ABC Wednesday - T for Tanfield

Tanfield Railway is the world's oldest railway and can be found not too far from Durham. Originally used for moving coal from the local pits down to the River Tyne.

The section now in use dates from 1839.

The railway is maintained and operated mainly by volunteers.

You'll find their web site at http://tanfield-railway.co.uk

There are rail trips, cafe, shop and engine sheds - something for everyone .

ABC Wednesday - T for Toronto

Toronto on the banks of Lake Ontario is a very dynamic Canadian city with over 4 million inhabitants.

Looking up from the street ...

Looking down from the CN Tower - 1815 feet !

Here's Lake Ontario and the waterfront.

All is not high rise tower blocks - here in China Town they have their feet on the ground - except the cat !

Pick and Mix 1

Pick and Mix - a collection of photographs 

These photos have the theme " Water "

Swans at Gydansk Poland
River Severn at Shrewsbury
Prague
Fountain in Budapest
Moorland stream near Rochdale
Niagara Falls , Canada

Hollingworth Lake, Rochdale

A very popular spot for walkers is the " Weavers Seaport " at Rochdale - official name Hollingworth Lake.

Built not for drinking water but supplying water to the local canals.

Here are some of the local residents.

All the amenities necessary are here - pubs, cafes, bus stop, shops and information centre plus boating centre.
There is even a nature reserve....

M62

The M62 motorway links Lancashire to Yorkshire - from Liverpool to Hull - it climbs over the windswept Pennine hills - a very desolate place - really cold and icy  in winter.

Here the motorway can be seen climbing up over the Pennines and into Yorkshire - this picture was taken near Rochdale.

The tree is Hawthorn which can be seen on blossom throughout  the UK at this time of the year. The blossom has a very distinctive smell - hard to describe - heavy and sweet ??

ABC Wednesday - S for Stamford

Stamford in Lincolnshire lies on the A1 road between London ,York and Edinburgh.

A very pretty place - many of the buildings are constructed from the local Lincolnshire limestone.

Famous sons of Stamford include Colin Dexter author of Inspector Morse - born 1930 and Sir. Malcolm Sargent conductor and composer - born 1895.

Stamford has been a setting for the TV Drama Middlemarch and films such as Pride and Predudice 2004 and The Da Vinci Code 2006

Saint Martins which is in Stamford Baron - Northamptonshire where my grandfather was born.

Quaint little alley with shops.
Stamford's river - the River Welland

I would recommend a visit to Stamford - a really nice place.

Horses

If you look closely you can just about see the horses in the field.  This picture was taken near Hollingworth Lake in Rochdale 

I'm quite pleased with this photograph - one of my better efforts I think ..

Big win !!

Tonight the fireworks are going off in Manchester to celebrate Manchester United's win over Chelsea in the Champions League Final - 6 - 5 win on penalties after a 1 -1 draw. Match played in Moscow in heavy rain !

Here we have the famous stadium and grounds .. Although as a child I lived in Stretford I never actually went to a match - have only become interested in football in later years

Knowl Moor - Rochdale

This moorland stream can be found high up on Knowl Moor, Rochdale

It's not rained for several weeks now so the moorland track was easy going, usually it's very wet and boggy.

From the top of the moor you can see all over the city of Manchester - great view on a good day...

Teapot ..

This weekend was the time to buy a new teapot - not the normal colour for one but very cheap - on offer at our local Tesco - £2 plus 50p. for the tea bag holder. Think we came away with a good deal.

However was not impressed with the total bill of £101.38 for groceries - prices seem to be shooting up in the UK and around the world I guess.

Sorry the blue does not match our green tiles - but again it was cheap !

Beckfoot - Solway Firth

Beckfoot, Cumbria  is on the Solway Firth near Carlisle which is  on the England / Scotland border .

It looks rather desolate place -cold and lonely - all our big river estuaries seem to have this look of desolation however they seem to abound with very important fauna and flora.

Looks like a place of peace !

ABC Wednesday - R for Rio

R is for Rio - and this is the Rio Segura near Guardamar on the Costa Blanca

Once a very polluted river - some effort is now being made to try and clean it up.

ABC Wednesday - R for Ronda

Looks like the cops are raiding the local church here in Ronda, southern Spain !!

In fact the police station is just opposite the church and out of camera shot.

Should you want to escape from the cops - head  for the hills - seen here from the outskirts of Ronda.

Should you go to Ronda you'll find lots and lots and lots of tourists .....

Caravan - 2

Yes it's me again - with spade ( no bucket ?? ) lots of curly hair plus  father and maternal grandfather

Early 1950's - North Wales ( from where my grandfather's people originated after arriving from Cornwall sometime in the 1850's )

The toilet would be in a hut down the end of the garden - lights were gas lights and the water would come from a stand pipe !

Somewhat different now on a caravan site - most new caravans have central heating ..

Caravan time - 1950's

A caravan holiday in North Wales - early 1950's

Caravans have certainly changed - this looks like a converted lorry !

Me with mother and maternal grandfather..

Seaside visit - 1930's Llandudno

This photo was taken I would imagine in the early 1930's 

Taken by " Happy Snaps " on the pier Llandudno, North Wales it shows my grandparents and their daughters

Fashions have certainly changed ...... !

ABC Wednesday -Q for Quebec City - The old Quarter

Two Q's for the price of one - Quebec  and Quarter

Here is the old quarter of Quebec City - originally settled by the French

Nice place Quebec ...

ABC Wednesday - Q for Quebec City - Walls and Flags

Someone has used a lot of paint on this wall in Quebec City

They must be pleased as they have hung out the flags

Time to take the tram ..

Here in Sofia Bulgaria we have the local tram to take you here there and everywhere !

This time we are in Prague

 
And finally this is the very efficient and speedy tram that will take you from Alicante to Benidorm in Spain's Costa Blanca.

Join the queue boys !!!

Join the queue boys - no need to rush - plenty for all !

Here in Sofia , Bulgaria

ABC Wednesday - P for Petrovac, Montenegro

Petrovac - far away in Montenegro. 

Montenegro being a new destination for the European holiday maker....

A beautiful coastline and a very relaxing atmosphere. Petrovac may be a new destination for UK citizens but it has been entertaining visitors from Serbia and Germany for many years.