A wide view of the long abandoned Lancaster Canal (South)
in Whittle-le-Woods. it was opened in 1803

Had an enjoyable evening walk along the Leeds & Liverpool canal at Johnson's Hillock.

View from Prielst's Hole Cave on Dove Crag above Patterdale, Cumbria.

View of the Skerries on the approach to Holyhead while returning to the UK

On my cycle ride across Ireland I called at Birr Castle to look at the Great Telescope built by William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse (1800 - 1867)

Statue ion the Town of William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse

William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse

A reconstruction of the amazing telescope.

72-inch reflecting telescope, built in 1845 known as the "Leviathan of Parsonstown".
It was the world's largest telescope

Drawing by The Earl of Rosse

Hubble photograph

Rosse's telescope Leviathan was the first to reveal the spiral structure of M51, a galaxy nicknamed later as the "Whirlpool Galaxy", and his drawings of it closely resemble modern photographs.

Further along the road

Arriving at the Stena Terminal in Dublin

Lunchtime cycled to Withnell Fold to Mum's memorial bench. She died in 2010. She was born 99 years ago today.

This evening set off on my bike to head for Ireland. The first part of the journey was Preston to Holyhead by train. My front pannier rack snapped but thankfully Paul Hewitt Cycles in Leyland were able to fit a new on for me on the way to the Preston Rail Station. 

A great evenings entertainment of poems and stories by the Manchester born Mike Harding. There was a full house at the Chorley Little Theatre.

The old Leyland / Clayton water supply reservoir was demolished in 2013. A small scale replica monument was built in Nov 2014 by the A6 opposite the Pines Hotel, Clayton-le-Woods. The information board was officially opened this morning (Wed 20 May) at 11am. Dr David Hunt of South Ribble Museum did the honours. Rosemary Boyd of Chorley Historical Society pulled the chord. The illustrated information board tells the history from 1883 to its demolition in 2013.

Waiting for the unveiling

After the unveiling

Carla Boothman and Danielle Boyd from manor Road Primary Scool

This morning walked Deepdale to Grisedale to visit the temporary art structure of the Paper Bridge.
It was designed by Teesdale based artist Steve Messam. Today it was taken down as arranged. See my earlier note Wed 13 may 2015

Steve Messam and and the remains of his paper bridge

Chorley Photographic Society outing to Croston.

Lights inside the church gave this interesting effect

This morning walked from Patterdale up Grisedale to visit the temporary art structure of the Paper bridge.
It was designed by Teesdale based artist Steve Messam and is totally free-standing – no glue, screws, bolts, fixings or supports have been used to hold the structure together. The bridge has been constructed using over 4.2 tonnes of bright red paper, cut into 22,000 sheets, to create a structure 5 metres in length, with a 4 metre span over the river and standing at 2m from water to top of arch. The bridge’s gabions are filled with over 3 tonnes of stone from the gravel beds in the river. The paper was made in Kendal.
The paper was made in one long piece and measured over 10 miles and was been specially made by James Cropper at their Burneside Mill, near Kendal. Cropper’s is the only paper mill in the world capable of producing paper of such vibrancy and colour to the strict environmental standards this piece required.

The This evening was the first summer photo outing of Chorley Photographic Society. We visited the old gardens constructed by Lord Leverhulme.

The Pigeon Tower above Rivington.

It was a sunny, but cold, day so I walked up Great Hill to eat my lunch. I started from the picturesque White Coppice.

The Women's Institute Notice Board in Withnell Fold was made by my father around 50 years ago. I remember watching him carve the lettering. The whole unit is made of oak.

The information board for the Reservoir Memorial Mound was fixed on top of the monument this morning. It's opposite the Pines Hotel, Clayton-le-Woods.

Seen on the Leeds and Liverpool canal this evening. This is serious kit. a TMC - BS 500/4 Twin Slew Rack, 4 Hydraulic Extensions with a Choice of Winches, with a Lift of 3500kgs @ 12.2 Metres.

Spent an enjoyable morning exploring the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle. I've seen it previously from the outside but not the inside, until today.
The Bowes Museum was purpose-built as a public art gallery for John Bowes and his wife Joséphine Chevalier, Countess of Montalbo, who both died before it opened in 1892.

Bowes Museum

John Bowes (1811-1885)
by Jacques-Eugene Feyen 1863

Josephine Bowes (1825-1874)
Antoine Dury 1850

The amazing exhibition by Gerald Scarfe
of political cartoons.
Milk Snatcher - The Thatcher Drawings.
 

The automaton silver swan

By the War memorial while out on my morning walk.

Today is the General election Polling Day.
Out at 7am to vote at the Village Hall. They were't quite ready and we were a couple of minutes late getting in.

Flags flying on Waterhouse Green

Drove to Ghyllside Cycles in Ambleside then went for cycle ride via Langdales and Blea Tarn area.

Blea Tarn

Seen on a cycle ride through Brindle this morning

Today is the early May Bank Holiday Whittle-le-Woods Duck Race. Here is the start at the River Lostock.

Cllr Eric Bell about to tend the ducks down the river

Lots of spectators

The finishing line

Lots of spectators

Seen on a cycle ride through Tockholes

Flags flying on Waterhouse Green

Johnson's Hillock locks on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Clearing up after coffee at Bishop's House. Today I left Iona to cross Mull back to Oban and a long drive home.

Two walks today. The first was to the Isle of Errad. Then to the Lochbuie Mausoleum

Friday 1st May sunrise from my tent

Saint Columba looking down on my tent

Stone labyrinth by the quarry on the ISle of Erraid.

Observatory And Signal Station
on Erraid

Lochbuie Mausoleum was converted into a Mausoleum for the MacLaines of Lochbuie in 1864 in memory of Donald MacLaine. The historic Chapel and Mausoleum was restored in 1972 by Brigadier Alasdair MacLean of Pennycross.

Evening view towards Tyree

Evening view

This amazing view of the Milky Way was taken by an American guest
at Bishop's House on Iona.
He was out at 2am to take the photo from the western end of the island. Unfortunately I don't know his name but I hope he doesn't mind me using it.

https://www.justgiving.com/JuniperTrust-Nepal-Earthquake-Fund/