Battersea Power Station
A brief visit to the newly opened Battersea Power Station, now a huge shopping mall.
Battersea Power Station
Chartwell
Last year we visited Chartwell, Churchill’s home, on a day when it was entry-free to everyone not just National Trust members. It was packed, the car park was full and we and others were driving around looking for a space to park. We gave up! Today was completely different and it was almost empty despite the glorious, late Spring day. Churchill was a keen, self-taught painter and his studio is well worth a look. We had a lovely day.
Wakehurst, Sussex
Large, attractive gardens with some wonderful, tall trees.
2 moments of euphoria, 4 of disappointment
Yesterday I had a day out with my son and son-in-law to the final of the EFL Trophy at Wembley Stadium. My local team, Sutton United, were in action.
It was my first visit to the new stadium and what a magnificent place it is. I had been to the old stadium three times, I think, having watched a schoolboy’s international and a couple of dull (as I recall) full internationals. Other than these games and a match at Fulham (!) it was quite an experience being at an event involving a large crowd (30,000). The full capacity is 90,000!
In these Covid times I was grateful for having chosen good (ie more expensive) seats, so we were sat in a quite sparsely populated area of the stadium. Nevertheless it was impossible not to be in close contact with crowds of people within the general area of the stadium as well as on public transport. Fingers crossed that we remain virus free!
It was a good game and Sutton were unfortunate to have had victory snatched away in the 96th minute of the match. A pizza and a pint at a pub near Waterloo Station rounded off a wonderful day. Apart from the result.
Painshill Park, Cobham
Painshill Park, near Cobham in Surrey, is a delightful park. On a lovely, sunny day the beautiful grounds, lake, waterwheel and crystal grotto meant there was much to photograph!
Nymans, West Sussex
On a lovely sunny day (at last!) we spent a couple of hours strolling around the beautiful gardens of Nymans in West Sussex, part of the National Trust. The house isn’t much, part house part ruin, but the gardens are lovely and there’s a small but very decent second-hand bookshop. We were also much impressed by the friendliness of the staff and volunteers.
And from the second-hand bookshop…..
Worthing & Steyning
A mixture of cloud and blue sky on our short visit to Worthing was just right for sitting on the beach with a sandwich and for admiring the huge offshore wind farm out at sea (119 turbines!). Afterwards, we made the short drive to the pretty village of Steyning for cake and a pot of loose leaf tea, and where we admired the presence of an independent bookshop and a musician’s shop-front.
Arundel and Bognor, by train
From the train, on a day trip to the seaside (Bognor), I took this iPhone picture of Arundel, where we broke our journey for a brief visit. Arundel is a lovely, small town on a steep hill, though it’s difficult to take decent pictures that don’t include loads of parked cars.
Kew Gardens
Ely, Cambridgeshire
A day trip by train to Ely.
There is a cathedral, too.
Green sea at Eastbourne
A day trip by train to the seaside. The sea was Lake Louise green.
things change 