Psychedelic Southport

So now we live in Southport we thought it would be good to see the Christmas decorations down Lord Street ( which I have to say are a little better than the ones in Horwich ). This 60ft Led tree is the centrepiece of this years Christmas celebrations. It has more than 20,000 sequenced sparking lights and you can walk inside the tree itself to see the magical light shows.

A Walk Around Windermere

We started the year in the Lake District at Coniston and finished it with a walk around Windermere at Fell Foot Park.

Friars Crag

Friars Crag is a promontory jutting into Derwentwater on a stretch of shore about half a mile from the boat landing stages. Ruskin described the view as one of the three most beautiful scenes in Europe. It gained its name because it was believed to be the embarkment point for monks making a pilgrimage to St Herbert’s Island, located south-west of the crag.

Unbind the Wing

This week we went to Bodnant Garden to view the willow sculpture by Trevor Leat on the Lily terrace. The sculpture is part of the national trusts "Unbind the wing" campaign celebrating the trail-blazing women of Bodnant Garden and their long struggle for suffrage. Laura McLaren of the Mclaren family who once owned Bodnant was not only a great horticulturalist but a tireless campaigner for the peaceful suffragist cause whose 'spade-work' over decades helped win women the vote.

Autumn at Erdigg. Just a shame your dog cannot enjoy the gardens too.

We hadn't been around the Erdigg garden since we got Bailey and since it was being advertised as being more dog-friendly we thought we would visit again only to find the only concession for being more dog-friendly was you could not go in the courtyard but not the restaurant. So you still had to leave your dog outside whilst you got a coffee. It was my first trip solo around the gardens in my buggy, since Bailey wasn't allowed in. I was rather disappointed to find that the garden wasn't totally accessible there were a couple of raised flags in the pebbled paths which although only an inch or two in height stops both wheelchair and motorized scooters from taking a full advantage of the garden. 

The entrance to the paths which enable you to access the front of the hall where quite uneven and I didn't feel confident taking my scooter over them without getting stuck. So I had to find another doorway through to see the beautiful Virginia creeper which covers the front of the hall.

These problems would be so easily addressed with small ramps and a bit of gravel.

Penman Point

Trwyn Du Lighthouse is a lighthouse between Black Point near Penmon and Ynys Seriol, or Puffin Island, at the eastern extremity of Anglesey, marking the passage between the two islands.

Beautiful Barmouth

Summer would not be complete without a day trip to Barmouth and it's beautiful golden beach overlooking the Llyn Pennisular.

"With a fine sea view in front, the mountains behind, the glorious estuary running eight miles inland, and Cadair Idris within compass of a day's walk, Barmouth can always hold its own against any rival." These are the words of William Wordsworth who visited Barmouth in the 19th century,

Barmouth's or Abermaw or even Y Bermo as it is known in Welsh is location on the west coast of North Wales and lying between a mountain range and the sea on the mouth of the river Mawddach is arguably one of the most beautiful locations in Wales. It rests just within the south west corner of Snowdonia National Park and is steeped in a history rich with connections to the shipping and slate industries.

Sunset Silhouettes

Silhouettes on the Promenade at Colwyn Bay

It's been a good year for the Roses - Bodnant Garden in July

It's been a good year for the Roses - Bodnant Garden in July

Snow Buntings and Snow Scenes

We took Bailey to the Cairngorms this week. Bailey had a good time in the snow. Vic got to use his new drone and I got to see some of these little guys again.

The Winter Garden

The winter garden at Bodnant has now matured giving amazing winter colour to the darkest of days with the bright stems of the dogwood. Four years in the planning and two years in the making, the Winter Garden opened in New Year 2012 and has matured into a richly colourful display of foliage, flower, bark and scent too.t was once an Edwardian rockery, which became overgrown and was closed to the public for decades. The renovation cost £35,000

Sunset, Roe Island viewed from Rampside, Barrow

There has been a lifeboat station at since 1864 the current one opened in 2001.