So I left the B&B and strolled along the seafront. It was quite cool as the breeze was blowing in from the sea with a slight mist. Passed over the old bridge which was build in 1877 and claims to be the first ever concrete bridge and then followed the coastal path around to the largest steepest hill in the UK. So far. This got me to the golf course where I followed the little white fossils through the golf course; there were a few people around on the course. Then I went into a series of wheat fields which was very pleasant – mist blowing in and birdsong. Finally got to a sign which told me once I passed I couldn’t get off – no sea or inland access (though I suppose you could turn around and flee if you want). Followed the coastal path and it immediately went into woodland and large hedgerows, in some places the hedgerows fully enclosed the path, like a tunnel, and the path is only one person wide. After a while the path started going up and down and entering the deep, dark wood, where I had to take off my sunglasses to see where I was going. Lots of roots and rocks in the path making the footing tricky and as I got further down it got quite muddy, from streams or where water has pooled. After about two miles of this, I got to where the large slip had happened, not that I could see much as the path is pretty enclosed. After the large slip the path flattened out but still enclosed by trees, so really not a good walk to see the cliffs! But a nice place for trees, irises, hollyhocks, and honeysuckle, with dogroses throughout. Get to the halfway point and there were some old ruins of a pumping station, then a steep climb and much the same as before to Lyme Regis.
I stopped and had a ginger beer at Lyme Regis. Looked at the map and decided to take the detour to Chamouth; the detour caused by the cliff collapse. After another walk along the sea front, it was another steep climb out of Lyme Regis. It spat me out onto a road for a bit, before taking me across another golf course; however, this one was much busier and I had to keep constant lookout and stop to allow play to go through or to make sure they’d seen me and waved me through. (Unfortunately I ran into the not so good golfers.) After dodging through, ducking under, and generally trying to avoid golf balls I ended up on the A35 following the main Chamouth Road to the beach. So much for a coastal path (mind you, it might be better when it’s not a detour.)
Got to the beach where I had a pork pie, cup of tea, and an ice cream. Then waited for Kathleen to finish her three course meal and come pick me up.
Spent the jubilee long bank holiday in North Norfolk, visiting Bird sanctuaries and spending some time on the beach. Went to the RSPB site, Titchwell Marsh in the pouring rain and winds, but saw avocets and possibly a marsh harrier, along with the usual gulls, common terns, oystercatchers and ducks. The only bunting was a reed bunting. Then Wells-next-the-sea for a day of walking – first down the beach to Holkham, then into the village for a look around and hot doughnuts (still too cold for ice cream!) No bunting. Well, a little bunting. But no royalty.
So an erly rise so i had time for breakfast, crason & coffee getting in to the contenatal mode already. On tee bus normal time, no issue with the tubes st Pancase 10 to 7. Wait 10 minits till the gates open. Give me time to prep for the full body scan and latex gloves :). Also to see that the entry point at the far end is emplty as is the secury check be hind, O well so much for allowing the half an hour to get throught securty the tell you :).
Ping is 7 oclock i walk right in as the song goes and step right up, and 7.03 woundering what to do. Ok more coffee. It the busness train so more smart phone than you can shack a smart phone at. So joining in sort out beer & dinner in Amsterdam. Do a little bit on maind dumping and genraly look out the windows. The only thourt is will the phone work on the other side, No that other side France (ok some will say what the diffence). I think thew answer is yes well data seams to work, So far in France, Belgin and Netherlands. Not tried voice who would want to do that :).
Uneventful change at Brussels (take the connections exit if you can no one else does). Help a few lost tourst and watied for the AMS express (only kiding) its a 3 hour bum number to Amsterdan central. The hight light of the trip two lost us girls, to young stoned or to stupied to work out where they were or where they should be goiung.
Oh and to lound so you had to know what they were up to.
Amsterdam, They have change the tram pass more like the UK oyser card 7.5 e s to buy a blank one .Not had to much suces yet with that but will let you know ho it goes. Buy a blank the fill it up. So have checked in to the hotel and now retied to one of my favour wifi enables bars to catch up with email and stuff (and of couse a beer)
We have been trying to get out to Cheshunt, to see the orchids in the Lee Valley Park.
The are several trails and boardwalks . We took the train to Cheshunt and walked to where we thought the start of the walk was – we got it wrong :). Where we whould have turned left we turned right, but had a lovely walk along the river before turning back into Lee Valley.
Met up with a friend for lunch in Waltham Abbey. She joined us for the orchid hunt and we managed to see some, but only at a distance. They are protected by a boardwalk which only goes out so far. Most of the orchids are quite a ways from the boardwalk. Still lovely.
We also saw loads of other flowers & animals. Lots of birds, lots of plants, and lots of pollen. Too much pollen. But the orchids were pretty.
One of the Pictures from the hide
We arrived about 10ish and we basically did light theory and apeture stuff. Then talked through the idea of apeture priority and speed. (K-boring camera stuff) Then we got kitted up (K-sounds like diving!) and went down to the meadow to do macro photography. After the macro stuff we headed off to the bird hide and spent time in there until lunch. We were in the hide during most of the rain. Down to the lakeshore and had lunch overlooking the loch. The lunch was very good. After lunch made our way back to the studio to mess about with photoshop and look at the results. Up on the web soon (when we find a faster connection!)
So no one went to work :), how ever we were woken up buy weard sounds coming from the main room. Doors being opened and so one. We snuck down stairs just in time to see small black & white shapes disaperaring out the door. with thumps and crashes of a silver tea try boncing along be hind. I poked my head out the door just in time to see !!
[Weeee]
So It the U.K. is Winter its dark what do you do? Well these happen to be ideal conditions to mess around with Light. In a camera and L.E.D. (light emitting diode) way. So the London flickr group met up any painted the town red, well not actual red we did try but had no good results although others did. So I mainly painted in white, as i forgot to bring the green L.E.D with me. We also had a poi which had lights in brought along.
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These are some of the better results.
From a photographic point of view I found setting exposer times of around 30 seconds allowed you to draw most things. I did some test to get the background exposed right first, altering the aperture till 30 seconds gave the designed back ground. Then start the shutter no need even for a time delay just walk in front and draw.
The advantage of the digital was clear as you could instaly see the results and try again.
The night was very could and after about two hours, the hands were ice blocks so every one retiaued to the pub 🙂
The Rainbow Warrior stopped of in London moored in the Thames, not far from Tower Bridge.
Here are one of the pictures I manage to take.
The Rainbow Warrior
Kathleen awoke far too early (it was after 7!) still hoping to get into hte park and that the Python would be fixed. However, after explaining we were going back to Amsterdam she did calm down a bit. So we packed the bags, checked out of the hotel, put the bags in the car, and went back for our champagne breakfast. One has to say that champagne and coco pops don’t necessarily mix (duh). We then decided to head the quickest route back to Amsterdam. There was a few interesting sights on the way we tried to take photos of but we didn’t stop. We got back to the airport about midday, returned the car, headed to the main airport building, where we got our train tickets and strippen cards (these are cards that you can use on the trams in Amsterdam, buy them in blocks of 10 or 15 and much cheaper than paying for individual journeys on the trams; plus it’s easier to get on and off some trams because you can’t pay with cash. You can buy them from the newsagents at the airport.) Once in Amsterdam we got to the hotel, which was not quite where we thought it was, we had to purchase a map to find it! But we were not far off. We checked in to a much more typical Amsterdam hotel room where you can’t open the door because the bed is in the way. We then walked back to the entrance to the Voldelpark, next to the casino where we took a boat tour of Amsterdam. After which we went to a brown bar where we had dinner, a couple of very nicely done steaks. After which we retired for a drink before going back to bed.
