Market Place, Alston, Cumbria.

Oil burner and tealight holder

Unfortunately I forgot my camera the day I visited Alston. I enjoyed some fab shopping, the town has a number of jewellers, artists, potters and other crafts people working and displaying and selling their work. In particular i was impressed with the pottery at Gallery 1611 Ceramic, and bought a sweet little candle holder and oil burner.

I also bought loads of things from Mellow yellow gift shop and had a delightful lunch in the rather old fashioned tea shop, called Blueberries. My other half bought outdoor gear from the Outdoor Ramblers Shop.

For more details on the gallery try www.gallery1611.co.uk

Great Malvern, Floral Competition, Worcestershire.

Iapetus Galleries Black dog in Car

 The weather was not great this weekend, too many showers and not enough sunny spells. This couldn't dampen the Floral competition in Malvern though, as the floral displays were all indoors.

Forget-me-not's wedding theme

Great Malvern Deli's Granny's picnic

The various shops created displays around the theme of, "A grand day out". Here are just a few examples. I get why a wedding is a grand day, and I was surprised that only one entry had taken the Wallace and Gromit film, "A grand day out," as its inspiration. Some though were just odd. gran enjoying a day in the country is just weird, but not as weird as a black dog enjoying a ride in a yellow flower car.  A black dog is often used as a symbol for depression, and I can't think of any other meaning that is better linked to the topic. Made me smile though, the idea of depression going for a spin in the country, sometimes we all just need to feel the wind in our hair, (fur or floppy ears).

Gordon Smith's Wallace and Gromit entry

Broadway Tower, Cotswold/Worcestershire Border.

Broadway Tower

Memorial plaque

 Broadway tower stands high above the Worcestershire Cotswold skyline. It is a mini museum inside. The first floor display is all about it being built as a folly and it's early history. The next floor is about the renaissance art movement and William Morris. The third floor is about the military history of the sight.

With it's fantastic views it was used as a spotting station in the wars. Sadly also it was the sight of a memorable crash, so the history of that, and their is a plaque outside on the sight. The tower also played it's part in the cold war, and a nuclear bunker was built just along the hill. You can go and explore the Nuclear Bunker if you wish, though it is generally only open on a Sunday.

We also looked around Broadway village. In many way's it is a typical Cotswold village, as there are eleven art galleries, about six antique shops, and numerous cafes and bistro's. My favourite place was the old fashioned sweet shop.

I also liked the curious sign outside one of the estate agencies. It looks to me like a bishop fighting a five headed snake. It must commemorate some local mythology, but no-one seemed to know what it was about, and so far my research has turned up no answers. Any interesting ideas or actual facts please tell me.

Nuclear Bunker history

Part of the WW2 display

View from top of tower

Names and dates carved in by the soldiers

The most interesting thing in Broadway village

Broadway, a Cotswold village