neil.baldwin – Page 37 – Neil Baldwin's blog : Warning contains walking, technology, photography, holidays.

Sunny Sunday Kew again

When I told Kev that we had been to Kew the weekend before he was keen to go this weekend whilst he and the family were down for a visit. So we woke up in good time to get ready prepare a picnic and head off to Kew. It did not quite work out like that, we started watching the Chinese Grand Prix and Helen decided that she would like to go to church as it was palm sunday. Who were we to argue it would mean we could see the finish of what turned out to be quitre an exciding race. Race over we quickly made sandwiches and put together some chrips and cake, we had a picnic ready to go.

Getting to Kew is really easy just round the M25 then get of at junction 2 of the M4 and you’re practically there. The car park was slightly more full that the week before but we both found spaces with ease. Once in the park we decided to keep to the river side of the park and headed in when we were level with the tree top walk. Helen looked after the bags at the bottom whilst the rest of us did the high altitude walk. Ben showed of his reading ability by reading all the signs on the walk way. Hayleigh started winging so we decided a picnic stop was in order, we found a shady spot an were soon tucking into to our trout or cheese sandwiches.

Suitably refreshed we headed towards the the Pagoda, by way of the bridge over the lake, which is quite an interesting design. We spotted a few Parakeets on the way over. It is strange once you have seen a bird for the first time you then start seeing them much more. Just before the Pagoda there is a Japanese Zen garden, very tranquil I must say. From the Pagoda we headed towards the end where we cam in with the plan of visiting each of the green houses on the way.

Hayleigh did not like the heat of the greenhouses so we did not spend too much time in each. The highlights were the carnivorous plants, and the lizards in the Princess of Wales greenhouse, which we had not seen before. Ben and Hayleigh particularly liked the giant cat fish. We were fairly tired by the last of the greenhouses so we headed towards the exist for a coffee at the cafe near the exit, which has a children’s playground near by.

Whilst the kids were playing I was minding my own business when a little girl came up to me and declared that she had lost her parents. This was a tricky situation, what do I do? If I take here to a member of the Kew staff and her parents come looking for her and see me leading her away from the play area, what will they think. At the same time the poor kid was lost. I asked her what her mum looked like she said black short hair so I said well lets have a look round and see is we can see her. Luckily for both of us she spotted her mother some hundred yards away and went running off.

We needed some bread for tea so Helen and I set off to find a supermarket and left Kev and Ron to follow on. Another good day at Kew.

Otmoor and Oxford

Meeting my brother and family, in Oxford in the afternoon, so Helen and I decided to take a trip to RSPB Otmoor in the morning. So after a brief trip to the in laws for coffee we headed off to the reserve at Otmoor.

We did not go via the most direct route but headed out through Aylesbury towards Bicester. We turned right around Grendon Underwood and headed past Brill through some lovely typical Oxfordshire rolling country side. We found Otmoor easily and parked up. There were lots of birds about, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, White Throat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler to name a few spring migrants. There is a new hide been built since we last visited (See here) and it has great views over the wetland habitat they manage there. We heard someone mention Grasshopper Warbler but Helen could not hear it. After stolling around for an hour and a half we headed back to the Oxford Park and Ride. Parking was at a premium but we were soon on a bus into Oxford centre.

We were quite hungry by then and headed for the covered market and found a table in Mortons for a cappucino and a falafel burger, and lovely they were, that’s one each not multiples each!

We then headed over to Blackwells for a browse round the books. It seems that the computer sections are not what they used to be, and I could not find what I was looking for. Got a text from Kev so we headed to the bus stop to wait for him. They soon arrived and we headed over to the indoor market to get some stuff for tea, then we headed out towards the Natural History Museum. Outside the building there is a new exhibit, which is really cool. They have mounted on concrete plinths the lower parts of some very big trees, you can see all the roots which have been cleaned up. Surprisingly the roots do not go very deep.

The museum as expected was a really hit with the kids, they especially liked the Pitt Rivers section with all the old cabinets and dark room. The swifts had not arrive back yet so there was no chance to see the usual video feed.

It was quite late in the day so we were kicked out of Pitt Rivers then we quickly finished the main part of the museum, then walked past the Bodelian library back to the bus stop, then we were soon back to the car and en route home. A great day out.

Spring is here, a trip to Kew Gardens

The weather has been great all week, at work I have been doing timelapse videos of a new sewage treatment plant all week, but more of that later. I suggested that we go to Kew to see the place in all its spring glory. We decided to go and take the mother in law.

Woke up this morning early the day looked like it would be blue skies and sun all day. We headed off just before 10am, picked up our guest and headed off towards the M25. The traffic was OK and we were soon round the M25 and onto the M4 heading towards London. We exited at J2 and picked up the road that crosses the Thames at Hammersmith Bridge. Just after the bridge if you take the first right and then follow the signs to the Kew car park, (tight and narrow left between two houses), we arrived just short of 11am and easily found a place to park. Parking ticket is £6 and if you like you can park for free on Kew road but it can be a bit tricky.

Entrance to the Gardens was quite steep at 10p short of £14. The car park is on the Thames side of the park and there were no queues. Any way £40 worse off and we were into the gardens. The river side of the gardens is not really on the main drag so we headed east towards the pagoda end and took in all the plants and trees. there were some fritillaries, which are a lovely flower they come in purple and white and look like bells hanging from a bent over stem. fritillaries are quite rare and declining, but are native to the Thames valley and Suffolk. Another highlight was two types of wild garlic, Ransomes and Few-flowered Garlic. I have come across Ransomes in our local woods but I have never see the Few-flowered ones, which were not as pungent as the Ransomes.

There were lots of trees in bloom including Rhododendrons, Magnolias, and plenty of cherry like blossoms. After a trip up the treetop walkway, (Helen and her mum chickened out) we headed over to the most easterly green house. After looking round the green house the plan was to meander our way back towards the west end where we entered. We stopped off at the botanical art exhibition and I managed to miss the bit that connected the old building to the new building, so that pleasure will have to wait until next time.

After looking round the middle greenhouse I struck up a conversation with a lady who was taking a panorama shot using a panoramic attachement on a tripod. We exchanged tips and I passed on the name of the software I use Hugin (here is the link http://hugin.sourceforge.net/). I took a good look at the camera bracket she was using because my one made from B&Q angle irons is not up to the job. If you are reading this can you send me a picture of your bracket. She she was a member of the Muswell Hill Photographic Society, and had got a couple of pictures commended in the Kew gardens photo competition.

We had lunch at the Pavilion, where there was lots of nice food on offer including plenty of veggie options. As it was only 12 we opted for a lighter lunch of sandwiches, followed buy the obligatory day out cake. Once refreshed we headed over to the last of the greenhouses the Princess of Wales conservatory, where all the tropical stuff is housed. Helen did not like the humid atmosphere she claims it makes her hair curl so she looks like Bonnie Langford!

Turns out there was another green house to look round, the one with the giant lilly pads. Today however they were not giant, they had obviously had a clear out and started again as the pad were only up to a foot across. I tried taking a panorama shot here as I thought it would be a bit like the St Pancras one with roof offering an interesting pattern. If it works you may see the results here, but at time of writing it needed a bit of tweaking to get the handrails to line up correctly. Sometimes you wish you had the tripod and pano head with you, but when you set out you just can’t be bothered to lug all the gear around.

We stopped for Tea/Coffee before a look round the obligatory shop, then headed back to the car with a brief stop to look at the river and eat and ice cream. The drive back was a breeze and we stopped of in Tring to get some tea (salad and stuff) and to place a bet on the Grand National, I choose the favourite and a rank outsider. The favourite came in 3rd so I might get some money back but not as much as I bet, there is probably a life lesson there, a £10 in the hand is better than one passed over the betting shop counter.

All in all a great day out with great weather, Oh and I forgot to mention we added a bird to the life list, Ringed-necked Parakeet, Helen’s mum spotted it at first I thought it was a sparrow hawk, it was travelling fast and had hawk like wing silhouette, but the give away was the slim pointed tail. When it circled round you could clearly see it was a bright green bird so there was no doubt, about the identification.

A Single Man (**)

This film is takes place on a single day some time around the Cuban missile crisis. George Falconer (Colin Firth) is trying to overcome the grief of losing his long term partner, over the course of the day he has various encounters, and we are treated to lots of flash backs and day dreams. The film is visually stunning but with too much symbolism for my tastes hence only two stars.

College Lake

Such a nice day on Sunday I decided to take a trip round College lake with the Father in-law. We arrived at about 13:00 and parked up, BBOWT do not charge an entrance fee but suggest a £2 parking donation. The new visitors centre is very airy, there is an exhibition and a cafe area. The cafe area used to be on the north side of the site in a wooden building, but now you have to enter the site via the new one.

I must add that I have never really been a fan of college lake, I am not sure why maybe because the hides were very distant from the birds. The walk round was to change my opinion, there are now some new hides and well as some of the old ones. The water area close to the centre has been left to flood after they had done some earthworks, and the new hides are well placed to take advantage of the new waterscape.

We headed off toward the Bulbourne side first, it was the middle of the day so there was not much birding action to be seen, but we did spot a hovering Kestrel. Down over the opposite end to the center we came across a toad crossing the path, then went into the newly planted area which is a sort meadow area, there were some shrubs that were covered in the lady birds, lucking the indigenous species. When you turn back towards the center there are a couple of old bits of machinery reminding you that the site was once a chalk quarry.

From the new hide on the bund we saw the Ruff that they had told us about at the visitors centre. I will certainly return, later on the the year.

Walk round Cholesbury (2 Hours)

We met up with A&C for a walk round Cholesbury and were in the woods by 11:15. The weather was sunny but there was still a little nip in the air. We went past the church where some distant relative from the 1800’s have a grave, then kept to the woods and headed towards Hastoe.

At one point we came a cross a wooded area where someone had put on display lads of small fairies, and wind chimes. There was no explanation for them being there, I suggested that someone could not think what to do with a large collection they had so let them free in the woods. They were all nailed in place so they were hardly free to roam.

As we got close to Hastoe it was time to take a right and then start heading back to wards where we started. There was quite a lot of bird activity going on this time of year is a good time because the birds are becoming territorial and you can still see into the trees because the leaves are not out yet. The high lights were three buzzards soaring on the thermals and two woodpeckers doing large circuits of and area as if they were courting or chasing each other.

As we got back towards the car we came across two bumblebees one dead and the other one crawling. I took a couple of pictures and a video. Looking at the video later the bee had quite a few ticks on it. I don’t think they were the cause of death as some internet research suggested that they were harmless.

Once back at the car we parked up at the Half Moon for some lunch in the pub garden where it was only just warm enough to be comfortable. The food was up to the usual good standard. All in all a great walk and meal in good company. We were back in time to watch the boat race and Oxford won by a country mile.

22 Bullets (***)

A Jean Reno film who one of our favourite actors. The plot is that Jean Reno plays a retired Mafia boss who is targeted by a past partner in crime who has turned a bit obsessive compulsive. He tries hard to not get revenge because he had previously promised to to get out of his past life, but slowly his rival draws him into the war.

The Reader (****)

This film star Kate Winslett and Ralph Fiennes gets off to a slow start, but then sucks you in as the plot thickens and it all starts to make more sense.

It is based in Berlin after the war and also in more recent times. A school boy has an affair one summer with a tram conductor, who turns out to later to be on trial for being an SS guard in Auschwitz. The boy reads the books he is studying to her (hence the film title).

The story then slowly takes you through the life of the boy up to date, and how his and her life are connected.

Greate story hence 4 stars.

Beneath Hill 60 (***)

The film is set in the first world war when a bunch of Australians miners are tasked with tunnelling under the Germans and planting tons of explosives. The miners play cat a mouse with the German tunnellers.

The film is a bit predictable in that 1st world war an and tunnelling films have been done before, but it is interesting in that I was not aware that there was such extensive tunnels dug during the war.

Glorious Sunday round Minsmere

We woke up to a sunny but fresh morning, Helena d Nik were up for a walk from Minsmere so after breakfast, and settling the bill (food and drink as usual came to more than the accomodation) we parked up at the reserve temporary car park, and headed out towards the Bittern hide which we soon followed by the Island Mere hide from where we got great view of Marsh Harrier and Smew.

We then headed out towards to Scotts Hall and on to the footpath that leads over to Dunwich Heath. We did not stop at the NT tea room but headed round the heath an straight back to the reserve and into the South Hide where the north wind was blowing straight into the open windows. Now that the sun was out the hides and footpaths were packed, unlike yesterday when we saw no one. We must be real hardcore!

Helen and Nik needed to head off home so we went back to the reserve tea room for some lunch. Unfortunately they had run out of parsnip back and baked potatoes, I think that had been surprised by the influx of visitors pent up by the poor weather the day before. We got some bird food from the shop, 20% off, then headed back to the car and said goodby to Helen and Nik.

We also headed back and made good progress door to door the journey was 2:30, with one stop for some bread and some salad for tea. The M25 was busy but was always moving.