Tag Archives: hampshire

Remains of a Church

The Royal Garrison Church is a ruin along the waterfront in Portsmouth. It was originally built in the 13^th century but it was bombed in the Second World War and has not been rebuilt. It sits as a reminder of what has been before while it still has a graveyard around it so remains the resting place of many. The lack of a roof makes for some interesting lighting and the shapes of the walls and windows are more apparent. As I walked back to the station, the church was backlit and I couldn’t help grabbing a couple more shots.

The Hovercraft Museum on a Chilly Sunday

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Quite a few years ago, Pete and I took a flight around the Isle of Wight and we took a small diversion near the Hovercraft Museum at Lee on Solent. At that time, both of the Super 4 craft were present along with a lot of other types. I had it in mind that I wanted to visit the museum at some point and, having now moved back to the UK, I figured I would do it. One Sunday morning, I didn’t have a plane or anything else so bought a train ticket and headed off.

It was a morning that could be best described as bloody cold. Walking around some old hangars on the edge of an airfield is not going to make you any warmer. I was glad I had my warm coat but probably should have taken some gloves with me! There are some special items on display and there will be some more posts to come. In the meantime, here is some more general shots of the collection. More to come.

Kestrel Getting Some Lunch

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During my first stroll around Winnall Moors, I caught a glimpse of a bird of prey as it swooped across the grass. I tried to get the camera on it as it moved by. It headed to the grass and then took off again, apparently carrying something with it. Not sure what sort of rodent it had found but it had found a meal. I hadn’t set the camera up for fast moving targets so got whatever I could as it flew away. The light was a little low but the high ISO shots these days are really nothing to worry about. I am hoping to get plenty more opportunities like this. Now to find some kingfishers!

My Usual Hovercraft Spot is Out of Bounds!

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The family was gathering for lunch for my birthday and my mum was coming across on the hovercraft to join us. Whenever I have previously been down at the hovercraft terminal, I have been on the beach just to the east of the slipway. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that there is a large infrastructure project underway along the shoreline and that section is cordoned off. The only option is a small path on the other side of the terminal.

This was not an ideal spot as things are more backlit. I decided that video might be a better bet given the conditions. Even when mum was making her return trip, the light was still not great. We both stopped by to watch an earlier trip arrive and depart. As the departure headed out, the blast of propwash was a bit more than expected and my hat departed my head! Got to focus on the shot and then grab the hat later. Someone had caught it for me anyway!

Winnall Moors Nature Reserve

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The move to Winchester had me initially staying in an Airbnb in the town while we made the full transition from the Pacific Northwest. The first place I stayed was very close to a nature reserve called Winnall Moors. It is not a huge area but it is a protected space amongst the larger park area and along the water that is the result of the many paths the Itchen takes through the area. I have taken a few strolls through since arriving and will, no doubt, be there a lot more in due course. Here are just a few shots of the place. Some of the wildlife encounters will have their own posts of course.

Hinton Ampner

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During our trip to the UK, we met up with our friends Mark and Rosemary. They suggested we meet at Hinton Ampner in Hampshire. Being sensible people, we started out at the local pub for lunch before heading into the grounds of the estate. I didn’t know anything about Hinton Ampner but it was a delightful spot to explore. The grounds were really lovely to wander around. There were the more ornamental gardens near the house but there were paths around the estate which showed off just how lovely the rolling hills of Hampshire can be.

The house also has a café – of course it does – so we stopped off there to sample the goodies after strolling around the grounds. It was spring so the flowers were out in parts of the garden. There was also a local church in the estate since you wouldn’t want to have to go far if you are the local landowner!! What a lovely spot to spend some time and always great to catch up with good friends.

Blackwood Forest Stroll

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If you live in the UK, you probably aren’t aware of how fortunate you are to have the variety of places to walk that you do. Public rights of way are a feature of the UK that are not necessarily replicated in other countries. They provide the chance to walk in many places that would otherwise be out of bounds. Also, the woodlands that are accessible are a treat. We took a wander through Blackwood Forest while we were in the UK and Sam and Chris introduced it to us. We weren’t going to be taking a major hike based on time available and other things, but we did have a relaxing wander through the trees. We also had time to stop at the café in the forest, too, which may have eaten up some time while we ate up some good food!

Stockbridge High Street

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For one of our recent stays in the UK, we rented an AirBnB in the Hampshire town of Stockbridge. I had driven through (or by) Stockbridge on countless occasions over the years but had never stopped to explore it. Turns out that was an oversight on my part as it is a really delightful little town. Plenty of interesting shops and eateries to explore. Also, doesn’t hurt to have a few pubs that are worth a visit too. We had an excellent time while staying there and here are a sample of some images of the town from our time there.

The Gnarliest Tree

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The Pacific Northwest is not short of trees (and many of those trees are not short!) but they are often pretty regular looking trees. We do have some more twisted looking specimens for sure, but the UK does seem to provide a selection of aged trees that have developed some amazing shapes to them. One such tree was in the grounds at Hinton Ampner. I have no idea how old it is and whether this is the norm for this type of tree, but I thought it looked fantastic so here it is getting its own post.

Repairing the Beach

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There had been some pretty stormy weather shortly before we got to the UK. When we went to Southsea to pick up mum from the hovercraft, there was some work underway on the beach that sits below the terminal. By the look of things, the storm had moved the shingle around quite a bit and they needed to regrade the shoreline. Someone was busy working on it while the hovercraft was on its way over. They had to get out of the way before it arrived, of course, but they seemed to have done a decent job of it in plenty of time. I wonder how often they need to rework the shore to keep things where they need to be for the service.