Nigel's Photo Blog

Blenheim Palace, England This evening I am focusing on Blenheim Palace, Wooodstock , about 1 hour 15 mins N.W. of London. Location is convenient for the vast number of tour buses and other motor tours which move between London and Stratford-upon-Avon. This is a World Heritage Site and famous for being the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill in 1874. The Palace was a gift from Queen Anne to the Duke of Marlborough in recognition of his victory over the French at the Battle of Blenheim, Bavaria, (Germany) in 1704. Original architect was John Vanbrugh assisted by Nicholas Hawksmoor but due to disputes with Duchess Sarah this duo did not see the project through to completion and were replaced. Final completion was achieved around 1722. Landscaping was the work of ‘Capability’ Brown. Blenheim was intended as a combined political statement, monument, castle, citadel and private house wrapped in architecture to rival the French palace at Versailles. Inside, the visito

Head of Roman-era effigy at the Roman Baths Today, I am focusing on threeof the  key sites in Bath, namely the famous Roman Baths, the Fashion Museum and the Pump Room. This includes mid-afternoon refreshment at the latter,in the elegant and refined surrounding with live, classical music renditions in the background. Information on Bath Bath has a population of about 84,000, is located some 115 miles ( 184 km) West of London in the county of Somerset. Roman Era: The Romans invaded Britain in AD 43 and within twenty years had found and built a Roman Baths  complex and adjoining temple around the country’s only natural hot springs which they named Aqua Sulis . Here, the Romans encouraged worship of their goddess, Minerva. The complex appears to have fallen into progressive decline from around the late 3rd century onwards, in tandem with decline of Roman power in the West. The bathing complex was rediscovered in the 18th century, has been restored and is

Castle Combe, Wilthsire, England This evening, I am posting information on Castle Combe in the Wiltshire, Cotswold region, often described as the prettiest village in England. The village is situated about 15 miles N.E. of Bath, a popular tourist destination with Roman origins.From London the distance is about 110 miles due west. Castle Combe has changed little over the past 500 years. Most of the buildings are a product of the 15th century cloth boom. Key features and information on Castle Combe: Settlement dates from Saxon times but the Romans built a fort nearby. After the Norman invasion in 1066 the manor was handed to Humphrey de L’Isle During the 12th century Reginald de Dunstanville built the castle from which the village gets its name. The village’s heydays were in the Middle Ages when Castle Combe’s cloth was a prized and lucrative product. The Parish Church of St. Andrew dates from the 12th century. The river running at foot of the village is called the

Mountains of Isle of Skye viewed from Applecross This evening, I am posting information on the remote coastal village of Applecross in Wester Ross which in turn forms part of the Western Highlands. Getting to Applecross (by road) is part of the experience, entailing challenging drives along single track routes, either the winding coast road from Shieldaig, to the north on Loch Torridon, with great views all the way or the Bealach na Ba (Pass of the Cattle). Latter road is one of the highest in Britain, reaching 2,053 ft, and heads into the clouds on Alpine hairpin bends. The Bealach na Ba is not cleared of snow and ice during winter. Here is a video clip of a trip along Bealach na Ba. Applecross faces west with the islands of Raasay and Rona interposed between the mainland and the rugged mountains of the Isle of Skye in the distance. Applecross Inn (pub) More information on Applecross: The name is derived from Gaelic and means ‘confluenc

Springtime is synonymous with the lambing season in Scotland. With the foregoing in mind I ventured off this morning, suitably armed with a long lens, to capture images of new born 'cuties' . As will be evidenced from images herein, the mission was successful with added bonus that I had a chance meeting with the farmer who, despite a cheery smile, was concerned that (a) that the animal auctions marts were currently shut down and (b) there is a possibility that slaughterhouses will follow likewise. Obviously, the foregoing has negative implications for his forward cash flow. There are thought to be about seventy sheep breeds in the U.K ., more than in any in other country in the world.  In Scotland there about 6.5M sheep of which lambs comprise 48pct of the total flock. The principal driver behind sheep farming is the production of lamb meat. Historically, wool was important but is now a by-product and of nominal value.  In the images readers may questio

Eye Stream at Lower Slaughter, Cotswolds, England This evening, I am posting information on the scenic and popular village of Lower Slaughter in the English Cotswolds. There has been a settlement here for about 1000 years. The name derives from the Old English for ‘muddy place’. Character is due to the quaint limestone cottages lining the banks of the gentle flowing River Eye which is, effectively, the village’s main street. Tucked away is a former water powered mill which is now a craft-centric visitor attraction. The water wheel still turns, albeit for cosmetic effect. To complete the classic English ambience, the 13th century St. Mary’s Church with its  characteristic spire stands close to the stream and is normally open to the public. Lower Slaughter is near to Bourton-on-the-Water and other popular Cotswold visitor sites, about ninety miles N.W. of London. Quaint Cottage Former water powered mill, now craft and visitor centre

Comments off Artist’s impression of a Highland village contemporary with the Clearances. This evening, I am posting information on a tangible connection with the Highland Clearances, 1750-1850 when the old Scottish   clan land system was disbanded and thousands of Highlanders were ejected from their homes to make way for large-scale sheep farming. Many of the dispossessed emigrated to Canada, United States and Australasia. Badbea is one of the few ruined villages which are easily accessible to the public, being located close to the A9 highway, north of Helmsdale, on the cliff tops of Berriedale on the east coast of Caithness in the Scottish Highlands. View east across the North Sea from Badbea Badbea was occupied from around 1770 to 1911. A brief chronology is as follows: 1793: Sir John Sinclair evicted eighty of his tenants from the Langwell Estate. 1804: James Anderson evicted tenants from Ausdale. 1830: Donald Home moved familie

                 (Above image is a capture of a ruined building at Craignavar looking west.) Today, my wife and I visted Glen Almond near Crieff in central Scotland which is about 55 miles north of Glasgow. Key objective was the abandoned township of Craignavar which seems to have fallen into decline around 1820 with the buildings left to deteriorate. These sort of communities were based on stone built, single storey dwellings with thatched roofs and operated on a collective tenancy basis, something along the lines of an Israeli kibbutz. I plan to post more information on Craignavar tomorrow. View west from ruined house at Craignavar. Glen Almond and Craignavar are accessed via an unsealed, private road. However, the road is,in fact, open to hikers and cyclists although there is no explicit notice to this effect. Road along Glen Almond Our bike ride covered a 12.5 miles round trip along  a well maintained road. Weather was near perfect (for time of year) with