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Post by Skankmonkey on Jun 23, 2016 12:53:58 GMT
I likeis the Shropshire countryside along the Welsh border. Bishops Castle and all around there. A lot of atmospheric country and hidden valleys you could imagine a itedieval Welsh raiding party holding up in. A lot of Briton/Welsh place names still as well. Totally agree, skankmonkey - I was lucky enough to work around there a lot in the late 1980s / early 1990s - Cardingmill valley, Clun and Bishops Castle. There was a really good pub in Bishops Castle (with its own brewery I think) but I can't remember the name. Also used to go drinking in Montgomery a lot too, just across the bortder. Yes mate. Two breweries in BC. The Three Tuns at the top and the Six Bells by the church at the bottom. Half a dozen pubs. A cracking place and the excellent beer festival is coming up. Fri/Sat 9th July. Loads of beers and a brilliant time to be had by all. Usually some excellent bands at the Crown and Anchor as well. I recommend it.
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Post by potterinleeds on Jun 23, 2016 13:20:46 GMT
Totally agree, skankmonkey - I was lucky enough to work around there a lot in the late 1980s / early 1990s - Cardingmill valley, Clun and Bishops Castle. There was a really good pub in Bishops Castle (with its own brewery I think) but I can't remember the name. Also used to go drinking in Montgomery a lot too, just across the bortder. Yes mate. Two breweries in BC. The Three Tuns at the top and the Six Bells by the church at the bottom. Half a dozen pubs. A cracking place and the excellent beer festival is coming up. Fri/Sat 9th July. Loads of beers and a brilliant time to be had by all. Usually some excellent bands at the Crown and Anchor as well. I recommend it. The Three Tuns - that was the one. Beer festival sounds excellent - minor haul from Leeds but will bear it in mind. I think the pub in Montgomery was called The Chequers - all I can remember is that the pool table was in a very small room, so that for about half your shots you had to cue up at a severe angle. Happy days.
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Post by Skankmonkey on Jun 23, 2016 13:24:11 GMT
Yes mate. Two breweries in BC. The Three Tuns at the top and the Six Bells by the church at the bottom. Half a dozen pubs. A cracking place and the excellent beer festival is coming up. Fri/Sat 9th July. Loads of beers and a brilliant time to be had by all. Usually some excellent bands at the Crown and Anchor as well. I recommend it. The Three Tuns - that was the one. Beer festival sounds excellent - minor haul from Leeds but will bear it in mind. I think the pub in Montgomery was called The Chequers - all I can remember is that the pool table was in a very small room, so that for about half your shots you had to cue up at a severe angle. Happy days. You'd be lucky to find any accomodation now mind. It gets rammed. I book camping in March. It's always the second weekend in July. Chequers rings a bell.
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Post by potterinleeds on Jun 23, 2016 13:40:48 GMT
The Three Tuns - that was the one. Beer festival sounds excellent - minor haul from Leeds but will bear it in mind. I think the pub in Montgomery was called The Chequers - all I can remember is that the pool table was in a very small room, so that for about half your shots you had to cue up at a severe angle. Happy days. You'd be lucky to find any accomodation now mind. It gets rammed. I book camping in March. It's always the second weekend in July. Chequers rings a bell. Cheers - but I will definitely keep it in mind for next year. My kids are off to Leeds Festival this year, but I've become too old and curmudgeonly to put up with the noise and dirt - a beer festival in BC is much more tempting. Have a good time.
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Post by Skankmonkey on Jun 23, 2016 13:42:06 GMT
I always do. The bits I remember anyway...
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Post by felonious on Jun 29, 2016 6:52:57 GMT
Walking by the river in Manchester near to the cathedral in Manchester on the way to a concert last night I spotted a heron sitting on a small island of twigs.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Jun 30, 2016 21:42:52 GMT
Walking by the river in Manchester near to the cathedral in Manchester on the way to a concert last night I spotted a heron sitting on a small island of twigs. Mint. Fantastic bird, if a scourge of suburban ponds. Perhaps a bit late for nesting. And they generally get up trees to breed/brood.. What was the concert? owt good?
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Jun 30, 2016 21:53:15 GMT
Managed to persuade the neighbours that the tree bumble bee nest in the rafters wouldn't cause too much mither if we left it be. A couple of weeks vigilance and we'd be rayt. The rains came and they've gone dormant any road.
Not enough bugs about yet.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jul 1, 2016 5:45:52 GMT
Just arrived on the west coast of Wales for the weekend to play trains. Decided that the north Staffordshire dawn chorus is infinitely easier on the ear than lots of screeching gulls.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2016 6:01:51 GMT
Been performing yogic sun salutation all week and the pain from my prolapsed spinal discs is disappearing. Have also been using a desk I can stand at to use a computer with equal benefit!
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Post by felonious on Jul 1, 2016 6:39:29 GMT
Walking by the river in Manchester near to the cathedral in Manchester on the way to a concert last night I spotted a heron sitting on a small island of twigs. Mint. Fantastic bird, if a scourge of suburban ponds. Perhaps a bit late for nesting. And the generally get up trees. What was the concert? owt good? The concert was excellent but none of this shit that you and I like My daughter was singing a little Puccini, etc but I also heard some Fernando Sor which with some nice classical guitar accompaniment was rather pleasant.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2016 6:42:50 GMT
Walking by the river in Manchester near to the cathedral in Manchester on the way to a concert last night I spotted a heron sitting on a small island of twigs. A faggot of twigs eh?
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Post by felonious on Jul 1, 2016 6:44:59 GMT
Back on the subject of herons I've been surprised by the herons that come to the stream by the field where I walk the dog thinking that the fish in there are so small they couldn't keep a miniature heron going. A couple of weeks ago a I startled a water vole so on looking it up on the internet net I discovered that herons eat.....water voles
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2016 6:47:12 GMT
Back on the subject of herons I've been surprised by the herons that come to the stream by the field where I walk the dog thinking that the fish in there are so small they couldn't keep a miniature heron going. A couple of weeks ago a I startled a water vole so on looking it up on the internet net I discovered that herons eat.....water voles ..I'm picturing you jumping out from a faggot of twigs shouting BOO!
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Post by felonious on Jul 1, 2016 6:54:29 GMT
Walking by the river in Manchester near to the cathedral in Manchester on the way to a concert last night I spotted a heron sitting on a small island of twigs. A faggot of twigs eh? I said the river not the canal Foofoo
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Post by Northy on Jul 1, 2016 9:32:10 GMT
Been performing yogic sun salutation all week and the pain from my prolapsed spinal discs is disappearing. Have also been using a desk I can stand at to use a computer with equal benefit! I have one of those desks as well, a great idea. uk.varidesk.com/Stevenage in the rain is about as exciting as Vale Park
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Jul 17, 2016 14:52:18 GMT
Upsides and downside of nature.
Saw me first real life Stoat on friday. Seen plenty of weasels, but never a stoat. Ran out in front, missed both wheels. Chuffed to know they're about. Fascinating things, more intrigued having seen that Springwatch footage of one taking the woodpecker chicks.
Then I got eaten by Hoss Flies.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jul 17, 2016 16:11:52 GMT
Back on the old steam theme. Today at Foxfield riding in the old Knotty coaches through fields of barley in glorious sunshine. North Staffordshire has some marvellous hidden gems. On the way back the bloke wouldn't let me into the Brit car park to take a photo. Nasty man. Sorry Bet365 car park.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Jul 17, 2016 18:14:04 GMT
Back on the old steam theme. Today at Foxfield riding in the old Knotty coaches through fields of barley in glorious sunshine. North Staffordshire has some marvellous hidden gems. On the way back the bloke wouldn't let me into the Brit car park to take a photo. Nasty man. Sorry Bet365 car park. It was a bit more relaxed last weekend. Black Lion Consall had a Beer do on and an Engine driver went by with a can on.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jul 17, 2016 18:24:28 GMT
Back on the old steam theme. Today at Foxfield riding in the old Knotty coaches through fields of barley in glorious sunshine. North Staffordshire has some marvellous hidden gems. On the way back the bloke wouldn't let me into the Brit car park to take a photo. Nasty man. Sorry Bet365 car park. It was a bit more relaxed last weekend. Black Lion Consall had a Beer do on and an Engine driver went by with a can on. Fantastic location and popular with the canal fraternity as well, of course. Glad to hear of a footplate crew keeping up the heritage traditions.!
Frying bacon and eggs on the shovel is another winner, bit gritty but edible.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jul 17, 2016 18:29:55 GMT
Today in North Staffs.
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Post by potterinleeds on Jul 18, 2016 10:31:34 GMT
Wholeheartedly agree. Was at my Mum & Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary do between Eccleshall and Loggerheads yesterday afternoon. Ripening crops, thickly wooded countryside, rich hedges and uncut verges - Paradisical. And what a sunset yesterday! Driving back across the M62, even Leeds managed to look beautiful in the evening sunlight. Been running this morning and must have sent up dozens of Meadow Brown butterflies out of the long grass in front of me. It has been a better year up here for butterflies this year all round - last two were really dreadful.
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Post by ihaveadream on Jul 18, 2016 13:03:04 GMT
I've just had some licorice allsorts, delicious
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Jul 18, 2016 20:23:43 GMT
Mistle Thrush, Goldfinch and a ballsy wren giving it large earlier.
Thinking of concocting a Pokemon like Twitcher/nature App. ?
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jul 18, 2016 21:01:07 GMT
Mistle Thrush, Goldfinch and a ballsy wren giving it large earlier. Thinking of concocting a Pokemon like Twitcher/nature App. ? If you must. Be careful where you place them though. Don't want to be peering through lady's bedroom windows or falling off ladders.
Much.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Jul 18, 2016 21:10:38 GMT
Mistle Thrush, Goldfinch and a ballsy wren giving it large earlier. Thinking of concocting a Pokemon like Twitcher/nature App. ? If you must. Be careful where you place them though. Don't want to be peering through lady's bedroom windows or falling off ladders.
Much.
Thinking satnav nature hotspots where folk can snatch species for points. Dunno. Linking in with Ispot for recognition. T'other day a mate had a phone picture of an Emperor Moth Caterpillar he'd seen on the towpath, verifiable shit like that would be worth a few points in such a game. Harder in winter.
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Post by trentvale68 on Jul 18, 2016 21:18:37 GMT
Something pastoral
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Post by felonious on Jul 19, 2016 5:47:16 GMT
If you must. Be careful where you place them though. Don't want to be peering through lady's bedroom windows or falling off ladders.
Much.
Thinking satnav nature hotspots where folk can snatch species for points. Dunno. Linking in with Ispot for recognition. T'other day a mate had a phone picture of an Emperor Moth Caterpillar he'd seen on the towpath, verifiable shit like that would be worth a few points in such a game. Harder in winter. When the kids were little I bought them a couple of bird spotting books and marked them up with points depending on rarity* it lasted for a month or so over that summer before they got bored and they've grown up with zero interest in wildlife
* Obvs the Hoopoe was given the highest marks
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Post by felonious on Jul 19, 2016 7:51:28 GMT
I've just been treated to a couple on minutes watching a woodpecker on one of the bird feeders through an open window. Fighting off the starlings and all comers
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Post by potterinleeds on Jul 19, 2016 9:43:00 GMT
Too hot to sleep yesterday evening so sat out in the garden on the grass about 11.30pm, with a bright, full moon shining through the branches of the trees as the back of us, absolutely silent and still. Lovely.
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