Clifton Wood

I took the dogs out to Clifton Wood today. The aim was to see if I could find Seqouiadendron Giganteum. I walked through the City Centre to the River Trent and crossed via this pedestrian bridge, which I think will be used as the river crossing for the tram when the new line is built:-
After a mile or so, walking along the south bank of the river, I arrived at the entrance to the woods:-
The woods are on a very steep slope coming down to the river bank, with a path running alongside the river at the base of the slope. The obligatory dogs bottoms photo:-
Swamp dog:-
After half a mile or so I arrived at Holme Pit Pond. I had to put the dogs on the leads here as there were several anglers and Milo tried to snaffle some sandwiches:-
I found out from another walker that the Seqouiadendron Giganteum were to be found at the top of the hill and so I headed up a very slippery, very steep goat trail. I almost slipped back down a number of times, but just managed it, having to grasp onto little saplings to pull myself up. I was fair peched by the time I got to the top, the dogs had no problems getting up there and sat on the hill top watching me struggle. Here's the view down the slope, although it doesn't really show how steep it was. The Grafham Water Health and safety team would have a fit if they saw this slope:-
The climb was worth it, as I found what I was looking for:-
The woods used to form part of the grounds of Clifton Hall and this Giant Redwood was planted in about 1830. A short distance away there is another one:-

The descent from the hilltop was even more perilous than the route up and had me nearly swooning with fear a couple of times. I had to do a bottom slide for the last bit of the descent. My route back to the riverside took me down this long grass footpath:-
I crossed the river at Clifton Bridge, a busy dual carriageway (the A52).
The north side of the river at this point is a concrete jungle - busy roads, flyovers, retail parks and industrial estates:-

In amongst all the concrete is King's meadow nature reserve, a tiny patch of orchid habitat:-
The weather has been fantastic the last couple of days, I'm trying to build up the dogs and my stamina for the summer and so am gradually increasing the distances. I'm not sure how far I walked today, but I was walking for five and a half hours.

Sneinton

The dogs were full of bounce this morning, having been abandoned for the egg hunt on Saturday, and only short walks yesterday because of the rain and the journey home.

I decided to explore Sneinton which lies to the east of the City Centre. It is the birthplace of William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army and William Abednego Thompson
better known by his nickname "Bendigo" a famous bare knuckle boxer of the 19th Century.

As I approached Sneinton there were reminders of the area's two famous sons. I passed the Salvation Army headquarters - the William Booth Memorial Hall:-
And across the road lies the tomb of Bendigo in the St Marys Rest Garden:-
I considered buying one of these houses which overlook the Park and Rest Garden, but was put off by the crime levels in the area (a woman was raped in this park a few days before/after I viewed the house that I was interested in), and by the advice from a surveyor friend that this terrace suffers from damp problems:-
I had a look at Sneinton market square, which lies across the road from the park. It has just undergone a £6.8 million revamp. It seems a bit pricey to me when compared to the revamp of the much larger Old Market Square in the City Centre. That cost £8 million, I believe (although it was done about 8 years ago):-
There is a statue of Bendigo on top of the boarded up Hermitage pub. The pub was originally called The Bendigo:-
There are some nice old victorian houses around here. Next to this pub each house has a little carved head above the front door:-

I remember that these were selling for £25,000 about 10 years ago (they are still cheap - £50,000 or so).

This building used to be the Old Wrestler's Inn, the original pub associated with Bendigo. It's been covered with render and double glazed, I guess that it is probably full of students now:-
Around the corner is another strange looking house:-
I walked up the hill past Greens windmill:-

A few more terraced streets brought me to Colwick Wood Park, the bit the dogs had been waiting for, a large park incorporating cliff side woodland and open grass areas. I did a full circuit, allowing the dogs a good romp, and then headed back through Sneinton to the City Centre.
I stopped in the Market Square and took some photo's. The dogs were happy to pose - a sign that they have had a good walk:-
Three lions:-
The "Occupy Nottingham" protestors are still encamped in a corner of the square. I understand they are due for eviction tomorrow. I might go along and gawk if I have nothing better to do.

Eggstremely Eggshausted

I spent Saturday doing the Faberge Big Egg Hunt in London with my teammates, Linda and Callum. Heading up the escalator to begin our egghunt:-
There are over 200 egg sculptures dotted around London. We set out with the aim of spotting eggs from each of the 12 zones. We spotted our first egg at 9:05 am, outside Bank tube station - 22 Anima Mundi, Awakening the:-


We walked to Liverpool Street station and bagged another 9 eggs along the way. My favourite in the zone was this one - 131 The Vessel :-
Off to the next zone, Canary Wharf where we found 5 more eggs:-
86 The Eight :-
Back on the Jubilee Line to the Southbank where we found all 16 eggs. At the BFI we found this one, 42 Invisible Egg:-
Outside on the riverside walk, there were a few more. 17 The Great Eggscape:-
102 Dreamweaver:-
My favourite which had a miniature cow city inside it - 81 Scrambled Egg City:-
We took the footbridge over the Thames to the next zone, Trafalgar Square, legs were starting to get tired. 167 White on Black:Sensuality & Restraint:-
We looked for the Where's Wally Egg in Charing Cross station but found out that that egg moves location each day. We got a clue that it was at London's biggest bookshop which I thought must be Foyles, not far up the road. We were intending to get back on the tube at this point to head to Sloane Square to tick off another zone, but were sabotaged by another team - Stuart, Deirdre and Cara who were in Covent Garden and suggested that we meet.

We picked up a few more eggs along the way, bringing our tally to 8 in the Trafalgar Square zone. 54 Ouroboros:-
We picked up 3 more eggs skimming through the Covent Garden zone to meet up with birthday boy Stuart. 123 Busby:-
Foyle's turned out to be a red Herring - Waterstones in Piccadilly is apparently the biggest London bookstore, so off we hiked down Shaftesbury Avenue to our 6th eggzone. Success! :-

We spotted another 11 eggs in Piccadilly. Cara and Deirdre drooling over 127 The Golden Speckled Egg at Fortnum & Mason's (it's all chocolate):-

122 Great Eggspectations - Where's the egg? Where's the wally?:-

We bumped into our other rival team, Gillian, Stuart, Martin and his friend Bethan in the next zone, Mayfair. We spotted 7 eggs around Berkeley Square. A "Last of the Summer Wine" bench:-

148 My Baku:-

6 more eggs and a Picnic lunch in the next zone - Green Park. 11 La Vie en Rose:-

Then 4 more eggs in the St James's Park zone - but the Humpty Dumpty egg eluded us. 32 Our Brood:-
We split up after this, making our separate ways home. Before our muscles seized up, We managed a quick stop off at our 10th and last zone, Carnaby Street. 155 Precious Pussies:-

Our final egg of the day. 107 It's What's inside that Counts:-

Our final score was 78 eggs in 10 zones.

Grafham Water

I broke my journey down the A1, yesterday, with a dog walk at Grafham Water. I arrived later than intended and so I didn't have enough time to do the full circuit of the lake that I had intended (about 10 miles).



The health and safety police have been busy - a gentle dip given a "very steep slope" sign:-
Shrimp warning signs were posted all around the lake (I wasn't sure how seriously to take this given the way they classify slopes, but kept the dogs out of the water):-
Milo (10 today) Watering the reed bed:-