Tuesday 29 November 2011

The Toad and Tankard


This splendid weathervane is perched on the roof of the famous Two Bridges Hotel, on Dartmoor.


Visit the Greensvanes site to see the full range of their wonderful weathervanes.

Monday 28 November 2011

The loneliness of the long suffering fisherman

Late afternoon on a calm but cold November afternoon, looking out towards the breakwater, across the entrance to Plymouth Sound, which protects the city's waterfront from the worst of the winter storms.


While the fishermen along the shore wait patiently for a bite.

Sunday 27 November 2011

Freak Out




















































The City Centre is filling up, as each day a new "attraction" joins the Ice Rink, the Christmas Market, etc.

Saturday 26 November 2011

Still hanging in there.

If you can keep your head when all about you,
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you
............. ........

                                                            Rudyard Kipling










See my previous post of 17th November



Friday 25 November 2011

Dartmoor - The Powder Mills

For some fifty years from 1844, this beautiful area of Dartmoor was the site of a large gun powder mill producing 'black powder' for use in the mines and quarries in the region. 
The location was ideal because it was isolated and land was cheap, allowing the buildings to be well spaced out to prevent a chain reaction if there was an accidental explosion. 

The invention of dynamite and the development of gelignite finally killed off the demand for 'black powder' and the site closed in 1897.


The site fell in decay and only a few of the original cottages remain. 
During the Second World War the site was home to 3,000 American soldiers as they trained for the D Day landings in Normandy.



Thursday 24 November 2011

Dartmoor

While Plymouth faces the sea, and its sides are marked by the Rivers Plym and Tamar, 
its is guarded from the  rear by the beautiful high ground of the Dartmoor National Park. 
Here the weather can change in minutes.


These two pictures were taken on Sunday afternoon, about twenty miles from the centre of the city,
 and within a fifteen minute walk of each other.


Wednesday 23 November 2011

Early morning regulars

It doesn't seem to matter how cold the wind is, just as long as it is not raining too hard
 there will always be early morning customers at Valenti's, on the promenade on Plymouth Hoe.

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Turnchapel (2)

Like most waterside villages in Devon and Cornwall, Turnchapel has the usual mix of  
narrow streets, old cottages, colourfully renovated houses, and some new development which, 
to a greater or lesser extent, tries to blend in with the spirit of the place.  






























Monday 21 November 2011

Turnchapel (1)




The village of Turnchapel lies on the shore of the Cattewater, the area where the River Plym flows into Plymouth Sound. It looks across to the historic Barbican district of the city's waterfront.


Looking to the right, you can follow the river along the commercial wharves and away towards the hills of Dartmoor, where the river rises

.
I suspect that there are more boats than people in the village.


Sunday 20 November 2011

Question: What connects the two images?



Answer: The Name FALCON.

On the left, the statue of one of the most famous sons of the city, Captain Robert Falcon Scott RN, (Scott of the Antarctic).The centenary of his death occurs in March 2012.
Here is some fascinating  restored footage  of Scott's expedition preparations, shot 100 years ago.

Below, the Research Vessel Falcon Spirit, named after him, which belongs to Plymouth University, and is currently involved in a wide range of research projects in the field of renewable energy sources from the sea.

Click here for details of the vessel's specification and research facilities and equipment.




Saturday 19 November 2011

Friday 18 November 2011

Escargots

The European-wide, budget supermarket chain Lidl, feature themed, special promotions every week. 
Here are my favourites of the recent French Week.


Delicious!





Thursday 17 November 2011

The Sole Survivor



I will survive
as long as I know how to love
I know I will stay alive.
I've got all my life to live,
I've got all my love to give,
and I'll survive,
I will survive.
                         Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris

Wednesday 16 November 2011

St Germans

On my way back to Plymouth from Cawsand recently I stopped in the lovely riverside village of St Germans, on the banks of the River Lynher, to take a look inside the 12th  Century church, dedicated to St Germanus of Auxerre.

























Tuesday 15 November 2011

Cawsand (3)

Devon and Cornwall has the highest proportion of second homes and holiday rental accommodation in the UK, the impact of this imbalance on many local communities, is of increasing concern.

 In this gallery in Cawsand, last Saturday, you could buy a framed original or print, 
but you'll have to wait till next summer's school holidays for this shop to be selling bread again.

Monday 14 November 2011

Cawsand (2)

Nowhere in Cornwall is more than 17 miles from the sea.

During brief summer visits many visitors see only the surface of "Chocolate Box Cornwall".










































Sunday 13 November 2011

Cawsand (1)

On the Cornish shore of Plymouth Sound, level with the Breakwater, which protects Plymouth's waterfront from the full force of the South Westerly gales, lie the picturesque villages of Cawsand and Kingsand.Clearly the residents know where one ends and the other begins, but I doubt many others could tell.































We'll take a look around the narrow streets tomorrow.

Saturday 12 November 2011

St Bernard

On most days of the week this street photographer and his assistant, dressed as a dog, do a steady trade taking pictures of small children posing with the "dog". But yesterday a lady came along who wanted a picture of her beautiful St Bernard posing with the "dog". The photographer duly obliged.




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