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Week 43 Bridlington Fair

Another trip to the fair! I felt out of place at Hull Fair, I enjoyed it but was lost in the atmosphere and found it hard to concentrate on my photography. Brid Fair was different, yes a lot smaller, but that meant more time to think about shots. Met with members of Focus Photography Group from Brid, so there were tripods everywhere! As things quietened down and the fair was closing for the night, I saw a nice picture of the 'burger van' and fairground people.

The 'Jumpin Frog' ride

Week 42 Hull Fair

Never been to Hull Fair before. The Fair used to visit Scarborough every year on William Street coach park and we used to go down. Never one for the 'big rides' I fancied myself as a sharp shooter on the rifle ranges and always left with a coconut and Wrights Brandy Snap!

My mother used to talk about Hull Fair and how big it was, her father worked in Hull for a time and she had been. I always wanted to go, but it never happened, until two of us from Driffield Photographic Society decided to have a go at timed exposures to get the light trails from the rides. What an experience, you could fit ten Scarborough Fairs into the space. I was in awe of the lights, the sounds and the smells and had a great evening, even took home some Wrights Brandy Snap. I am sure the stall had never altered in fifty years, but that is a sign of good fairground tradition.

Water Skiing at The Mere, Scarborough

Week 41 Water Skiing

Years since I have taken a walk around The Mere at Scarborough and what a joy. As kids we used to go to The Mere only now and again as there was always trouble with some of the Edgehill and Newcoln Road kids, who saw us as invading their area. All that appears to have changed, new housing has replaced the run-down council houses, plenty of people of all ages fishing on the lake, and even a Council employee litter picking on a Saturday! Families walking around the lake, a nice cafe and much to my surprise, Scarborough Water Skiing Club were still performing on the second lake. Transformed into a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle and with a backdrop of mature trees a colourful experience in the autumn.

Tintern Abbey

Week 40 Tintern Abbey and the Wye Valley

Visited the beautiful remains of Tintern Abbey on the Welsh side of the River Wye in Monmouthshire. It was founded in 1131 and was home to Cistercian monks until 1536 and the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry Vlll. A fantastic peaceful setting.

Toddington Station

Week 39 Toddington

On a visit to Wales, called into the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in the heart of the Cotswolds. The heritage line runs from Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington with a proposed extension to the popular Cotswold village of Broadway. Had a nice lunch on Toddington station, but didn't have enough time to wait for the steam train (a pannier tank), so settled for a shot of the Cheltenham bound Pressed Steel class 117 DMU.

Waterfall Lownorth Camp

Week 38 Lownorth Camp

Found myself doing a Voluntary Ranger duty for North York Moors National Park in the Langdale End area. Having set off from Langdale End, I walked to Langdale Rigg before dropping down to Lownorth Camp which was an army training ground until the 60's. The infant River Derwent flows on the southern boundary of the camp, which is now owned by the Scarborough & District Motor Club and is used for Trials riding.

I took the picture of the waterfall which was in a peaceful setting and making a beautiful sound, between the constant crescendos and decrescendos of the trials bikes only yards away negotiating the courses!