The star of this post is a beetle I spotted watching the Nar Outfall from a very precarious perch at the apex of a concrete wall overlooking the Nar Outfall. There are three pictures of the beetle.
This is a whimsical little post from this morning’s walk.
A BONUS FIND
I was on the bridge over the Nar Outfall, with the Great Ouse, which the Nar joins, about 20 yards away. My attention was principally directed at the structure I have dubbed ‘Cormorant platform’ because those birds make such frequent use of it. One such was on the platform and in full display mode (these pictures will feature in my next post). While I was photographing this bird my eye was caught by something on the very apex of the concrete wall that protects pedestrians on the bridge from falling into the Nar Outfall. Closer inspection confirmed that it was a beetle, enjoying the sun and apparently the view of the water from its somewhat precarious perch.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Here are the pictures I took of the beetle.
The first shotA second improved pictureThe third and final picture. This picture and its immediate predecessor convinced me when I edited them that the grooved carapace which I had originally though to be black was actually a very dark green.
Details of my stewarding commitment for this year’s Heritage Open Day (Sunday 14th September). A picture gallery from today at work.
This post, with a gallery from today at work, is going to be a brief one.
HERITAGE OPEN DAY 2025
King’s Lynn has its annual Heritage Open Day on the second Sunday in September. On this day various interesting buildings are opened for public viewing. This year that second Sunday is the latest possible date – the 14th. In order to ensure that the day runs smoothly stewards are required at the various buildings. Stewards will tell you about the history of the building, will monitor numbers, and at some of the busier and/or more problematic sites will engage in a measure of crowd control. I have been one of the stewards for some years now, and of course made myself available again this year. I have recently found out where and when I will be stewarding. For stewarding purposes the day is divided into thirds – 10AM to Noon, Noon to 2Pm and 2PM to 4PM. I will be stewarding at the Bank House Hotel, whose chief attraction is a remarkable cellar system, dating back to times when rather more goods arrived in and departed from King’s Lynn than the King’s customs guys ever knew about, between noon and 2PM. I am delighted to have been given this venue.
PICTURES
The majority of these were scans. Unlike on Tuesday, when I told you which was which, I leave it to you to see if you can tell…
Lot 150 (four images total). These are high value because they are mint. Although they are quite hard to tell apart each is a slightly different colour.
A detailed account of a long walk I took this morning, with plenty of photographs, Also a gallery of photos not related to that walk.
This morning it was bright, sunny and already showing promise of becoming the warm day it now is. I thus decided to make my morning walk a long one.
SETTING FORTH
I left by the back door, headed up the unnamed private road that runs behind my house, crossed Raby Avenue onto Smith Avenue, walked along that road to the point at which it swings 90 degrees and becomes Townshend Terrace, at which point I diverged by way of a short path that leads alongside a pond to Loke Road. Crossing Loke Road I then took Harefield Parade, alongside a second pond, this one with a curved edge. From the end of Harefield Parade I followed a footpath that leads into Kettlewell Lane Park. I left the path in Kettlewell Lane in order to walk alongside some bushes that often harbour insect life. There was one such sighting today. Then I walked along the bank of the Gaywood River until it was time to leave Kettlewell Lane Park and cross the main road at Eastgate Bridge. Having crossed the main road I took Highgate, past the Methodist Chapel, continuing until I reached the footpath that crosses the Gaywood and ultimately brings one out on Wyatt Street. I crossed Wyatt Street to another footpath section which runs alongside Eastgate Academy, joining Blackfriars Road about 100 yards from the train station. I made my way past the train station and into The Walks…
A bee in my back garden.This I think is a supergiant hoverfly – it was on a nettle leaf in Kettlewell Lane ParkThis was alongside the Gaywood River.
THE WALKS TO THE GREAT OUSE
Entering The Walks I headed on to St John’s Walk, which if you follow it all the way leads through past the Recreation Field to Tennyson Avenue, though on this occasion I followed it only as far as the sculpted sections of the Gaywood river the flow through this area of parkland. Shunning paths I walked right alongside the river, where there is a lot of plant life, and sometimes interesting insects. I left the river where my route intersected with the Broad Walk (which runs from directly opposite King’s Lynn library through to the home of King’s Lynn Town football club). I took the Broadwalk through the Guanock Gate and across the Gaywood, before then following a path that cuts through to a bigger path, which leads to the Seven Sisters Gate, by which I left the parkland. I followed the road until I reached a path that leads through to London Road, emerging near a light controlled crossing from which the South Gate is visible. I crossed London Road here and walked down past the South Gate, then swinging right, crossing the Nar, and leaving the road at a path that leads into Harding’s Pits. The path that I had chosen cuts another path that I might have chosen about halfway along its length, and I followed this path from the intersection to the Great Ouse…
ALONG THE GREAT OUSE TO PURFLEET QUAY
I now turned north along the Great Ouse, following the footpath until it joined the road at the Nar Outfall, and then after crossing the Nar I took the unsurfaced footpath that follows the dike around old Boal Quay and then on level ground runs alongside the wall that is part of King’s Lynn’s flood defences, coming out close to the river. I followed the town centre section of the river front past the pontoon jetty, at which several boats were moored, past the courthouse, past the Bank House hotel and across the mouth of the Purfleet, from where one gets a splendid view of the Custom House. I went via the display honouring famous mariners associated in some way with the town and the statue of Captain George Vancouver, who surveyed and charted the Pacific Northwest coast all the way from San Diego, California to Anchorage, Alaska (it took him four years – 1791-5 – to complete this monumental task, and in Canada there is a city named Vancouver). From Purfleet on, though I made one diversion, I was at all times headed towards home…
A composite image showing both the statue of Captain Vancouver and the plaque affixed to the stone plinth on which the statue is mounted.
HOMEWARD BOUND
I walked along Purfleet Quay past the Custom House, crossed King Street and headed along New Conduit Street, past the junction with the High Street, past the statue of King John (unworthy of my camera) and past the construction on the old Argos site that will be King’s Lynn’s new library and community hub when it is complete, then up past the old post office and St James’ Leisure Centre, and in to The Walks, and up past the station, at which point I diverted by way of Morrison’s where I had a small amount of shopping to do. The shopping attended to I left the environs of Morrison’s by way of a short footpath that leads from the carpark through to Highgate. From the point at which I met the footpath by which I left Highgate on my out my route duplicated the outbound route in reverse as far as Loke Road, at which point I headed along Loke Road, across Raby Avenue and on to Columbia Way, ultimately returning to my home via the front door.
Coming along nicely.A solid looking insect, with an overripe blackberry in the top left corner giving it scale.A close up of the insect.I think this is a gatekeeper butterfly.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Just to wrap things up here is gallery of photos not from this particular walk…
This grasshopper was resting in a flower no more than 60 metres from King’s Lynn train station.
An account of the Norfolk Symphony Orchestra’s first ever relaxed concert, which took place yesterday at The Corn Exchange, King’s Lynn. Also a photo gallery.
This is the first of two posts I will be putting up today. The second will complete the story of the test match at Edgbaston, which ended yesterday evening. This one looks back at a special event that took place yesterday afternoon.
A NEW DEPARTURE
The Norfolk Symphony Orchestra staged a relaxed concert, the first such that they have done, at the Corn Exchange in King’s Lynn yesterday afternoon. The seating was loosely arranged on an open floor and at the same level as the orchestra. There were no hard and fast rules to adhere to, though there a request was made of people that they not go in among the orchestra as doing would so would disrupt the concentration of the players. The West Norfolk Autism Group had been allocated seats (tickets free of charge), and I was one of those who attended. The concert was scheduled to start at 2:30, and we were advised to arrive early. I was actually the first of the attendees to arrive, getting to the Corn Exchange pretty much on the dot of two o’clock. The performance lasted a little more than an hour.
THE MUSIC
Just before the performance was due to start we were given sheets listing the music – 13 pieces were named in total, and the sheet made it clear that not all would be played.
This image is of an a4 printed sheet which has the official Norfolk Symphony Orchestra header, below which appears “Welcome to our relaxed concert today we hope you enjoy it. We will be some playing music from the following list The pieces will be introduced as we go along so you know what we are playing
Brahms – St Anthony Chorale Variations Pachelbel – Canon Wiseman – Wilde Suite Nyman – Time Lapse Daft Punk – Adagio for Tron Faure – Sicilienne Arthur Benjamin – Jamaican Rumba Ernest Bucalossi – Grasshopper Dance Tchaikovsky – Sleeping Beauty Waltz Vaughan-Williams – Greensleeves Mozart – Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Elgar – Salut D’Amour Rachmaninoff – Vocalise”
The first two pieces actually played were the Brahms and the Elgar. They were followed by three film pieces by Wiseman, Nyman and Daft Punk. Debbie Wiseman was voted the world’s best living composer in 2022, and the Wilde Suite provided some indication of why. The performance then finished with three dance pieces, the Jamaican Rumba, the Grasshopper Dance and the Sleeping Beauty Waltz. All were excellent and all were very well performed. I thoroughly enjoyed this event and look forward to the next one. My only mild regret is that the Pachelbel piece did not make the cut.
An account of my involvement in an ‘Unhappy birthday, Elon’ event yesterday, complete with photos.
Yesterday was Elon Musk’s birthday, and activities had been organized in various places to make it an unhappy one for him. I took part in the event in London, outside the Tesla dealership in Park Royal.
THERE AND BACK
I caught the 7:42 train from King’s Lynn to London King’s Cross. I had been speculating over the possibility of travelling on the Metropolitan line to Rayner’s Lane and then going back down the Piccadilly line to Park Royal, but an announcement to the effect that the Metropolitan was experiencing delays saw me change plans and go the direct route along the Piccadilly. I arrived early, and did my best to assist with the setup. I did not stay hugely long, and was back home in time to catch most of the T20I between the England and India women’s teams. Most of the time I was there was spent with a sign urging passing motorists to “HONK IF YOU HATE ELON” – and quite a few did so.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Here are my photographs starting at King’s Lynn Station and ending with a distant view of Ely Cathedral on the return train journey…
This arch is part of the remnants of a viaduct that carried what is now the Hammersmith and City line by way of a station named Hammersmith Grove Road to Ravenscourt Park for the run to Richmond. Part of the displayA giant ‘unhappy birthday card’The Tesla sign and a protest sign in the same shot.I was delighted to get this picture of the name ‘Covent Garden’ picked out in tiling.
An account in three parts of the return journey from the far west of Scotland to my home in eastern England,, by way of a conclusion to my series about my holiday around my 50th birthday.
Welcome to the final instalment in my series about my holiday in the far west of Scotland around my 50th birthday. The previous post dealt with the birthday meal, which was the last significant event of the holiday itself. This post looks at the journey home.
ACHNOSNICH TO CRIANLARICH
To combat the perils of Sunday travelling (necessitated by my birthday itself falling on a Saturday this year) I had limited the train part of my journey to Crianlarich, a junction station where the routes from Oban and Mallaig meet on their way into Glasgow, although I could have got significantly closer to the Ardnamurchan Peninsula had I trusted the Mallaig branch to be running. Thus for the first part of the journey I would be travelling in my parents car, sharing the back seat with my bags. We had decided that we should aim to be away by 9AM, to ensure getting to Crianlarich in good time. I did not have a booked seat on either this train or the connecting service from Glasgow to Edinburgh, but I did have a booked seat on the train from Edinburgh to Peterborough, and to make that I had to make both previous trains. We had a smooth journey to Crianlarich, though the sight of a crowd of people outside the station caused a bit of worry. It turned out that they were waiting for a replacement bus as a train heading towards Oban had malfunctioned and had to be pulled from service. There was thankfully no hint of trouble affecting services heading into Glasgow. Because of the role Crianlarich plays in this section of the railway the arrival of the service coming in from Oban did not end the wait – we still had to wait for the service from Mallaig to arrive and be coupled to the other for the onward run to Glasgow.
Here are my photos from Achosnich up to and including the platform at Crianlarich Station…
CRIANLARICH TO EDINBURGH
The run from Crianlarich to Glasgow was smooth but left me only a few minutes to make the change of trains at Glasgow Queen Street. The run on to Edinburgh was also smooth, and at Edinburgh Waverley I had the luxury of time. Owing to the station cafe at Crianlarich being closed and there being no other opportunities en route it was not until Waverley, around about 4:30PM, that I had the opportunity to get food. Safely ensconced in my booked seat for the long, though fast, run to Peterborough, and thus knowing that I would be home that night, I phoned my parents to let them know that all was going to be OK.
Here are my photographs for this section of the journey:
EDINBURGH TO HOME
The Edinburgh to Peterborough run was smooth, though a trifle crowded. Just south of York I visited the buffet car for further sustenance. Owing to the fact that Sunday night train and bus services overlapped very poorly I was making the journey on from Peterborough by train on this occasion, which meant a change at Ely. Fortunately there were no issues at any stage, and it would have been about 11:15PM, somewhat more than 14 hours after setting off from Achosnich, that I got back to my home in North Lynn (the train to Lynn arrived there at about 10:50, but when tired and carrying holiday baggage the walk from the station to North Lynn is not as insignificant as I generally consider it).
An account of a problematic start to this year’s Scottish holdiay, courtesy of LNER. Also a photo gallery of pictures all taken at various stages of the journey.
I am now ensconced in a tiny hamlet named Achosnich in the far west of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, which is itself the westernmost past of mainland Britain, where I and my parents are having a holiday around my 50th birthday. The day itself is Saturday, for which I have already scheduled a small post which will come out as near as can be scheduled precisely 50 years after my birth. This post would normally have been entitled ‘Getting There’, but as will become clear this process has been somewhat less straightforward than it should have been.
THE BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN…
Up until about 11:30AM yesterday, for all that the day of my birthday had meant a Sunday to Sunday holiday booking and thus travel and the most unreliable day for using public transport, I was feeling pleased with how things were progressing. I had booked from Peterborough to Crianlarich, the closest place to our final destination that I could sensibly book to, and to guard against choppy waters in respect of the opening leg of the journey had opted for the safe option of the 9:25 bus from Lynn to Peterborough, rather than the 10:25 which would have had to run very late to get me in trouble, or to not run altogether. A clear run on the bus saw at Peterborough Station with comfortably over an hour until the train on which I was booked was due, so I purchased some light refreshments and killed time in the station cafeteria, before checking the departure information screen, still with masses of time to spare…
…GANG AFT AGLEY
…it was that look at the departure information screen that blew my travel plans sky high. There in big red lettering against the 12:18 to Edinburgh Waverley was the dread word “CANCELLED”, along with a perfunctory line about a faulty train. Fortunately my parents were not by the point irretrievably committed, and we were able to arrange for me to get the 13:18 to Edinburgh, on which I had established that my ticket would still be valid, since the cancellation was entirely the fault of LNER, and they would pick me up there and we would go together in their car to be a place they had booked that was between Edinburgh and our final destination. There were a few problems around Edinburgh, but we got to where we were staying overnight in time for latish supper. The journey to Edinburgh, save for it being a crowded train (Sunday is a light travelling day, but a combination of a cancelled train and the fact that Sunderland had won a play off final and with it promotion to the Premiership on the Saturday meant that space was at a premium) to the extent that I did not get a seat until Newark Northgate. However, by the time of the stretch between York and Edinburgh, which is where all the scenic stuff is I was not merely seated, I was in a window seat, albeit facing against the direction of travel.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Here is my photo gallery…
One of the reasons I quite like starting journeys to a holiday destination with the bus trip to Peterborough is that the crossing of the Great Ouse feels like the beginning of the holiday, since save for WNAG committee meetings pretty much all my daily life happens east of that river.After that the only place on the way to Peterborough that really offers photo ops is Wisbech, self styled “Capital of the Fenlands”.PeterboroughYork stationThis page and others like it come from a book that was one of the purchases I made with my birthday present from my friends at WNAGDarlington, the joint oldest passenger station in the world (the Stockton and Darlington route carried its first passengers in 1825, before when railways had been freight only).Durham is dominated by two massive buildings, this one……and this one.Newcastle is a city of bridges.A distant shot of a tram near Newcastle.A close crop showing only the tram and immediate surround.This is the town served by Alnmouth station, though the station itself is a tiny bit inland from the town.This long viaduct is in Berwick Upon Tweed, and it links England and Scotland.The Tweed will never rival the Tyne for bridges, but these are quite impressive.Is it possible to shoot a moving target when you yourself are in motion (and at some speed)? Yes, and this is defintive proof (but successes like this are rare).This is the clock at Edinburgh Waverley station.This establishment (see also previous picture) is directly opposite the Market Street exit from Waverley Station.From here on in the pictures were all taken from the back seat (non-drivers side) of my parents car.
A look at developments on days two and three of this round of County Championship fixtures and a two part photo gallery.
Today is day three in the current round of championship fixtures. None of the matches have ended as yet. This post looks mainly at Surrey v Hampshire.
SIBLEY THE STAYER
Surrey are in pretty much total against Hampshire. Hampshire won the toss on Friday and opted to bowl first. Surrey reached 253, just enough for a batting bonus point. Dominic Sibley carried his bat for Surrey, scoring exactly 100 not out. Brad Wheal had 4-65, while overseas signing Brett Hampton was somewhat flattered by a return of 1-46 from 14 overs. Hampshire in reply reached 219, giving Surrey a lead of 34. It took a bit of a tail wag for them to even limit the lead to 34. Daniel Worrall and Jordan Clark took three wickets a piece for Surrey, and Lawrence, the part time spinner, nipped in at the end with 2-7 from 4.2 overs. Surrey have taken total control of proceedings in their second innings. They are currently 255-2. Sibley, still unbudgeable, is 102 not out, with Jamie Smith is 62 not out, and Ollie Pope contributed a fluent 65 to proceedings. It sums up the value of overseas signing Hampton that in an innings that is now into its 78th over he has been called upon to bowl a mere six of those overs, from which he has conceded 28 runs. Incidentally in the process of reaching his second ton of this match Sibley has ensured that his career FC average will be above 40 at the end of it. Sibley has finally gone for 105, caught by Baker off Dawson. In total across the two innings it has taken Hampshire 440 balls to find a way through him (217 without dismissal in the first jnnings, 223 in the second). Smith is really motoring now, and Hampton continues to demonstrate his inadequacy as an overseas player. Surrey are 274-3 in the 81st over, and Hampton, in his eighth over of the innings, has 0-41.
ELSEWHERE
Somerset are struggling against Sussex, though as against Warwickshire last week Sussex are showing a distinct lack of enterprise, which may yet save S0merset.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Today the gallery comes in two parts. Yesterday morning I travelled to Norwich, intending to take part in a Take Down Tesla activity at the Tesla dealership on Mile Cross Lane and then visit the Millennium Library on my way home. Unfortunately I failed to locate Mile Cross Lane, and eventually have up in despair (I have subsequently been in email contact with the organizer to explain what happened, and we have had a very civilized exchange). I did get to the library, and having carefully ensured that I had no books out on loan I was able to take out a large number – the Millennium library is of course far better stocked than any other in Norfolk. The first part of the gallery shows the pictures I took during the Norwich part of the day…
The second part of the gallery is one of my regular type galleries…
The Guildhall of St George, now into its seventh century.
A (largely photographic) look at the newly emerging insect life of spring 2025.
As we move deeper into spring in the northern hemisphere the insects are starting to appear in numbers (other than the butterflies, where my sightings count remains stuck at two so far for 2025). The photo gallery at the end of this post thus features a preponderance of insects.
HOW TO FIND INSECTS
A lot of this can be explained by reproducing an old line which works well in this context: “seek and ye shall find”.
I do lots of walking, and where I go my camera goes. I have also learned through experience to recognize likely places to spot insect life.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
The woods near Kettlewell Lane, where this picture among others in this gallery was taken can be relied on for insect lift.St Peter’s Garden, attached to the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Fakenham is another good location – this pic and the next five were taken there after work yesterday.The next five pictures including this one demonstrate that although it follows a very major road all the way the route from the hospital (where I alighted from the bus home from work) to Gaywood is not devoid of insect life.The gorse bushes where this ladybird was basking are near the King’s Lynn branch of Morrison’s.The last insects in this post come from the same place as the first – the woods near Kettlewell Lane.
An account of my involvement in the first Tesla Takedown event, outside the dealership at Park Royal, London. Features a special section on the magnificent Park Royal station.
Yesterday saw the first Tesla Takedown event take place outside the Tesla dealership at Park Royal in west London. I was one of the participants, and this post describes my day.
PREPARATION AND TRAVEL
The event was scheduled to start at 11AM, which necessitated catching the 7:42 ntrain from King’s Lynn and then changing to the Piccadilly line at King’s Cross. I had agreed to meet my sister at King’s Lynn station for the oublic transport element of the journey. Given the importance of making that train I planned to leave my house in North Lynn at 7AM to be absolutely sure that there was no possibility of missing it. The journey to King’s Cross was smooth, and the weather was so benign that had I been religiousI might have reckoned thAt someone up there was on our side and ipso facto opposed to Elon the Execrable. It prpved to be just as well that we had lots of time for the cross London journey on the Piccadilly lin, as this part of the journey saw us delayed. Ironically the problem area was what is usually the quickest portion of a journey onn the Piccadilly line, the non-stop run from Hammersmith to Acton Town (the District line has intermediate stops at Ravenscourt Park, Stamford Brook, Turnham Green and Chiswick Park, in a reversal of the situation between Baker Street and Wembley Park, where save for a stop at Finchley Road the Metroplitan line runs fast, while the Jubilee line stops everywhere). We had just past Turnham Green when the train stopped, and we were then told after a substantial pause that it would move forward before stopping suddenly and then rpoceeding slowly. There was then another unscheduled stoo before Acton Town, followed by precisely the same rigmarole, which was then followed by an announcement that the train would now terminate at South Harrow rather than going on to Rayners Lane. The last few stops of our journey passed without further incident. Park Royal is such a fine station that I am giving it a sectionof its own later in the post. Before moving on, here are the pictures taken between King’s Lynn and just before arrival at Park Roya…
I haven’t seen many churches with solar panels on the roof.
TAKING DOWN TESLA
The Tesla dealership is actually visible as you step out of Park Royal station, and it is located just off the A40 (the main road between London and Oxford – the Oxford Tube bus service was in evidence – four Oxford bound buses passed on our side, and although I did not observe them all probably as many coming into London came the other way. We garnered plenty of support from passing motorists. The principal organizer was asked to take down his handmade banner because it featured a swastika (no one actually seeing it could have interpreted it as supporting that ideology, and it features in the photo gallery at the end of this section, but apparently some drivers had seen the symbol and looked no further before contacting the police. The police were very friendly about it, and the banner was taken down. I spoke to a couple of media people who were covering the event for their publications. I left a little early, feeling the need to get home…
A version of the official publicity shot using the Tesla sign as background taken with my camera. I am in the red top, holding a placard made by my sister.
PARK ROYAL STATION
I noticed a number of very distinctive elements about Park Royal Station, including an ornamental tower that sits on top of a circular ticket hall, and a covered walkway which links Platform two (eastbound, towards central London) to the rest of the station. At the top of the tower are roundels on three sides with a concrete ‘shadow roundel’ on the fourth side. I have included on ‘rogue’ picture in this section, a picture of a ‘Middlesex shield’ which is not actually anything to do with the station but cannot be put anywhere else in this post. Enjoy this splendid example of station architecture…
A view of the platforms from the street.A close up of the tower roundel.A map showing times to each station on the Piccadilly line.
HOMEWARD BOUND
As suggested by the last pictures in the Park Royal gallery the Piccadilly line was srill not back on peak form by the time I was heading back. I did consider heading for Hanger Lane on the Central line, but although it is marked as walkable signage outside Park Royal station is non-existent, and so in the end I settled for Park Royal. By the time an eastbound train arrived it was jam packed, and I alighted at Ealing Common, where there was the possibility of a District line train (and change to the Hammersmith & City at Hammersmith), but in the event the next eastbound train was another Piccadilly line service, and had lots of space on it. I got to King’s Cross with a fair wait until the next train to King’s Lynn, and ate the sandwiches I had prepared in the morning while waiting for the train. The journey back to King’s Lynn was uneventful. Here are my remaining photos from the public transport part of the journey…
Another variation on the roundel theme – here there is a roundel shape in the glass, but it has not been coloured.A bronze statue of one of the greats of locomotive engineering, Nigel Gresley.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Of course I have been taking my usual kind of photographs as well…
aspiblog 