Spent last evening at a firework display held on Stockheath Common, Leigh Park. This is the annual display that is put on by Havant Borough Council. As this was the first time that I had attended this event I really didn’t know what to expect.
Given the weather we have experienced over the last few days we were granted a dry but chilly evening. Temps down as low as 2degC. However the common was very squidgy and with the many hundreds of feet tramping around the fun fair the grassy ground was rapidly transformed in to mud.
Jungle Fever
However, despite the conditions underfoot the event was well attended and the council provided a good display. The following are a couple of shots, my first attempt at taking pictures of fireworks.
Leigh Park 2012
The images are not quite what I was expecting ………
Leigh Park 2012
but I am quite pleased with the overall results.
Leigh Park 2012
Taken using my Canon PowerShot A570 and all hand-held …. next time I’ll have a read of the manual and a practice before going at it for real.
It takes a special sort of car to pull off the color purple, and this does it as well as any of them. This beautiful Mercury custom was sitting at the Burger King on Woodward Ave during the Dream Cruise this summer. I am a huge fan of this type of car, so I am happy to add this to the features we have done on Sh’Boom and others. I wasn’t able to talk to the owner of this car so I really don’t know anything about it. I sure enjoyed seeing it though. Enjoy.
Along with my wife, grandson and a longtime friend over from Australia we spent an enjoyable few hours reminiscing and catching up.
The “Inn” provides good food in nice surroundings with a beautiful views across the Solent to the Isle Wight and along the coast from Portsmouth to the West to Selsey in the East. This a great venue regardless of the season.
When we arrived the weather was cold and quite breezy. By the time we had finished eating the wind had dropped and the clouds had rolled away. The sun was dropping rapidly and illuminating the shoreline beautifully.
The following view is to the west and in the distance you can see the Portsmouth skyline including the Spinnaker Tower, the floodlights at Fratton Park and it is just possible to make out St Marys church.
Hayling Beach Huts in the Autumnal Sunshine
This view is to the east and when viewed full size you can just see the Selsey shoreline merging with the horizon.
Hayling Shore view towards Selsey
I believe that, when the conditions are right, the south coast and especially Hayling is as good as any mediterranean location.
Thursday and another day spent blowing away the cobwebs. The question was where to go, where could we get some fresh air but without risking getting soaked. The answer was The Weald and Downland Open Air Museum at Singleton.
Just a short twenty-mile drive from home, the museum is set in the heart of the South Downs and is encompassed by the South Downs National Park. It is home to around 50 historic buildings that were previously facing destruction. Those buildings were carefully dismantled and have been rebuilt here. All of the buildings, spanning the period c.1300 to c.1910, originate from the Weald and Downland of the counties of Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire. The museum is set against an ever-changing backdrop of the Sussex downs.
A small portion of the Sussex countryside
Brilliant scenery, interesting historical buildings with animals mixed in. What better way to get fresh air and exercise.
On entering the site and paying a quite modest entry fee you pass through the Hambrook Barn. The barn has an interesting audio / visual display, with many photos of past and present artisans, some of whom may have worked in some of the buildings in the museum
Barn from Hambrook, Sussex
Passing through the barn you are presented with a high level view over The Market place and down to the pond which has a wind powered water pump. The pump was relocated from Pevensey in Sussex.
The Market PlaceWind Pump
As you stroll down to the pond area you pass the old Tollhouse which was originally from Beeding in Sussex.
Tollhouse
Sat below the pond is the mill that the water drives. The mill is in operation and you can go inside and view the workings as well as purchase fresh ground flour and other goodies. We came away with a number of packets of local biscuits. Yuuumy !!!
WatermillPond
Further round the site there is a working Smithy. The building originates from Southwater which by the way is where some of my family have lived in past times. My grandfather used to work the horses on farmlands around Sussex and who knows he may have visited this building or may have had his horses fitted with shoes from this forge and anvil.
Outside the smithy there is a vertical sculpture. The photo below is a close up of just a part.
Detail From Sculpture near the “Smithy”
Although the buildings are the main reason for the museum one cannot avoid nature. The museum setting means that you are surrounded by beautiful trees, open fields and water.
Naked TreeLower Mill Pond
Around the grounds there are various animals most of which are traditional breeds including Shire horses, Sussex cattle, South Down sheep, Tamworth pigs, geese and Light Sussex chickens. The shire horse can be seen working around the site.
A plump / pregnant sheepOne of the shire horses pulling a cart
It is estimated that you need around three hours to take in all the museum has to offer. That is presumably if you don’t just sit on one of the many benches to absorb the sunshine, the beautiful scenery and the peace and tranquility.
Well for the most part anyway. Our little piece of tranquility was punctuated by a very yappy French Poodle and a large family group who could only communicate by shouting and screaming at each other.
Despite the minor negative moments we had a brilliant time and sadly we had to make our way home.
The line was opened by the LBSCR for goods on January 19th 1865, and for passengers on July 16th 1897. Over the winter of 1962 it was decided to close the branch line, the reason being the old timber bridge that crossed Langstone Harbour needed expensive repairs. The company could not afford the repairs and thus the line took its final fare paying customers on November 3 1963.
Many years on and the route of the Hayling Billy Line has been opened as a combined footpath, bridleway and cycleway and passes down the west side of the island. It is part of route 2 of the National Cycle Network.
Over the years I must have driven on and off Hayling Island many hundreds of times and was aware of the Hayling Billy Trail but until now had never visited.
So there we were on a very chilly Tuesday afternoon, with the sunshine coming and going, but spending most of the time hidden behind the clouds. At least it wasn’t raining. We parked up in the car park at the northern end of the trail.
Looking north from the trail toward the road bridge.
As you follow the trail you can see many clues linking back to parts of the old railway . Some are a little more obvious than others. The most obvious are the remains of the old railway bridge.
Hayling Billy Railway BridgeRemains of Hayling Billy Signal
As you head south down the trail to your right are the remains of the oyster beds. These are now home to many sea birds and attract many “twitchers”.
The trail is very popular and we met many folks out walking their dogs, whole family’s cycle riding and even a couple of ladies on horseback. We spent an enjoyable couple of hours strolling along taking in the scenery while the fresh air blew away the cobwebs.
Late afternoon – Hayling Billy Trail
After we got back to the car we headed up to the top of Portsdown Hill for a cup of tea courtesy of Mick’s Burger Bar. There we were treated to a beautiful sunset.
WrAnTz 