James Clay Stuff

February 17, 2025February 23, 2025

Helsinki #50places2025

Last week I was in Helsinki for work, attending a workshop. I was there for a couple of days, but did have some time to walk around and explore Helsinki.

I have been to Finland before, I was there for a conference in July 2006, nearly twenty years ago. Back then I was presenting at the EU e-Learning Conference in Espoo. It was a quick trip in 2006, flying out on Monday and then back home on the Wednesday. I flew from Bristol Airport and then there was a bit of a mad rush at Schiphol where I had to change to a flight to Helsinki. Schiphol is one huge airport…

Having arrived at Helsinki, I needed to get to Espoo and travelled by shared taxi to the hotel. I spent part of the evening walking around the area, before ending up in the hotel restaurant. It was lovely and sunny, and as being so far north, the sun never really set.

I spent the Tuesday at the conference. I had some time the following day before my flight to have a quick look around Helsinki. I caught a bus to the centre and back.

This time I flew direct to Helsinki from Heathrow. I arrived late afternoon, this time I took a train from the airport to the centre. I then walked to my hotel, so after checking in I did explore the area around the hotel. The following morning, I was up early so I went for a walk around the city centre. I then headed off to Espoo for my workshop, using the Metro to get there. The workshop was over two days.

I had an evening flight the following day. I woke up to 4cm of snow, so after working at the hotel, after checking out I took a walk down to the harbour to catch a ferry to Suomenlinna.

Helsinki is an amazing city, and there is some incredible architecture and buildings. I was impressed with the public transport, there were trains, buses, trams, a metro, and even a ferry. I used the HSL app extensively for tickets.

It was nice to return to Helsinki and having a little more time to see something of the place, whereas back in 2006 it was very rushed.

February 16, 2025February 16, 2025

Lytes Cary Manor #50places2025

After enjoying my National Trust membership in 2023, I decided I would rejoin the Trust for 2025.

I went to Lytes Cary Manor in September 2023 and it was nice to revisit the property.

Lytes Cary Manor

Lytes Cary Manor is an intimate medieval manor house with a beautiful Arts and Crafts-style garden where you can imagine living. Originally the family home of Henry Lyte, where he translated the unique Niewe Herball book on herbal remedies, Lytes Cary was then lovingly restored in the 20th century by Sir Walter Jenner. The garden rooms contain a magical collection of topiary and herbaceous borders, while tranquil walks on the estate take you along the River Cary.

Current saving £42.20
One adult £14.00
Parking free
Total saving £14.00
Cumulative saving £63.00
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving £28.20

I arrived at Lytes Cary Manor and parked the car. It was quite busy.

I headed to the house and had a look around. Last time I was there, due to a lack of volunteers the first floor was closed, this time it was open.

I then headed to the café to have some soup and a cheese scone. However, not only was there a queue, it was packed. If it had been warmer I might have eaten outside, but it was quite chilly, so decided to give the soup and scone a miss. Maybe next time.

February 9, 2025February 16, 2025

The Vyne #50places2025

After enjoying my National Trust membership in 2023, I decided I would rejoin the Trust for 2025.

I went to The Vyne two years ago and it was nice to revisit the property.

The Vyne

A former Tudor powerhouse turned 17th century family home, set in gardens, woodlands, and wetlands.

Current saving -£57.20
One adult £15.00
Parking free
Total saving £15.00
Cumulative saving £49.00
Membership cost £91.20
Net cumulative saving -£42.20

The house was an interesting mix of medieval cellars, Tudor palace, and a 17th century family home. Unlike on my last visit the first floor was closed. I enjoyed walking around the house and the grounds.

This year I have planned to visit fifty places.

February 6, 2025

Then and Now – Chepstow Castle

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.

I was looking at some old photographs from a couple of visits to Chepstow Castle. Not too surprising I found I had taken similar photographs of the castle.

This photograph was taken in August 2009 with a Canon EOS 400D.

I took a very similar photograph four years later, in August 2013, again with the same Canon EOS 400D.

Not quite the same angle, but close enough.

I also took this photograph of the castle grounds in August 2009 with a Canon EOS 400D.

I did a similar shot four years later.

Chepstow Castle is the oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain. Construction began in 1067, just after the Norman conquest by the Norman Lord William FitzOsbern.

February 4, 2025August 25, 2025

Then and Now – Barrington Court

I recently visited Barrington Court and took this photograph of the house with a Canon EOS R100.

Going through my photographs from a visit in March 2017 I had taken a similar photograph with an iPhone 6S plus.

To be honest not too surprising, as if you were going to take a photograph of this side of the house you would take it from roughly the same location to get all the building into shot.

February 2, 2025February 2, 2025

Tyntesfield #50places2025

After enjoying my National Trust membership in 2023, I decided I would rejoin the Trust for 2025.

Having just visited Barrington Court, I hadn’t planned to visit another National Trust property the next day. I was going to go to Portishead, as when I was at home it was rather sunny. However by the time I was ready to leave the sun had gone in. So I made the decision to head to Tyntesfield.

As Tyntesfield is one of the closest National Trust properties to me (and is open nearly all year round) I have been a fair few times to this lovely house and gardens.

Tyntesfield

An ornate Victorian Gothic Revival house with extensive garden and parkland, just a stone’s throw from Bristol

Current saving -£80.20

One adult £18.00

Parking £5.00

Total saving £23.00

Cumulative saving £34.00

Membership cost £91.20

Net cumulative saving -£57.20

Tyntesfield is a Gothic Revival mansion located in Wraxall, North Somerset, England. It was built in the late 19th century for the Gibbs family, who were wealthy merchants and industrialists. The mansion is set in extensive grounds and gardens, and features a range of architectural styles, including Gothic Revival, Jacobean, and Victorian. The National Trust, a UK conservation charity, now owns and operates Tyntesfield, which is open to the public. Visitors can explore the mansion, gardens, and grounds, and learn about the history of the Gibbs family and the property. Tyntesfield is a popular tourist destination, and is known for its stunning architecture and rich history.

Having parked in the car park (free for National Trust members) I walked through the National Trust entrance and headed to the house though the grounds. This time I went through back way to the house.

I had a great time walking around the house.

It was nice that one of the rooms was open that I had never been in before. It was a 1950s room, full of stuff, but was open as there were some issues with the fire doors.

I like it when we see un-restored spaces in National Trust properties, it adds something to the experience.

There is a lot of stuff at Tyntesfield. One of the challenges is where to put it all. The agreement they had when the National Trust took over the house, was that nothing could be brought into the house, and nothing could be taken away. The Gibbs family were real hoarders, even retaining broken items which had been replaced.

After visiting the house I walked down to the Kitchen Garden. The Orangery has been lovingly restored, and the greenhouses are used to grow plants, and vegetables for the cafe.

I did consider going for a coffee, but in the end I headed home.

This year I have planned to visit fifty places.

February 1, 2025February 2, 2025

Barrington Court #50places2025

After enjoying my National Trust membership in 2023, I decided I would rejoin the Trust for 2025.

I drove off to Barrington Court, a National Trust property in Somerset. Checking my photographs I realised I had been there twice before, in March 2017 and November 2017. I didn’t write up those visits to the blog.

Barrington Court

An atmospheric fragment of old Somerset; the estate is the vision of Colonel Lyle and his architect James Edwin Forbes. Whilst Court House remains closed for repair, the ground floor of Strode House is open, and there are glorious garden rooms, avenues, and orchards to explore. Installations in the farm buildings tell the stories of key characters and the development of the estate.

Current saving -£91.20

One adult £11.00

Parking free

Total saving £11.00

Cumulative saving £11.00

Membership cost £91.20

Net cumulative saving -£80.20

Obviously I will need to visit some more places to make the membership cost effective and turn that cumulative saving positive.

I think when we went there in 2017 the cafe was in Strode House, but now is near the entrance. In 2017 we did go inside Barrington Court, however this time the house was closed for conservation work. I think that was the reason I didn’t go and see it in 2023 when I last had a National Trust membership.

This year I have planned to visit fifty places.

January 31, 2025January 30, 2025

Then and Now – Elmdale, Chepstow

Elmdale is on the Gloucestershire side of the River Wye in Chepstow. I visited Chepstow Castle a few times ten or so years ago. It happened to appear in a memories album on Apple Photos and checking other photographs of two different visits to Chepstow I realised I had unintentionally taken the same photograph.

I took this photograph from the ramparts of Chepstow Castle over the River Wye in August 2009 using a Canon EOS 400D DSLR.

This photograph was taken four years later in August 2013 using the same Canon EOS 400D DSLR.

January 30, 2025January 28, 2025

Then and Now Take Two Again – Wells High Street

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 took this photograph in Wells in August 2002.

It was taken with a Sony Cybershot. On a recent return visit to Wells in January 2025 I decided I would attempt to take this photograph again using my iPhone 13.

Not quite the same angle (and I did need to crop the image).

January 29, 2025January 28, 2025

Then and Now Take Two Once More – Bristol Airport

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 o ar 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 was flying to Dublin in October 2024, so I took my usual photograph.

Not quite the same view as there was scaffolding in the way and it was raining.

I was flying to Glasgow in November 2023, so I took my usual photograph.

I was flying to Amsterdam in October 2023 so I took a photograph from the window next to the balcony at the departures lounge. The balcony itself was closed, it was rather foggy.