Lady Chapel in Ely Cathedral is truely beautiful, it was built in the 14th century at about the same time as the Octagon. The chapel was used as a set for ‘Elizabeth:The Golden Age’ by Working Title Films last year, sadly not because Elizabeth I came to Ely for some slap up banquet but because the architecture is suitable for a scene set in Whitehall. It seems to me like a damn fine job being a researcher for film sets. The chapel has underfloor heating and I can personally say that walking barefoot in the Cathedral in the dead of Winter is an oddly spiritual experience.

This is a big hill for the fens, infact a mountain, created in the iceage to ensure Ely folk had another challenge in their otherwise very challenging existence. Unlike in days of ice modern day folk can bob in and out of the various business’ that sit on Fore Hill, gift/antique shops, a gallery, a pub, an internet cafe and a very good Indian to name but a few. You can also have your hair styled, your nails buffed and a number of Spa treatments that as yet I haven’t had sufficient courage to try.

A watery colour sketch of a fenland church, St Leonard dates from the 13th century and has many interesting features [or so the local website says]. It is a Grade 1 listed building. As my painting is so loose I have put a photo in to let you see more architectural detail. I sat to the right of the church in the graveyard to do the sketch. The larger b/w sketch was done whilst waiting for the watercolour to dry.

Hill Top is in a fairly remote site somewhere in the hills near Hawkshead in Cumbria, we turned up to see the one time home of Lakeland artist and Hollywood star Miss Potter not suspecting the effects of the demure Renee Z. or the rather lovely Mr McGregor. The small hamlet in which the house sits was packed with the eager faces of potential visitors and the running engines of the many cars that had chugged their way through the unspoilt, as yet, back lanes to this once quiet rural spot. We were informed by the National Trust traffic warden that although quite close to the front of the developing queue we were to expect some wait before a ticket could be purchased, then a more considerable time until we could enter, into the hours rather than minutes. We decided that the poor wee hamlet didn’t deserve this attention and that no matter how lovely Peter Rabbit or Miss Tiggywinkle might be we were more inclined to leave and let the masses fight for a glimpse of her walled garden and drawing desk. Good luck should you decide to try to visit but I would suggest you buy the book or see the film and save the hamlet from the fumes and noise. I am sure Miss Potter would say the same.

Taken from the road to Kirkstone near Troutbeck.

It is probably foolish to take an old car up and over the 30% incline of this twistly pass, but we did, the poor old car was hissingly hot by the saddle of the assent so we sat surrounded by ratty sheep and were stared at by smug 4×4 drivers passing us by and hill climbers peering down from the crags. A period of cooling down and a top up from our emergency water supply and we were ready to continue, nervously watching the heat gauge, the rapid downhill breeze rushed through the engine and the car returned to a comfortable rate. We took a long run at Wrynose, not so problematic as HK but still daunting, fortunately we didn’t have to stop for anyone and emerged victorious at the top. Next stop two pints of lager and some salt replacement.

A view up to Scafell Pike from the bottom of Hard Knott

Looking back to Eskdale from the cars point of exhaustion. Great views.

Keswick Council would like to remind particularly small people that sailing on Derwent can be dangerous.

Sometime back in the late ’70s I bought a book called Mist Over Pendle from a charity shop in an old Cheshire town. Pendle Hill and its stories of witchcraft were a long way from my moderately dull secondary modern life and the appeal of the looming dark peak has stayed with me ever since.
A couple of months ago I read the book and I was captivated, it is a rich story of a young orphaned girl and her venture into adulthood and involvement with the witches of Pendle. Theres a lot of horse riding, appealing to the teenage me, and some reference to the hill and surrounding geography, appealing to the anorak me, so essentially the teenage anorak that I am was distracted from my moderately dull early morning commute to work by the faded pages of the book.
A friend lives in the shadow of Pendle, somewhat envious I decided it was time I had some of the thrill at firsthand. The journey up the Ribble Valley and into the mist that hung menicingly over the forbidding rise of the hill caused my heart to race. The names on the road signs words from the pages I had read, Sabden Brook, Roughlee, it was suddenly all too real. The hill in the mist a dark and bold form. We kept moving over the lower slopes and I took this photo from the moving car. The navigation of the hill should have been easy but we lost our way and a force beyond our control drew us into the shadows and mist, for a time worryingly too close, though we were finally released from its grip once I realigned myself with the map and averted my eyes from its lure.

It is depressing for us fish loving non-meat eaters to find ourselves stranded in a pub whose menu is populated by fish dishes stained with meat, it has happened to me many times. Initially I found such morsels most likely to appear at the ‘extend your morgage to eat here’ establishments [nice logo] and then in a wave of trend setting it spread to the everyday pub. So, plot in hand I experimented, exploring the taboos of classic cuisine, blighting the flesh of smoked salmon, possibly offending the most delicate natured foodies. Attempting to simulate the crispy, salty excesses of pancetta wrapped fish.

This has proved to be on the whole a successful plot and so I have decided to release it upon the public, all 7 of you, beware it is so easy to cook and so addictive that your life may not be the same again, alternatively you may think the plot has gone to her head and she is at the mercy of her raging ego.

Follow these four easy steps to heaven. One fillet per person.

1 Take 4 salmon fillets and 8-10 peices of medium quality smoked salmon, you shouldn’t use the posh stuff it isn’t necessary. Season the salmon well and wrap the smoked salmon around it like a belly band, it might not seem to stick, don’t worry as it will when it cooks. Heat the oven to 180-200c and heat up a baking sheet.

2 Melt an indecently unhealthy amount of unsalted butter and a splash of olive oil in a frying pan, get it hot enough so that when you place the salmon into it you hear the frazzle of the the flesh.

3 Cook for about 3 minutes or until the salmon is well coloured.

4 Take the baking sheet out of the oven and place the salmon on it with the cooked side up. Bake for approx. 10 minutes, depending on the size of the fillet.

I served this with a board bean salad and new potatoes. Note: the last version was seasoned with a sea-salt, peppercorns and provencal herbs pre-mix from’good taste’ @ Faith’s Corner, Choseley, Norfolk.

Hedgehogs are one of the most lovely of our wildlife but they do need your help to keep safe and healthy, please visit the Hegdehog Society and give as much support as you can to little chaps like Tiny Spiney who is a resident of our garden, or at least a visitor. This photo was taken at the Spanish-ish evening when he popped in for some nibbles, less than a handful of mini spines he bravey sat not 10 foot from us tucking into some morsels.