Nigel's Photo Blog

  Late last night my wife and myself had a pleasant surprise when our cat spotted a hedgehog roaming around the garden. We sort of know there are hedgehogs around but sightings tend to be rare, possibly on a quinquennial basis, as the mammal is nocturnal and hibernates during the winter. The sighting is important as over half the country's hedgehogs have disappeared from the countryside since 2000 and they are now absent in a third of towns and cities.  A section of our garden has been abandoned for cultivation purposes and is designated 'wild'. This may help to encourage hedgehogs whose lifespan tends to be around three years.  In addition to the hedgehogs  we have regular sightings of foxes and squirrels.We also have a wide range of birdlife ranging from seagulls, pigeons, crows and magpies down to tiny finches and the like.All of this makes for good viewing from the kitchen window! On this subject of wildlife here are some images of local water birds taken in rece...

 Introduction This post records a one day section of an extended small group Ireland tour.   Prehistoric ‘Rock Art’ at Knowth, Ireland Information on the Tour Itinerary.  This morning, we left our lodgings in Sligo , West of Ireland and drove S.E. to the small town of  Carrick-on-Shannon (pop  4000 ) where we stopped for about 45 minutes to explore. St Mary’s Church, Carrick on Shannon, Ireland Farmers Market at Carrick on Shannon, Ireland Carrick on Shannon Marina. Next, we continued S.E. for about two hours to our principal destination of the prehistoric passage tomb complex  at Bru na Boinne which is situated near the River Boyne, north of Dublin.here there are three great tombs known as Dowth, Newgrange and Knowth . Newgrange is the best known and most popular. Due to pressure of visitor numbers at Newgrange we elected to visit Knowth and joined a guided tour the leader of which explained: The sites many phases from first farming around ...

Introduction This evening, I am posting information on Torrylin, a burial cairn from the Neolithic period (about 5000 years old) within walking distance of Lagg on the southern tip of the Isle of Arran off Scotland’s West Coast.     Burial chambers at Torrrylin Cairn, Isle of Arran, Scotland Key features of the Torrylin Site Comprises four chambers, one of over 25 similar burial cairns on Arran. The cairn overlooks the sea. Categorised as a ‘Clyde Type’ i.e. architecture in common with many others around the  Firth of Clyde in S.W.Scotland. Heavily robbed and damaged over the millennia. The cairn originally had a forecourt area defined by tall stones, leading to an inner rectangular chamber divided into four similar compartments. Excavations in the 19th century revealed the remains of six adults, a child, and an infant burial. Fragments of flint tools and pieces of pottery were also discovered. Torrylin Burial Cairn, Arran, Scotland. More information For m...

  Introduction This evening, I am focusing on the Duke of Sutherland Monument. This edifice sits atop Ben Bhraggie (a mountain) close to the N.E. coast of Scotland, near the village of Golspie. Information on the Duke The Duke of Sutherland’s life spanned the period 1758-1833. Through marriage to Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland, he became the largest private landowner in Europe at the time. The Duke also held the title Marquess of Stafford and was a Member of Parliament 1778-84 and 1787-98. During the Duke’s tenure in the Scottish Highlands many thousands of his tenants, were forcibly evicted and left destitute. Hitherto, these people had eked out a subsistence existence from crofting (small scale farming). Many emigrated and others were absorbed into the factories of the Industrial Revolution...

 Introduction This evening, I am reporting on two prehistoric monuments located near Creetown in Galloway, southern Scotland. They date from between 4000 and 6000 years ago, mainly during the Neolithic period. More information on the tombs These chambered tombs were built to house the remains of many people and were in use over many centuries.Their creation required a major work commitment by the community. This work was seasonal taking place during quiet times in the farming and fishing year. Chambered cairns can be found in parts of Scotland, Ireland and the Atlantic coast of Europe although designs vary. The two cairns (Cairnholy I and II) would have looked quite different when first constructed. All that remains are the basic 'skeleton' of each cairn. This is because the core 'in-fill' of each structure has removed to form field boundaries and for other purposes. In Cairnholy 1 the curving facade of standing stones once formed the backdrop to a forecourt in fro...

Introduction Today, I am reporting on the quaint town of Ely (pop 15,000) which is located in the Fens, 17 miles north of Cambridge . Information on Ely    This town was founded in the 7th century by Etheldreda, a Northumbrian Queen and later became famous as site of the last (unsuccessful) stand by Hereward the Wake against William the Conqueror in the 11th century. Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire, England The name is generally believed to originated from the Old English Elig, which translates as 'Eel Island' or 'district of Eels'. Benefiting from its relatively remote location Ely has retained a good number of medieval and Tudor buildings. Main attraction is the 14th century Cathedral, a gothic design by local monk Alan de Walsingham. The building features an octagonal tower which stands prominently on the local landscape. Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire, England Centre of Ely, Cambridgeshire Other places of interest include: Pubs and restaurants on the River O...