We’ve been criss-crossing England and Wales for the last few weeks – visiting friends and family – so fewer stories to tell than usual. But here’s a few photos from our travels – including a quick trip to Cornwall, a birthday treat in Brighton – where our night-time love affair with the Brighton Pavilion will become apparent (the inside is even better but we weren’t allowed to take photos) and contrasts rather spectacularly with Stonehenge!
It’s pretty fun when you can re-live your digital youth and peer into the future all in the same day. Complete with a few happy snaps from an iPhone – here’s your chance to do the same.
The Digital Revolution is an exhibition at the Barbican Arts Centre in London, spanning the startlingly short timeframe between some of the first computer creations to today and glimpses of what is still to come. While we might baulk at some of our digital addictions – such as the 183 billion emails sent every day – who could fail to be enthralled by the seemingly limitless possibilities of it all. The first part of the exhibition looks at how it all began – with some memory-jogging moments like the early Apple Macs,
Memories are made of this – but only 128k worth
One of the first bytes from the Apple
King Pong
It looks so dated now – but what an amazing thing it was
Remember Andy Warhol in 1985 making art with an Amiga 1000 and Debbie Harry, live on air.
Andy Warhol does Debbie!
And it wasn’t just artists making musicians into art, it was musicians making art into pop, when Dire Straits aired their ground-breaking video in 1985.
A lot of money and not for nothing
That partnership was brought right up to date by Will.i.am and Yuri Suzuki in the Pyramidi – making art and music together, with reconstructed musical instruments that looked like decorations, and an ever-changing face that followed your every movement – the photos don’t do it justice so do check out the website – it was pretty groovy!
Will.i.am and his music machine
Will.i.am in his blue period
Will.i.am’s pyramid in the corner is a re-formed piano
There were also a few historical surprises – did you know that the technology used in The Abyss became Photoshop? As the exhibition continues, so does the magnitude of digital development. A fascinating film from Tim Webber about the creation of Gravity tells of how it was more than a year in pre-production rendering before they even brought a single actor into the studio. Indeed, even in the end, the human part was literally a fraction of the actors involved.
The only thing not computer generated was Sandra Bullock’s face… that’s just enhanced!
Maybe one day soon this could be our reality
What was once fable is now fabulous
Along the corridor and the digital mirror is held up to our faces – and this is how we look :
Get behind me Satans
Daniel Rozin’s “Mirror No. 10” which turns the viewer into almost an abstraction was a lot of fun, as was the freakish installation by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer – titles “The Year’s Midnight” . After staring into a video image of yourself for a few seconds, smoke comes pouring from your eyes, regardless of which way you moved your head.
Smoke gets in your eyes
And if that isn’t enough, check out the birds in Chris Milk’s The Treachery of Sanctuary As you watch your shadow raise its arms, the circling birds swoop down and begin devouring you – fingers first – until you move along to the last screen where all childhood dreams come true and you really do get to grow wings and fly away – amazing!
The birds, the birds!
Flap your wings and fly
Up,up and away
Haven’t we all wished we could do this at some time
Other birds came alive when you called – on the telephone. The faces of some feathered friends were pasted onto old mobile phones and just one call from an even older style analogue phone was enough to bring them to life. It was pretty dark, so the pictures on their phones are better than the one on ours! It was not all art – some was very sobering reality, such as the dronestagram – set up by journalist James Bridle to show US drone strikes in Afghanistan and Yemen – images that we rarely would see otherwise.
Droning and the right to know
This is his take on technology: “History, like space, is co-produced by us and our technologies: those technologies include satellite mapping, social photo sharing from handheld devices, and fleets of flying death robots. We should engage with them at every level. These are just images of foreign landscapes, still; yet we have got better at immediacy and intimacy online: perhaps we can be better at empathy too.” The exhibition was enlightening, exciting, sobering and fascinating all in one. If you get a chance to see it in London or it comes to your town – don’t miss it.
We’ve abandoned Chubby, our trusted tent once more and moved into a gypsy wagon, hand-built in traditional style and parked up next to a donkey in an apple orchard.
Our gypsy wagon
We’ve been staying in the orchard near the historic black and white village of Pembridge, with Andy (wagon-maker) and Archie (donkey). Pembridge is a classic “chocolate box” English village, with ancient dwellings, a local “shoppe” and three pubs!
Pembridge high street
Pembridge
Pembridge brown and white
Pembridge old house
It seemed appropriate in such a timeless place that Andy would have, amongst the many treasures in his barns, a restored Model T Ford which he kindly let my brother, Kevin and nephew, Charles take for a spin when they dropped by for a visit.
Starting up the Model T
Charles and Andy in the Model T
Our wagon was one of a number in various states of restoration, and it was quite an experience to realise that this was how so many travellers before us had lived, as they roamed the highways and byways.
inside one of the wagons
Wooden chests in the wagon
We spent sunny days helping Andy clear his yard – some jobs were harder than others!
Wagon’s roll!
We also got to play with a few of his less elegant and romantic vehicles.
Howdy, digger!
Geoff had never heard of a JCB before we arrived at the orchard – in Australia they are just called a digger or backhoe. By the time we left, he had brought a long-broken one back to life, just in time to show off his skills and for me to give it (and Andy) a whirl around the orchard!
Geoff and the JCB
Hauling old tree roots with the newly repaired digger
Up, up and away
We also got a chance to whirl a little higher, when Andy arranged for us to take a flight over the rolling hills of the Herefordshire countryside.
Us and our Piper Archer joyride
Geoff & Andy in the back of the plane
We both started learning to fly many years ago. The funds dried up long before the fun did and it was a real treat to be hands on the controls again.
Sara flying – the grin says it all!
Out on a wing
Eyes front over the Wye Valley
We can’t sign off this blog without mentioning the lovely Archie. Archie has the run of the orchard, and is very demanding in the head-rubbing department!
Archie in his dust bath
Archie’s orchard
Why the long face? Insufficient time spent rubbing his head, probably.
Andy is a former goldsmith, turned great wagon and cabinet maker. Check out his luxury compost loos as well on his website! He often takes volunteer workers at his farm to give him some extra help, through schemes like Workaway and HelpX. These are great programmes which partner hosts looking for help on projects large and small – from an elderly lady wanting to decorate her front room, to organic farms and building projects – with helpers/travellers looking for new experiences, local insight, a bit of fun and maybe even a campfire.
The opportunities are worldwide – so if you are thinking of travelling and want to do it differently, try signing up to one of the schemes. You might be lucky enough to find an Andy and Archie along the way
Wheels on fire – our last night campfire.
We’ve become gongoozlers.
Looking down Foxton Locks
One comes up as the other goes down
The sluices are cranked opened at the red and white posts
The next lock is ready to be filled
The passing lock
It is a tight fit for the narrow boats
Going under the bridge into the canal
Foxton Locks can be a busy little intersection
Geoff closing the last of the Foxton Locks
We stayed not far from the Locks at Barford Top, a livery yard and small campsite run by the lovely Wendy and Maurice. They gave us the most generous, cheery and chatty welcome to their home atop a hill, with spectacular views across the valleys.
White horse in the field
Cows in the fields
White horse at sunset
Tractor at sunset
Geoff and the barbeque
Misty morning across the valley
Spiders web and tractor
Beware crazy Italians on punts
Getting spoiled!
Heading under the final bridge
That was quite a work out
Here’s a bumper blog of goodies and lovely pictures of the English summer since we arrived a few weeks ago, so grab a nice cup of tea and a digestive and settle in to country life.
We sailed from Amsterdam to Newcastle in the north of England – If you know England then you will know how unlikely this sounds – our first days we wild camped in the woods, just seven miles from Newcastle!
Ike runs a farm at Blaydon Burn, just outside the city and has opened up his woodlands to a small number of lucky campers like us.
Wild camping in the woods
While I practiced with my lovely coconut shell-handled fire-steel – my latest gift from Geoff – he was off lugging logs for us to burn at the Burn.
Geoff hauling logs
The woods were a great start for our English adventure and a real find so close to such an industrial centre.It was also close to one of the most well known and well-loved industrial sculptures in the North of England – the 20m high, 54m wide Angel of the North.
The Angel of the North
After a couple of days we headed to the Lake District, via the original Penrith, whose name has been adopted by Australia (along with dozens of others – including the city made famous as the birthplace of the Beatles and Geoff Nimmo – Liverpool).
The other Penrith
After being told that everywhere was booked out because of a cycle race, we were pretty pleased to final get a pitch on an albeit rather busy campsite overlooking Ullswater lake.
Happy to be at the Lake!
The crowded site was explained a few hours later, when the tannoy rudely awoke us at 07:30 on Sunday morning, instructing the competitors in the triathlon to take their places in the Lake. Just watching them made us tired, but the views of the Lake made up for the early start.
Colourful boats on Ullswater
Even the boathouses are pretty here
After all that activity, a gentle sail on the lake in a traditional Ullswater steamer was in order.
One of the historic Ullswater Steamers
Mirroring the sky and land
The elegant lines of one of the Ullswater Steamers
An overflight by a WWII Spitfire made a change from the roar of air force jets, which use the lakes for low-flying practice, despite it being a National Park.
A Spitfire made a change from the low-flying RAF jets
Over the next few days, we travelled along, around and over many of the lakes and fells – the name for hills in the Lake District.
Charlie is dwarfed by the fells in the Lake District
Old stone bridge
More Lake District chocolate-box views
The narrow roads around the Lake District
The Lakes are criss-crossed with footpaths
We discovered the Standing Stones of Castlerigg and figured out pretty quickly why they aren’t as famous as Stonehenge – because most of them only come up to your knees.
The Standing (not very tall) Stones of Castlerigg
Spinal Tap moment
We came nose to nose with the creatures that are now almost as famous as the Lakes, thanks to a certain Miss Potter,
Beatrix bunnies abound at the campsite
and we strolled the very valleys that inspired poets and writers across the ages,
A classic Lake District view
and supped tea in some of the delightful villages. This house in Ambleside was originally built over a river to keep the apple harvest cool. It also became home to a family of ten in the last century, despite being narrower than Geoff’s arm span and only two rooms!
The tiny Bridge House – home to a family of ten in Ambleside
North of the Lakes is Hadrian’s Wall – which was begun in 122AD and runs from coast to coast.
Hadrian’s Wall stretching into the distance
Standing on Hadrian’s Wall
Standing on Hadrian’s Wall
The invading baaa-barians at Hadrian’s Wall
The Wall was not built as many think, to keep the Scots out, but more likely to raise taxes from anyone, Scots or otherwise, who wanted to travel south.The Roman fort at Housestead is one of the most intact along the 73miles/117km length of the Wall and a fascinating insight into the tough life of a frontier soldier.
A good view from the toilet at Hadrian’s Wall
The soldiers barracks at Hadrian’s Wall
We got a small taster as we became fog-bound heading back to the Lakes heading over Honiton Pass in the Northern Pennines.
The fog comes comes down over the Pennines
Honiton Pass may have been foggy, but at least it didn’t have a 1:4 gradient. Wrynose Pass in the Lakes does!
The Wrynose Pass – was quite a challenge
The Wrynose Pass snaking up over the hill
Charlie chugged us over it and Hardknott Pass – which claims a 1:3 gradient and therefore the steepest road in England.
Looking back up Hardknott Pass
If the Roman’s billeted at Hadrian’s Wall had it tough – spare a thought for the ones that had to march up to the Hardknott Fort through a bleak northern winter.
Hardknott Roman fort, looking across to Scafell Pike
While Hardknott is the steepest road, Wasdale Head claims a clutch of “ests” – Wast Water is the deepest lake in England, Scafell Pike the highest peak, St.Olaf’s Church the smallest in the country and the Wasdale Inn hosts the world’s biggest liar contest – in honour of a former landlord who claimed the title for himself.
Wast Water – the deepest lake in the district
Camping in the shadow of Scafell Pike
St Olaf’s church – the smallest church in England
We left the smallest car in the Lake District at our campsite and went walking in the hills and dales.
The valley through which we hiked
Ritson’s Force – a waterfall named after the biggest liar
Fording the roaring river of the Lake District!
Later we headed off to nearby Nether Wasdale and possibly the sillest contest – the annual village beer race. Down a pint, run round the maypole to the next pub. Down a pint, run up the hill to the next pub. Down a pint, run down the hill to the finish line.
The well-rehearsed Beer Race
That will hurt later!
Victory looked far from sweet!
That was tough!
We left the Lakes to score the last of the “ests” – staying in the highest Inn in England – the Tan Hill Inn on the Pennine Way.
The Tan Hill Inn – highest pub in England
The Pennine Way from the window of the Tan Hill Inn
The Lakes and North were lovely and although, to misquote Wordsworth, the clouds were far from lonely a lot of the time and we got the bests of British weather, we still gloried in the beauty of the place. There are more photos in the slide show in addition to those in the story, so make a nice cup of tea and enjoy the sights with us.
Last weekend marked a year since we began our adventuring and we decided we should celebrate in style – and yet again, we couldn’t have been luckier in our discovery.
We were looking for a B&B with a difference to treat ourselves and happened upon the Clock Tower, in Lower Catesby – in Northamptonshire. If you can, go and stay! This is the view you could wake up to every morning!
The view from our bed
The Clock Tower sits atop the original stable block of an English country estate and is now home to Lizzie and David Bland and their family.
The Clock Tower
The Clock Tower garden and beyond
They were perfect hosts, with plenty of tips on places to eat, cooking delicious breakfasts and a pleasure to chat with. They gave us a celebratory bottle of wine and even Charlie was made a fuss of, with his own“bon voyage” note and rose when we left.
Charlie made another friend
We didn’t just indulge ourselves in glorious views from the Tower. We communed with cute cattle in the fields beyond;
Cow, calf and chapel
Scruff
sat by the nearby canal and watched the narrow boats;
Messing about on the water
Narrow boats abound
Narrow boats marina
journeyed to Tewkesbury for a medieval festival, complete with armies and all sorts;
The Battle of Tewkesbury
Ready to charge
visited historic cities and checked out Shakespeare’s “second best bed”.
Ancient Warwick
St. Mary’s, Warwick
Anne Hathaway’s house
Shakepeare’s kitchen
Shakespeare’s second best bed
Shakespeare might have left his wife his second best bed, but Lizzie and David’s at the Clock Tower is better! If you have something to celebrate – be it an anniversary, or, even better, just life itself – the Clock Tower is the perfect marker of your moment in time. Thanks Lizzie and David for the fun, easy friendship and indulgence!
