A Few Ramblings…
Forty-six year old Christian happily negotiating the world with a wife and three daughters
Welcome to 2015 – 1 January 2015
As the old year faded away, here’s how the new one unfolded on Twitter:
Cookham Fireworks – 1 November 2014
Dusk falls
Headlights lead us down a narrow, winding lane to a field
Shadowy figures directing the drivers
Cars lined up in serried ranks in the darkness
Electric lights, set up on a makeshift fence show the way
Past the table, lit by fluorescent light from above
Where willing volunteers check tickets
The night air heavy with the aroma of mulled wine
Canvas tents, lit from within
Hot dogs
Hot drinks
Hot soup
Small groups stand chatting in the blackness
Clasping their paper cups close
Waiting for the festivities to begin
People move over towards the bonfire
Restrained by metal barriers
Marvelling at the thirty foot sculpted pile of branches in the gloaming
Lit by moonlight
Paraffin fumes flood the nostrils
Scouts appear, laden with flaming torches which are thrust into the heap
The sound of crackling wood fills the air
Sparks rise aloft
Flames lick around the logs and the stack blazes
Crowds scatter, beaten back by smoke
Stalwarts linger, safe on the leeward side
Basking in the heat from the inferno
Relishing the golden glow
The fire slowly dies down
Beyond it, torches light the field
The first fireworks are lit
Rockets of myriad colours soar into the heavens
Exploding in a shower of coloured sparks
The night sky reverberates with explosions
On and on
Each one seemingly more impressive than the last
Eventually the finale is reached
The last rocket hurtles skywards
A deafening crescendo and the show is over
A spreading curtain of crackling light pierces the blackness, raining down
Gasps, replaced with applause
Slowly the masses disperse
Some to begin the long walk home
Others to wait patiently for the car park to clear
Each with their own memories
Of a night to remember
Autumn colours at Winkworth Arboretum – 25 October 2014
We decided to pay a visit to Winkworth Arboretum to look at some of the autumn colours and took mum along for the day as well.
Once we’d finally negotiated our way successfully through Guildford, we arrived soon after 12pm.
The tone was slightly set by the greeter in the car park who advised us to ‘Follow the car in front and try and find somewhere to park!’. We managed to carry out his instructions and walked off towards the entrance.
The tea room is the first building that greets visitors on their arrival and here they can enjoy a selection of sandwiches, soup and cakes.
Tea room is perhaps a grand title for what turned out to be a wooden structure serving food – especially given that most of the seating was at tables outside! That said, the lunch was nice and the weather just about warm enough to eat al fresco.
Hot chocolate and chocolate cake for lunch
Once we’d finished our lunch, we made our way through the entrance and set out on one of the many footpaths at Winkworth. The routes are all well signposted and the paths are generally well maintained.
An unusual tree
First hint of autumn colour
At one point there is a wooden viewing platform which affords good views out across the valley.
This is reached by ascending a number of steps and the whole platform has a certain ‘movement’ which adds to the experience.
Looking down over the valley from the viewing platform
More autumn colours
Yellow, red, purple and green
Mum taking a photo
Rich red of one of the acers
Emily by an acer, with an apple
There are a number of benches, where visitors can pause and enjoy the scenery.
Mum with her grandchildren
Sunshine picks out the colours across the valley
Emily by a monkey puzzle
Monkey puzzle
Holly
Eventually, we made our way to the lake and ended up at the boathouse, with its view out overlooking the lake.
Looking out over the lake from the boathouse
From the boathouse we took the Azalea Steps which lead up the side of the valley.
At the top of the steps, a steep path leads on up the slope. This was less well maintained than the other paths that we had encountered on our visit and was clearly suffering from erosion.
More colours of the season
At the top of the path we were cheered by the sight of the Owl Bench – which the girls particularly enjoyed.
Emily on the Owl Bench
All the family
Holly enjoyed seeing some of the forty different varieties of holly which have been planted in the Holly Wood.
Holly by a holly
Hedgehog holly
Another holly with yellow berries
Emily with a giant leaf
Hiding
As we walked back towards the entrance we found a wooden play area which included a ‘tent’ made of wood and partially protected from the elements.
Emily in a ‘den’
Looking up
A splash of yellow
Colours in the sunshine
It had been an enjoyable afternoon with the family, exploring the woods and seeing the colours of the season.
Personally, I felt that Winkworth could do with a little more love from the National Trust. There are obviously lots of visitors – particularly at this time of year – and some money invested in expanding the car park, a purpose-built modern tea room with enhanced toilets and perhaps a small shop, would help to make the visit even more enjoyable.
Heading home
A Few Ramblings... 