St Lawrence Parish Church, Appleby, Cumbria.

St Lawrence's church in Appleby is rather sweet. It has many stunning stained glass windows but it is the ornate stone carving that really sets it apart. There is a large marble carved monument to a local lady, but it is the jolly sandstone buttresses that make the place. Each one is different and looks to be based on an actual person. My favourite is the rather jolly foppish chap with the elegant moustache.

Exterior of St Lawrence's

One of the stained glass windows

Organ top

Two of the old locals?

My favourite

Church of St Andrew and St Mary, How Capel, Herefordshire.

Church exterior

Fresco

Altar

A sweet little church surrounded by beautiful rolling Herefordshire countryside. The stained glass windows are particularly enchanting. I don't think I have ever seen such an odd subject for a church window as a load of cherubs appearing to fall from the clouds and transform into babies. The church also boasts a four part fresco and some rather splendid tiles.

Fave window

Window detail

Tile floor

Holy Isle, just off the Isle of Arran, Scotland

Looking down holy Isle hill

 Holy Isle, in the Firth of Clyde off the west coast of Scotland is a delightful place to visit for the day. It has a population of about 13 and is just out in Lamlash Bay, Arran. It was the site of a cave and holy well that was home of the 13th century Saint Molaise. 

Looking across to Lamlash

The island is now the home to a Buddhist Community and home tp the Centre for World Peace. The island is also a nature reserve, home to the Eriskay ponies, Saanen goats, Soay sheep and the Arran Whitebeam.

One of the Islands painted stones

The visitors centre

Throughout the summer ferries from Lamlash to the island can be taken from about 10am and the final ferry back is about 4pm. Just enough time to walk over the hill and then back along the sea shore taking in the painted stones of Buddhist Gods.

The low path

Another of the Island painted stones. 

Rejuvernation therapy, Malvern water treatments.

The path just behind the postbox

Seating area in the little dell

 One of the thing Malvern is famous for is hydrotherapy. The development of a system of water based therapies, designed to aid recuperation from various illnesses including TB and consumption, was most popular during the Victorian era. It is the reason Darwin came to live in Malvern, as he hoped the new therapies would cure his daughter. They didn't, and she died and was buried in Malvern Abbey. It was the loss of her that caused him to reject religion and gave him the strength to stand up to the church of the time, and publish his scientific theory of evolution and natural selection.

The snow now has melted in all but the highest parts of the hill. I went for a walk, starting out from behind the large post box, up past Joyners Meadow, and then past the Narnian gas lamp above Saint James's church.

Whilst walking I saw teenagers running and leaping, throwing themselves into the snow drifts and rolling down hills. They were a little like new born lambs, all newly lengthened limbs, ungainly and jerky. Although many off the hydrotherapy's are now discredited frozen water, in the form of snow, has a miraculously rejuvenating quality. All the cool strutting cynical attitude associated with the teenager wishing to be a proper, "grown-up" suddenly falls away to reveal the child behind the emo facade.

Joyners Meadow

Panoramic shot looking over West Malvern from pathway

View near the Narnian gas lamp by St James well