and confidence, it’s obviously not an international orchestra though a number of the individual players work at that level for their day job. A sparking Die Fledemaus overture opened the concert with glorious woodwind. Ailish Tynan, soprano, was in good voice for the first of several vocal pieces. The woodwind continued to delight, as did the precise xylophonist. Franz Lehár’s Gold and Silver Waltz rounded off the first part of the programme, the strings giving a credible swirl to the sumptuous main waltz tune even in the relatively austere architecture of the Brighton Dome.
My RR in the workshop
The big smile and faraway look in my eyes tells it all: Happy Biker! That’s the first time I’ve got on my CBR600RR since being knocked off on the autoroute just outside Marseille in September. Not yet ready to ride but I’m visiting the workshop to discuss the repairs.
l'Estérel - Pic de l'Ours (492 m.)
Exploring the Estérel Massif, the classic road trip above the Mediterranean Côte d’Azur, with a hike for a picnic at the Pic de l’Ours (492 m.).
Grand Canyon du Verdon - December 2019
Route crossing from the Valley of the River Durance in the Alpes de Haut Provence to the Riviera coast in the Var, Manosque to Saint-Raphaël. Of course this means the spectacular Grand Canyon of the Verdon.
Helvellyn summit (950 m.)
A fine day, clear and cold, so choosing the route to the summit of Helvellyn (950 m.), the second highest mountain in England, to enjoy the views to the maximum.
