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Mendip Hills (again)

For Christmas I got a National Trust membership. It’s being a few years since I was last a member, but now looking forward to visiting new places and going back to places we have been to before.

Back in 2016 I did start to keep a note of how much we saved with the membership, but looking back over the blog, I never kept up to date with that, but with this membership I am intending to blog about the visits we do this year and the savings we made.

You don’t need a membership though to visit the Mendip Hills. We walked up Crook Peak, before walking back to where we had parked the car.

Only clocked on the trip that it is Crook Peak and not as I have been calling it for years Crooks Peak.

Crook Peak has been important as a landmark and boundary from very early times, and the origins of the name are unclear. The local parish council state that ‘Crook’ comes from the Old English ‘Cruc’ meaning ‘peak’ or ‘pointed hill’.

Mendip Hills

Dramatic gorges and ancient woodland rising above the Somerset Levels.

Current saving £188.85

No admission fee or parking costs

Total saving £0

Cumulative saving £365.15

Membership cost £133.80

Net cumulative saving £231.35 Continue reading “Mendip Hills (again)”

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Killerton

For Christmas I got a National Trust membership. It’s being a few years since I was last a member, but now looking forward to visiting new places and going back to places we have been to before.

Back in 2016 I did start to keep a note of how much we saved with the membership, but looking back over the blog, I never kept up to date with that, but with this membership I am intending to blog about the visits we do this year and the savings we made.

Killerton

A family home and a great estate. Glorious landscape garden surrounded by parkland with fine 18th-century house.

Current saving £188.85

Family ticket £38.50

Parking £4.00

Total saving £42.50

Cumulative saving £365.15

Membership cost £133.80

Net cumulative saving £231.35

Continue reading “Killerton”

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Polesden Lacey

For Christmas I got a National Trust membership. It’s being a few years since I was last a member, but now looking forward to visiting new places and going back to places we have been to before.

Back in 2016 I did start to keep a note of how much we saved with the membership, but looking back over the blog, I never kept up to date with that, but with this membership I am intending to blog about the visits we do this year and the savings we made.

Polesden Lacey

Edwardian country retreat of socialite, Margaret Greville. Home to her extensive collection of paintings, ceramics and fine French furniture.

Current saving £169.85

One adult £15.00

Parking £4.00

Total saving £19.00

Cumulative saving £322.65

Membership cost £133.80

Net cumulative saving £188.85

Continue reading “Polesden Lacey”

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Then and Now – Brentford Railway Station

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. However sometimes even though I have intentionally taken a photograph, I have found that I had also unintentionally taken a photograph of the same view before.

Back in August 2021 I was staying in Brentford and I caught the train from Brentford Station to Waterloo.

I uploaded this photograph to Google Maps and at the time of writing is my third most popular photograph I have submitted to Google Maps.

So when I was at Brentford Railway Station in June 2023, I took this photograph, with the intention that this would be the same view as the above photograph.

Brentford Railway Station

Also I was searching my images for the 2021 image I found this photograph I had taken at the same time with a train in the station.

Brentford Railway Station

So there is an intentional and an unintentional photograph of the station.

Back in September 2021 I was staying in Brentford and I caught the train from Brentford Station to Waterloo. I took a similar shot, not quite the same though.

Brentford Railway Station

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Mendip Hills

For Christmas I got a National Trust membership. It’s being a few years since I was last a member, but now looking forward to visiting new places and going back to places we have been to before.

Back in 2016 I did start to keep a note of how much we saved with the membership, but looking back over the blog, I never kept up to date with that, but with this membership I am intending to blog about the visits we do this year and the savings we made.

You don’t need a membership though to visit the Mendip Hills. We walked up Crooks Peak, before walking towards Wavering Down, we then walked back to where we had parked the car.

Mendip Hills

Dramatic gorges and ancient woodland rising above the Somerset Levels.

Current saving £169.85

No admission fee

Total saving £0

Cumulative saving £303.65

Membership cost £133.80

Cumulative saving £169.85
Continue reading “Mendip Hills”

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Then and Now Take Three – Cabot Circus

This view of Cabot Circus was taken in April 2023.

Cabot Circus

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 have written a few times about how I have taken photographs of this view of Cabot Circus.

Then and Now Take Two – Cabot Circus

Then and Now, but not alone – Cabot Circus

Then and Now – Cabot Circus

Then and Now Take Two – Cabot Circus Christmas Changes

Cabot Circus Christmas Changes

Going through some photographs recently I started to realise I had taken photographs of this view a lot more times than I thought I had.

This post outlines all the times I have taken this view (that I have found).

This photograph was taken not long after Cabot Circus had opened. The shopping centre had opened on 25th September 2008, this photograph was taken on the 21st October 2008.

Going through my collection I also had taken this similar photo on the 4th July 2016.

I took this photograph on December 8th 2019. I was on my way to do a pick up from the Vue Cinema, so I took a photograph of the festive Cabot Circus. I also wrote about it back then as well.

This newly found photograph shows the same view and was taken 19th November 2021.

Another newly found photograph of the same view, this from 9th July 2022.

Cabot Circus

This photograph was taken on the 26th November 2022.

This is a newly found photograph from the 10th December 2022.

So back to the top photograph, which was the most recent in April 2023.

Cabot Circus

Time to visit Cabot Circus again I think and take another photograph.

Update

So I did… This photo was taken in June 2023.

Cabot Circus

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Dyrham Park

For Christmas I got a National Trust membership. It’s being a few years since I was last a member, but now looking forward to visiting new places and going back to places we have been to before.

Back in 2016 I did start to keep a note of how much we saved with the membership, but looking back over the blog, I never kept up to date with that, but with this membership I am intending to blog about the visits we do this year and the savings we made.

Dyrham Park

Dyrham Park is a Baroque country house in an ancient deer park near the village of Dyrham in South Gloucestershire, England. The house, with the attached orangery and stable block is a Grade I listed building, while the park is Grade II* listed on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

The current house was built for William Blathwayt in stages during the 17th and early 18th centuries on the site of a previous manor house, with the final facade being designed by William Talman. The house is a fine example of Baroque architecture, with its symmetrical facade, pediment, and Ionic columns. The interior is equally impressive, with its ornate plasterwork, paneling, and furniture.

The parkland at Dyrham is also of great interest. It was landscaped in the 18th century in the style of Capability Brown, with sweeping lawns, lakes, and woodlands. The park is home to a variety of wildlife, including deer, rabbits, and pheasants.

Dyrham Park is now owned by the National Trust and is open to the public. It is a popular tourist destination, and is particularly well-known for its Christmas events. Visitors can visit the house and admire the Baroque architecture and interior, explore the parkland and enjoy the scenery and wildlife, take part in one of the many events that are held at the park throughout the year, such as concerts, festivals, and workshops, have a picnic in the park, go for a walk or run in the park, or visit the nearby village of Dyrham.

Current saving £131.85

Two Adult Tickets £34.00

Parking £4.00

Total saving £38.00

Cumulative saving £303.65

Membership cost £133.80

Cumulative saving £169.85

Continue reading “Dyrham Park”

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Osterley Park and House

For Christmas I got a National Trust membership. It’s being a few years since I was last a member, but now looking forward to visiting new places and going back to places we have been to before.

Back in 2016 I did start to keep a note of how much we saved with the membership, but looking back over the blog, I never kept up to date with that, but with this membership I am intending to blog about the visits we do this year and the savings we made.

On my way back from London I stopped at Osterley Park and House for a quick look at the house and a walk in the park.

Osterley Park and House

Osterley Park and House is a Georgian country estate in west London, that straddles the London boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow. Originally dating from the 1570s, the estate contains a number of Grade I and II listed buildings, with the park listed as Grade II*. The main house was remodelled by Robert Adam between 1761 and 1765. The National Trust took charge of Osterley in 1991 and the house and park are open to visitors. The house is a fine example of Georgian architecture, with a grand entrance hall, elegant reception rooms, and a beautiful garden. The park is also worth exploring, with its woodlands, lakes, and formal gardens. Osterley Park and House is a popular tourist destination, and is a great place to learn about Georgian history and culture.

Current saving £110.85

Adult Ticket £14.00

Parking £7.00

Total saving £21.00

Cumulative saving £265.65

Membership cost £133.80

Net cumulative saving £131.85

Never really a home this house was more of a status symbol. Continue reading “Osterley Park and House”

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Then and Now – Lynton and Lynmouth

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. I always think I should give them 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. 

Over the years since I moved to the West I have visited Lynton and Lynmouth quite a few times, sometimes whilst on holiday in Devon and sometimes just for the day.

This photograph from a bridge over the East Lyn River in May 2023.

Three years earlier in September 2020 I had taken this photograph.