Gloucester & Sharpness canal, Friday 14th August
We saw a farmer’s market had been set up in Cheltenham as we alighted from the bus today. A few vegetables and a pork pie went into the rucksack, after due payment.
The town reminded us of Leamington Spa, but on a larger scale. A lot of good buildings, together with reasonable planning constraints have produced a well balanced effect.
The Regent arcade shopping centre has both entrances well in keeping and not at all intrusive. There is a wonderful ‘Wishing Fish’ clock which reminded me of the style of Emmett; on the hour, bubbles are blown from the mouth of the fish and children have a whale (sorry!) of a time chasing them.
The well tended Imperial gardens are home to a full size bronze statue of Gustav Holst, who was born close by in 1874.
The church of St. Mary was well worth a visit as the glass was stunning. My favourites were the west window depicting the last supper and the Rose window. The 1915 wooden carved reredos by William Nash was beautiful.
Waterstones bookshop is arranged over three floors, yet managed to display only 14 books on railway subjects; absolutely shameful.
Myra will be borrowing my MP3 player for our bus journeys, everyone fitted with these non-personal players has the volume so loud that she is able to hear them; my tinnitus (and the turning off of both hearing aids) is a blessing on such occasions.
This evening, we were treated to an example of the lamentable lack of care taken by certain people in the matter of contraceptives. Had they behaved in a responsible manner; then three 13year old yobs would not have seen the light of day and grace this earth with their presence. They threw a large stone at the cabin window from about six feet away whilst Myra was reading on the bunk below: fortunately, they missed the window but managed to remove a good sized chunk of paint just above the frame.
2009 Totals: 420 Lock s – 781 miles – 26 Bus pass uses.
