Bits and pieces, news, views, reviews and stuff
his is a regular series of blogs about photographs of the same place taken years apart. Over the years I have taken this view at Bristol Airport quite a few times, both unintentionally and now intentionally. I even took one last month….
This was taken in November 2025 using an iPhone 13.
Here are the photographs from over the years taken of the same view.
Coughton Court is an imposing Tudor house set in beautiful gardens with a collection of Catholic treasures.
Having read about how the management of Coughton Court was reverting to the Throckmorton family, I had it on my list of places to visit this year. Coughton Court was going to close for the winter (and for free entry for National Trust members) on the 2nd November. My original plan was to visit on the final weekend. However the weather on the Saturday was terrible. When I looked at the weather for Sunday it was much better. However when I got up on Sunday, I thought more about the trip. It would have meant a ninety minute journey up there (and the same back) along with some charging time (the car was low on charge). I also thought that there would be other people like me who would be visiting. Throw in that house entry is by timed ticket (not bookable) and the website said tickets are likely to run out earlier on busy days. I made the decision that I wouldn’t make the trip. I might go next year, but will have to pay for entry.
This is a regular series of blogs about photographs of the same place taken years apart. The first of the posts in this series was of a council building in Manchester. I always thought I should give then and now photographs a go. However what I have started to notice is that I have been doing Then and Now photographs unintentionally over the years and have been taking photographs of the same thing or place from the same view or perspective years apart. Now this has come to my attention I have started to intentionally take photographs of the same place.
I remembered taking this photograph at Minehead Station on the West Somerset Railway many years ago, so on a recent visit to Minehead Station I decided I would try and recreate the shot.
This photograph was taken in March 2005 using a Canon EOS 300D digital SLR camera.
I took the more recent photograph in October 2025 using a Canon EOS R100 digital camera.
No steam in this shot.
I have been to Greys Court before, visiting in May 2023.
Like on my previous visit, inside I was reminded me of my grandparents’ houses and flats. Part of the reason was the furniture in the house was more 1960s and 1970s than the 19th Century.
There is always that compromise between preservation, conservation and restoration. Some National Trust properties try to restore the house to what it was like in the 19th century, other times as with Greys Court they preserve what it was like when it was passed to the National Trust.
Greys Court
An intimate family home and peaceful estate set in the rolling hills of the Chilterns. This picturesque 16th-century mansion and tranquil gardens were home to the Brunner family until recent years. The house exudes a welcoming atmosphere with a well-stocked kitchen and homely living rooms. The series of walled gardens is a colourful patchwork of interest set amid medieval ruins.
Current saving £254.40
One adult £18.00
Parking – Free
Total saving £18.00
Cumulative saving £363.60
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £272.40
Having seen photographs on line I knew I wanted to take advantage of my National Trust membership and make a visit to Waddesdon Manor in Oxfordshire. It is a bit of a hike from Weston-super-Mare to the house, but I arrived in plenty of time for my booked timed entry for the house.
There is a huge car park and I didn’t realise until I was about to leave that there is free EV charging as well. The house is about a 20-30 minute walk from the car park, however there is a shuttle bus for which there is a £2.50 charge (and National Trust members have to pay). Unlike most other National Trust properties, though Waddesdon Manor is owned by the National Trust, it is managed by the Rothschild Foundation. So the experience is slightly different. Waddesdon Manor is also one of the most popular National Trust houses and gets lots of visitors. I was there on a Sunday and though it was busy, I wouldn’t say it was excessively so, then again it was October.
Waddesdon Manor
French Renaissance-style château, built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in 1874 to house his collection of fine art, landscaped gardens, aviary and woodland playground.
Current saving £229.90
One adult £27.00
Parking – Free
Shuttle Bus – £2.50
Total saving £24.50
Cumulative saving £345.60
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £254.40
I took the bus up to the house and was rather impressed. This was very much a French Renaissance inspired château. It reminded me of some of the houses and château I had seen on my trips to France.
Even though I was about ten minutes early, I was able to gain entry to the house.
I really enjoyed walked around the house. This was a very decadent property where you could see money was no object. Everything from the marble walls to the gilded furniture, you could see money had been thrown at the house. Waddesdon Manor wasn’t a family home, it was a party house, a place to entertain and show off.
I really liked the staircases which were on each side of the house.
There were also some interesting exhibitions on display as well.
I was a little disappointed with the catering facilities, well the Manor Restaurant actually looked really interesting with some tasty options, but it was only later that I realised you really needed to pre-book, and it certainly wasn’t cheap. Not a place you could just drop by for a slice of cake and a pot of tea. There was a coffee car, but there was a big queue. It was also later when I discovered there was another place, the Stables Café. Okay so I was not really disappointed with the catering outlets, I was disappointed with myself for not knowing or discovering them.
I enjoyed walking outside the house and enjoying the splendour of the building and the architecture.
After my visit, I walked down to the car park rather than take the shuttle bus. This was easier (as it was downhill) and it was a nice walk down.
I do think I would like to make a return visit some point in the future.
This is a regular series of blogs about photographs of the same place taken years apart. I quite like those Then and Now comparison photographs that you see in books or on the Twitter or Facebook. The first of the posts in this series was of a council building in Manchester.
I always thought I should give then and now photographs a go. However what I have started to notice is that I have been doing Then and Now photographs unintentionally over the years and have been taking photographs of the same thing or place from the same view or perspective years apart.
When I depart or arrive at an airport I usually take a photograph of the plane I am about to fly on, or just flew on. Last week I flew into Glasgow Airport and as I disembarked from the plane, next to the EasyJet was a LoganAir Viking Twin Otter, which is an interesting looking plane. So, I took a photograph of the plane using my iPhone 13.
Checking on previous visits to Glasgow in my photos app I found this photograph of the same LoganAir Viking Twin Otter. I had taken this photograph departing Glasgow in November 2023 using an iPhone 13.
Not the same perspective, but I took this photograph in November 2022 also with an iPhone 13. Same plane though.
This is a regular series of blogs about photographs of the same place taken years apart. The first of the posts in this series was of a council building in Manchester. I always thought I should give then and now photographs a go. However what I have started to notice is that I have been doing Then and Now photographs unintentionally over the years and have been taking photographs of the same thing or place from the same view or perspective years apart. Now this has come to my attention I have started to intentionally take photographs of the same place.
I remembered taking this photograph of the Goods Shed at Dunster Station on the West Somerset Railway many years ago, so on a recent visit to Dunster Station I decided I would try and recreate the shot.
This photograph was taken in March 2005 using a Canon EOS 300D digital SLR camera.
I took the more recent photograph in October 2025 using an iPhone 13.
Back in 2005 it was quite foggy.
This is a regular series of blogs about photographs of the same place taken years apart. The first of the posts in this series was of a council building in Manchester. I always thought I should give then and now photographs a go. However what I have started to notice is that I have been doing Then and Now photographs unintentionally over the years and have been taking photographs of the same thing or place from the same view or perspective years apart. Now this has come to my attention I have started to intentionally take photographs of the same place.
Over the years I have taken this view at Bristol Airport quite a few times, both unintentionally and now intentionally. I even took one last month….
This was taken in October 2025 using an iPhone 13.
Here are the photographs from over the years taken of the same view.
This is a regular series of blogs about photographs of the same place taken years apart. I quite like those Then and Now comparison photographs that you see in books or on the Twitter or Facebook. The first of the posts in this series was of a council building in Manchester.
I always thought I should give then and now photographs a go. However what I have started to notice is that I have been doing Then and Now photographs unintentionally over the years and have been taking photographs of the same thing or place from the same view or perspective years apart. Now this has come to my attention I have started to intentionally take photographs of the same place.
I took this photograph at Minehead Station on the West Somerset Railway in October 2025 using an iPhone 13.
Here are the other photographs of the same place.
I made a return visit to Dunster Castle, I had visited Dunster back in March, where I had done an uncovered tour. I have made quite a few visits to Dunster Castle over the years. As a member I don’t pay an entrance fee or the car parking charge
I arrived quite early in the day, so the car park wasn’t too busy and I walked up to the castle. I enjoyed walking around the rooms and afterwards headed to the cafe for a coffee. I then took a stroll through the gardens to the Water Mill.
Dunster Castle
An ancient castle and comfortable country home with dramatic vistas and subtropical gardens
Current saving £217.90
One adult £18.00
Parking £6.50
Total saving £24.50
Cumulative saving £321.10
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £229.90