Clouds over South Stoke

Taken a few weeks ago of the ominous clouds gathering over St Andrews Church South Stoke

 

A Walk on Christmas Common

I took my wife up to a place called Christmas Common just outside Watlington one morning, I thought it would be nice to take a picnic along as it was a nice sunny day the only down side it was bitterly cold. Neither of us had been here before though we had driven near by many times.

The carpark is in a wooded area

and you walk off along a path through the trees

Before coming to the National Trust path leading to Watlington Hill which is regarded as Christmas Common. It was here the reintroduced Red Kites that had once been extinct back to the area in 1989. Needless to say it was successful

One of the first sights I noticed was this view of Watlington, then a Red Kite flew past

 One of the sights the area is famous for

I looked back across to where the Watlington Gap would be (M40) which is the other side of the far hill 

Ahead we had the common to walk along

At the end of where we wanted to go I looked down on the town of  Watlington  and took the above stitch photo before starting to head back the way we came

Looking over at the wonderful views you got. Just ashame it was hazy

 soon we were back looking along the common and headed off for a welcome hot coffee

 But not before watching about 9 Red Kites flying around. I might add after getting home we spotted 10 of them flying around near our house.

Sky at Christmas Common

I had a day off work the other week on St Patricks day to go off with my wife for a Picnic at a place called Christmas Common. After going for a walk in the cold sunshine we headed back to the car for a coffee, we felt it was too cold to sit around outside.

Mind you we had stood around for ages watching the arial antics of the Red Kites

Spring

Wayland Smithy

 Last year I did a post on White Horse Hill  and told you of some of the Legends surrounding them. One place I did not get to see on that occasion was Wayland Smithy so today I will remedy that and show you what I missed on that occasion. Wayland Smithy is situated just off the Ridgeway path (about a mile of so away from White Horse Hill & Uffington Castle) and is a Neolithic Burial Chamber my wife & I walked along to it on a Sunny morning

 So this is Uffington Castle White Horse Hill is over to the left out of site

This the ridgeway that you walk along if you come from Blowingstone Hill, it's quite rough in this part

The other side is not so bad

and seems to go on for ever

Eventually you come to where the Smithy is situated

 You will notice these concrete blocks in the way. They are to stop 4X4's driving further along the Byway and to save it getting churned up. Shame they don't stop the landowners with their tractors they do more damage

Still stopping them keeps it is good condition

 anyway you get your first view of Wayland Smithy

And this is it

 The front of the Burial chamber 

you can get in part of it though my wife & I remember being able to go inside more of it in the past

It's what they call a Long Barrow

 and is long 

So now for the legend. If  you leave your horse outside the Smithy at night with a silver coin (Grote) then in the morning you will find it freshly shod . You can read a more detailed version in Berkshire History's

Have a good Easter

Damaged Memorial

I came across this small memorial in a church I visited a couple of weeks ago. It was covered by a piece of  insulation which was Gaffer taped in place when I took it off this beautiful mosaic mural was under it. It have been vandalised and was waiting restoration. I hope it gets restored as it is a beautiful memorial

Taking Part in Monday Mural

A Wednesday Morning

Went down to set up our caravan the other week and stayed the night, on waking up the next day I looked out to some horrible weather

 It was windy and cold and if you look you can see a smattering of snow on the ground

An hour or so later the snow was gone. The weather for the next few days was not much better so we went home

 When we came back a week or so later it was a different scene

A few More Snowdrops

The Covered Market

The Covered Market in Oxford opened in 1774 in an effort to clear the streets of untidy & messy market stalls in the city. It is locate between High Street and Market Street and between Cornmarket Street & Turl Street. The main entrances are off High Street & Market Street with four entrances from each street.

 These are a couple of entrances, on the left with the tourists in one of them on High Street   and the second  is the Golden Cross entrance on Cornmarket

 You come on off Cornmarket though here

Coming in off the High Street like we did you see this view

Yeas ago there would have been butchers shops and other produce markets here, now it's cafes and restaurants

There are also a few gift shops like this one selling hand made purses

This was one I liked as it sold produce to grow in your garden including seeds

I loved the name of this shop, and the other one a little further along

I was not sure what this one was till I read the name in the photo, It's an Ice Cream Parlour









 

A cake shop and was selling individual Mothers day cakes, Yummy, lucky Mummy

I'd seen the small guitars in London but Oxford went one better selling the drum kits as well. I thought they were great

Think this is the central part of the Market

With the red Pillar type Post box

I hope you enjoyed your little tour of Oxford Covered Market, there is more to it and usually more crowded but it was early on Sunday Morning. The place is worth a visit even if it is not the same as it used to be but it does get crowded later in the day.