The King of the Castle

With a couple of computer (operator) difficulties, today's events are presented in reverse order.

Where the Wood's and I ended up for our evening meal brought back a few memories of my very first 2 weeks leave in the Royal navy. I had decided to spend a few days back on my old stomping grounds in Beeston, Notts the town where I was born. At the tender age of 15 and dressed in my first 'sailors suit' I didn't think I could miss with the landlord's daughter at the Victoria close to Beeston train station, how wrong I was. She did encourage me for the first 2 dates, but very soon after got fed up and ditched me, the story of my life.

We had earlier gone to meet John's 90 year old mother and his younger brother Robert and wife Brenda

I still maintain seeing Mrs Wood again was the highlight of this part of the trip.

With the weather threatening, I decided to spend the day at Belvoir (pronounced Beaver) Castle, where unfortunately there was no photography allowed inside the building. It was an amassing day.

The first view of the castle above the rose garden.

Belvoir Castle

2 falconers were flying this 2 year old Barn Owl and invited me to join for close viewing.

'Persil' the Barn Owl.

The central tower.

Seeing my interest in birds, one of the falconers asked if I would like to see one of the 2 Harris Hawks recently purchased by the Duke.

In moult, these birds were in no condition to be flown, but it was a privilege to see it at such close quarters.

One of an array of cannons on the lower battlements.

The rear of the castle.

A veiw of the now redundant stables, and onward across the Vale of Belvoir.

Part of the vale of Belvoir.

The Gardens

Dorset to Leicestershire

It has been such a full day, not to mention full of Malbec wine, that I'll have to add the captions in the morning. Suffice to say at the moment I'm in north east Leicestershire.

Good morning. The drive to Leicestershire took a little longer than anticipated due mainly to roadworks on the M3 and an accident on the M1 but I eventual arrived at the tiny village of Eastwell at mid-day. Perched in the heart of the Vale of Belvoir it is the home of my long, lost childhood friend John Wood and his wife Marion, who have already looked after me very well.

We started my stay with a wander around the village admiring the mainly Ironstone buildings, as the was in the heyday of the Stanton Ironworks the main supply of this commodity. The church, St Michael & All Angels, was built in the 11th Century with the top of the tower having to be replace by more durable stone more recently.

Next it was on to the Coach House, now a private dwelling,

as is the Manor House

and the original Manor.

Of note, this 'hatchment' (a funeral banner if you like) was to the Eyre family and struck at the death of Rowland, Lord of the Manor, who died in 1777. There is also an early 14th century stone tomb bearing the effigy of an unnamed priest.

Wednesday is 'tea & cake' day at the church, so it was into that before

driving to Rutland Water where I had a couple of hours to look around. Looking west.

Looking east. There were not a lot of birds to be seen (22 species in all) with Greylag Geese, Green Woodpecker and Little Egret the best, and no sign of the breeding Osprey, but other interest came by way of

Normanton Church which bears witness to the village of the same name now some fathoms underwater.

Numerous types of water craft with this neat little skiff and

this sailboard being but 2 examples.

On the way to the pub we stopped for a quick look at

Wymondham Windmill before arriving at

The Wheel for a well earned brace of ciders.

A Cook's Tour of a Thriving Business

A quick visit to Janet's parents (John & Joyce) was capped by this beautiful Orchid.

The venison for dinner was excellent, complimented by a Chateau Montrose claret but the overnight rain persisted throughout the morning quashing any ideas of a wander around Parley Court Farm, and whoever quoted the saying "rain before 7, dry by 11" couldn't have been here today! After kicking my heels for almost a micro-second it was decided to join Hugh on his rounds of the farm and Eco Recycling Works, which is an integral part of the business, giving me a great opportunity to see a successful businessman at work.

First of all Hugh had to deliver the turf cutter to the 30 acre stretch that was about to be harvested, a drive of just over a mile half of which is along the main road from Hurn Airport, this being his very first go at handling this particular vehicle. He made it, ably assisted by the main driver his youngest son Gavin, after which we watched as cutting got underway.

2 cutters operating in tandem,

with the sods being manually stacked on pallets which the forklift stacks ready for transport.

The Gaffer oversees the operation.

We then moved on to the Eco Recycling Depot where most of Dorset's compostable waste ends up, along with thousands of tons of hardcore, demolition waste and all manner of timber. The processes that follow are truly amassing, with separation of the minerals being graded in huge piles of fine soil, sand, gravel, large stones and even boulders. The timber is similarly sorted with large amounts going to the chip-board industry, while the bulk is shipped to Germany to fuel power generation there.

Much of the raw material is transported in by East Dorset County Council. On this occasion (I guess just showing off for the camera) the exiting Waite's lorry, bound for Germany, clipped the Council waste vehicle knocking off a lump of metal.

Most of this wood will be bound for the Continent, while

this is likely to end up as 'chipboard'.

Vegetation awaits conversion into

compost, is then loaded into the 'mincer'


sieved and graded before bagging,

as soil is dealt with in a similar way.

A sculpture outside of the Manor House, commissioned to celebrate the 80th birthday of Theo, Mr Dampney senior.

The bride arrives for the reception at the Manor.

The 'metal detective' arrived mid-afternoon to show his latest find, a pistol thought to be of Victorian origin.

An ants nest uncovered on the Common during one of few bright spells during the day.

Regardless of the weather the Equestrians still practice tirelessly. This lady is from Finland.

and as the light was fading this Green Woodpecker landed

on the lawn right outside the lounge window, allowing me to approach within 8 feet - Wow!

Down On The Farm

At 10-00 this morning I embarked on my next mini adventure, visiting a series of friends around England, a couple of which have been neglected. The first port of call was Parley Court Farm (still in Dorset) which the Dampney family have worked for generations, and by my reckoning always worth a visit. The hub of the property is Parley Manor with its array of ancient outbuildings, while the main 'crop' these days is grass turf. In addition there is a selection of livestock, particularly horses, maize crop, a golf course, river fishing on the Stour, an Equestrian Center plus camp sites for the passing holiday trade.

There is ample opportunity here for bird watching as there are several acres of mixed woodland and scrub and within the property boundaries a small pocket of heathland, where this very day I saw a Dartford Warbler, fishing ponds and close by a sewerage works. Just before arrival, Janet (the lady of the house) had taken a tray of chocolate and Brazil nut brownies out of the oven, and Hugh was still butchering a Roe Deer, a haunch of which we are having for dinner this evening.

A couple of hours walk re-acquainted me with the lie of the land which I can share here with the readership.

Part of the 2 kilometer length of the River Stour that runs through the property, a little deplete of water at this time of year as it reaches the estuary near Christchurch.

There were a few Demoselles on the wing, all of them being females of which this is one. I think, as it has a bronze 'tail', it is a Beautiful Demoselle.

The same insect in a different light!

The Blackthorn bushes throughout are laden with Sloe Berries.

A couple of heifers, recent arrivals.

While this young Bull seemed determined to get itself photographed.

Interesting Ladybird, but I don't know which one.

This slightly 'battered Small Tortoiseshell may have lost an antenna but

more than makes up for it with its long proboscis.

I just have an idea these are Charolais Cows.

A Comma Butterfly.

The Manor across one of the many turf fields.

Watching the ground preparation in action is intriguing, here one of 4 compost spreaders, working in unison, sheds its load.

While this contraption adds a new dimension to multi-skilling.

The 3 functions include plough sheers, harrow and furrow press (roller to conserve moisture).

This 180 degree maneuver takes less than 30 seconds, and I thought if the Portland Bird Observatory ever wanted to buy Richard Newton a present for all his hard work,

this would be the ultimate.

Peace be with all our readers.