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Morning run at Grange-over-Sands — the return leg
Morning run at Grange-over-Sands — the return leg, with the railway station caught in a shaft of sunlight. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Morning run at Grange-over-Sands
Day Twenty-five
Morning run at Grange-over-Sands. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. From the Netherwood Hotel along the entire length of the promenade and back was just over two and a half miles. Just right for my morning run.
Of my various morning runs, in order I enjoyed Folkestone, Grange-over-Sands, and Southsea seafronts the most. Brighton seafront was very run down, which became obvious once I reached Hove, where there seemed to be some significant investment in sprucing up the promenade.
My Farlington runs were in suburban streets, so not a lot to write home about. My only other run was at the RSPB Fairburn Ings (near Selby, Yorkshire). It was densely wooded with limited views, and it was just a bit meh. I didn’t go for a run in Glasgow — it was always raining, and anyway, we walked over forty miles while we were there, so I think I’m excused.
Morning run at Grange-over-Sands. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Netherwood Hotel & Spa, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria
Day Twenty-four
Netherwood Hotel & Spa, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. We are here for a couple of well-earned rest days before heading to Glasgow, and our final business event.
The weather cleared up over the course of the morning. Ginger spent most of the day writing, and in the evening, we went up into Grange-over-Sands to seek a real seaside fish and chip shop. Mission accomplished, we ate our fish and chips sitting on the promenade, getting back to the hotel just as it started raining again.
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Another hotel sea view, this time of Morecambe Bay
Another hotel sea view, this time of Morecambe Bay. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. As predicted, the weather here was not the fine late summer weather we had been enjoying on the South Coast. It was raining and blowing a gale. Overnight, a tree was blown down across the footpath to the seafront, and a big limb fell in the hotel car park (fortunately between two vehicles). I found out about the tree across the footpath when I went for my morning run. I had to climb over a wall to get around it and on to the promenade.
Netherwood Hotel & Spa, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria.
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Fort Purbrook from Farlington
Day Twenty-three
Fort Purbrook from Farlington — or to be more accurate, Fort Purbrook (on the top of Portsdown Hill) seen from our bedroom in Farlington. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. If things go as planned this afternoon, we’ll be in our hotel in Cumbria (The Lake District), with a sea view over Morecambe Bay. Unfortunately, I don’t think the fair weather will accompany us.
Fort Purbrook from Farlington — or to be more accurate, Fort Purbrook (on the top of Portsdown Hill) seen from our bedroom in Farlington. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Langstone Harbour and Portsmouth from Portsdown Hill
Langstone Harbour and Portsmouth from Portsdown Hill. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Farlington, Farlington Marshes, Langstone Harbour and Hayling Island from Portsdown Hill.
Farlington, Farlington Marshes, Langstone Harbour and Hayling Island from Portsdown Hill. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Langstone Harbour and Portsmouth from Portsdown Hill
Day Twenty-two
Langstone Harbour and Portsmouth from Portsdown Hill. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Portsmouth, the city where I was born. This view, or more accurately the view of Portsmouth at night from the ‘old’ A3 as it crested the top of Portsdown Hill, is an enduring memory from my childhood. As is the neon sign saying ‘Welcome to Portsmouth and Sunny Southsea’ on Portsbridge, back when Portsmouth truly was an island.
Enough reminiscing, back to reality…
We’ve spent the past week with family and babysitting our second grandson. There’s a family meal tonight, and tomorrow, we head north for a couple of day’s R&R, followed by our third and final work event in Glasgow this coming weekend.
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Lizzi & Ginger Outside 78 Derngate
Lizzi & Ginger — Lizzi was our host and one of the event organizers for our visit. Outside 78 Derngate, Northampton. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Entrance & wallpaper detail
Entrance, 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Even the owners found this too dark, and it was lightened up — but has now been restored to the original color.
Wallpaper detail, 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Bedroom
Bedroom, 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Bathroom
Bathroom, 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. The mosaic tiles aren’t. It’s custom wallpaper.
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Clock — Mackintosh style
Clock. 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Light fitting detail
Light fitting detail. 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Bedroom details. 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Bedroom details. 78 Derngate, Northampton — Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Lizzi, knowing we have an interest in architecture and art took us to Northampton to visit 78 Derngate.
78 Derngate was the architect’s final major commission; his visionary patron, Northampton model engineer, W.J Bassett-Lowke. It is the only place outside Scotland in which Mackintosh’s mature architectural and interior style can be seen in their original setting.
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Towcester council offices and town square
Day Eleven
Towcester council offices and town square. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. After spending the night in Portsmouth, we had to get on the road quickly to keep an appointment with Lizzi in Towcester. Lizzi is our host and one of the organizers for tomorrow’s work event.
Interesting facts: The road you see there was originally a Roman road called Watling Street. Towcester is also thought to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the country. There is evidence that it has been settled by humans since the Mesolithic era (middle stone age). There is also evidence of Iron Age burials in the area.
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Flickr meet-up
Flickr meet-up. We first met Jacqi in person in 2008 at Bletchley Park in the UK. Then again in Springfield, Missouri as she traveled to her new home in New Zealand in 2011. When we discovered we were all in the UK at the same time, we arranged to meet in Brighton. We spent a wonderful (but wet) afternoon catching up and wandering around Brighton in the rain.
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Brighton Pavilion, not the usual view
Brighton Pavilion, not the usual view — we had a walk along the seafront and around the pavilion while we waited to meet up with Jacqi who was coming down for the day by train. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Brighton Pavilion, not the usual view
Day Ten
Brighton Pavilion, not the usual view. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I started the day with a run along Brighton seafront to Hove and back (2.6 miles). After we packed our bags and walked along the seafront and around the pavilion while we waited to meet up with Jacqi, who was coming down by train for the day.
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Dover Harbour and Ferry Port
Dover Harbour and Ferry Port — Seen from the White Cliffs of Dover. Copyright © 2024 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
