A walk on Thundersley Common

Just a quick post that I thought I'd share with you. I've just come back from a very impromptu but thoroughly enjoyable walk, leaving him-indoors doing the things that him-indoors wanted to do. It was such a gloriously mild afternoon it just had to be done. After the dull rainy days we've had recently it was a real pleasure to get out - plus I'm on a mission to get fit and what better way to go about it. Watch this space.

I lost count of all the birds I could hear singing. 

The fallen leaves were in abundance 

and very damp, but everything

 smelled of that lovely woody, autumnal mustiness

Several dog-walkers bid me good afternoon and I enjoyed taking in the fresh air.

 this cheeky little chappy followed me for some time and 

actually stood on my toes for his picture to be taken - so tame.

On my way back through the village I spotted this - a mini pop-up library for villagers to make use of - how cool is that.

Bye for now, see you soon x

Never a dull moment

 

I'd had my morning stroll around the garden and was having a quiet cup of coffee whilst reading the Sunday papers when our friendly neighbourhood pair of squirrels decided to come out to play.  Not content with the nuts we put out for them on a table by the fence, as always they found it fun to play on the bird feeders and boxes etc. 

One squirrel we call Superman -  because he doesn't only jump from one feeder to the other - a good metre away, he literally leaps through the air to get what he wants before the birds get there. Of course he's a lot bigger than they are so he wins every time.

These squirrels give us such a lot of pleasure all year round - we spend many afternoons watching their antics when they're either foraging for nuts and then burying them in our lawn (!!!) or chasing along our fence to see who gets to the nuts first.

This one was actually posing for the photo I took through my French windows. He sat there for ages as though he was waiting for my camera to snap him.

Thank you for all your comments you left on my last post - they mean a lot and are much appreciated.

Have a good week.

Anniversary trip

John treated us to a day out this week for our 44th wedding anniversary. We boarded the 70 year old and much preserved Paddle Steamer Waverley for a trip up the Thames to London.  It was a beautiful day, albeit a bit windy but nevertheless sunny. Because of this the boat couldn't dock at Southend pier so we were coached to Gravesend for our embarkation.

As you must be aware by now, I am passionate about London and this was a fabulous way of approaching it. Passing many landmarks, old warehouses, factories, ports areas, cranes and so much more besides.

This is the Queen Elizabeth ll bridge that joins Essex with Kent at Dartford 

I've only ever seen the Thames Barrier on the tv and it was fascinating to cruise past

Next came the O2 centre and the Emirates cable cars which takes you from one side to the other side of the river - a ride upon which is definitely on my wish list!

This is the Greenwich Maritime Centre and Royal Observatory

The Cutty Sark standing proudly in the background

When you are in the City you can never actually see the skyline and this was great to see it as we approached London

Again, Docklands is so vast that you can never appreciate it when walking about

Steaming towards Tower Bridge was just the most thrilling experience

and such excitement when it was opened for us to pass through

Once in the Pool of London we had a half an hour moored up before leaving

So what better way of spending the time marvelling at the scene around us 

This is the Old Custom House which we visited in my last post

And of course the majestic Tower of London - standing dominantly by the Thames

And so, as we steamed past Wapping Steps

we made our way back down the Thames towards home

A perfect day that fulfilled all my expectations.

See you soon x

A month ago....

....I said that I was returning after my summer break, and here I am returning again! Where does the time go? Thank you for your lovely comments welcoming me back and yes this time I'm definitely back to stay.

A few weeks ago London was hosting an Open House weekend, whereby many famous and otherwise closed buildings were opened up to the public for viewing free of charge. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, we hot footed it into the City early Sunday morning.

Our first port of call was the church of St Botolph without Aldgate, a prominent and significant church in the City and although a church has been on this site for over 1000 years, this was built around 1744 outside the 'ald' gate on the eastern edge of the City.  Churches at city gates were often dedicated to Botolph, so travellers could pray on arrival and departure from London's busy port area. London had four such churches - Aldersgate, Bishopsgate and Billingsgate and thus the church is regarded as a sort of English St Christopher. 

                         

We had a fascinating talk and wonderful (but very loud) demonstration in the Bell Tower. The church is in possession of a fine peal of eight bells, cast during the eighteenth century at the nearby Whitechapel Bell Foundry (a trip to be made there soon methinks). The tenor bell weighing in at 45 cwt actually caused the tower to sway and rock with the momentum of the peal. Very scary.

A few famous residents in the Parish include Chaucer who lived above the Aldgate gatehouse, Daniel Defoe was married there in 1684. St Isaac Newton lived opposite the church when he was master of the Royal Mint as well as Edmund Spenser the poet who was born there in 1552.

We then attempted to visit the famous Gherkin almost next door but were disappointed to find the queue went around the whole block and would have taken at least an hour to get in so moved on towards the Lloyds Building.

walking past this Old Tea Warehouse - 

there's always something to find in these lovely old allies and back streets.

Our son J works in the Lloyds Building and we've been inside a few times, so we were not too disappointed to find it closed. We then walked along towards Billingsgate and the Old Custom House.

 

In feudal times in order to fight wars, dispense justice and run the country, the King needed money, so tradesmen were charged a fee for importing and exporting goods.

The Thames provided London's access to trade during the middle ages. It is a tidal and navigable river and the city of London developed around the only crossing over it - London Bridge. This was where the ships converged for trading and the reason Custom House was built here - east of the bridge yet within the protection of the city walls.

There has been a Custom House on this site for over 2000 years from when the Romans were here.

We then strolled along the Thames Path towards the Tower of London for our second trip to see the poppies in the moat. A very emotional and spine tingling sight I must say.

It was then back to the car via Pepys Street and the end of a most enjoyable day out

I hope you enjoyed this trip too and I'll be back again in a few days.