The Devil's Punchbowl

Sunday morning and we're at The Devils Punch Bowl near Hindhead in Surry - a favourite walk of George's sister and her husband but a new discovery for us ...

(forgot to pick up my camera before leaving so these pictures are taken with an iPhone which is not brilliant for detail but hopefully you'll get my drift)

As we leave the car park there are fantastic views across the natural amphitheater around which traffic has travelled for as long as there has been a harbour at Portsmouth since this area is situated half way between there and London.

The road (A3) has been here for over 200 years from the early 18th century when Parliament allowed companies (Turnpike Trusts) to maintain roads and charge tolls. Over the years as vehicles and traffic became heavier it was necessary to re-rout the road to a lower path to prevent horses from becoming too exhausted and this road continued until 2011 (1 north-bound and 2 south-bound lanes of heavy traffic) when the A3 Hindhead Tunnel was built to relieve the pressure from the local villages.  The area is now owned and maintained by the National Trust.

The

Hindhead

Tunnel

is 65m (213 feet)

below this point

More far reaching views with a bit of sunshine in the distance

The Hampshire Chronicle, dated 2 October 1786, reads: Sunday last a shocking murder was committed by three sailors, on one of their companions, a seaman also, between Godalming --- They nearly severed his head from his body, stripped him quite naked, and threw him into a valley, where he was providentially discovered, soon after the perpetration of the horrid crime, by some countrymen corning over Hind Head, who immediately gave the alarm, when the desperadoes were instantly pursued, and overtaken at the house of Mr. Adams, the Sun, at Rake. They were properly secured, and are since lodged in gaol, to take their trials at the next assizes for the county of Surrey. Six months later they were tried at Kingston assizes and two days after that, on Saturday 7 April 1787, they were hanged in chains on a triple gibbet close to the scene of the crime in Hindhead

The Celtic Cross stand where the three men found guilty of the sailor's murder where condemned to death by Gibbeting.

Nearby stands The Ordnance Survey Triangulation Point now part of their GPS network the level of the bench mark being 894 feet above sea level

From the trig point here we're looking north-east towards the City of London 38 miles away and if your eyesight is really good, or click on the photo to enlarge it, you will be able to make out in the centre of the horizon, the Gherkin, Cheese Grater etc in the city's financial district.

 Even though the day was overcast with a strong cold wind the walks were very popular and with such amazing views it wasn't hard to see why.

Out and About ..... Guess where?

We returned the hire car on Wednesday after spending the weekend in Jaq's company installing a radio for her and inviting her back to Still Rockin' for a break from her own company on nb Valerie.

 

The pictures above should tell most boaters where we were!

 Friday was another bright but cold day spent where?

We thoroughly enjoyed the weekend in the company of George's sister and her husband at .... ??

We've been here many times but not by car before, it was most strange to pass one of our very favourite moorings and not see our own boat there.

Sunset and Doris over the Thames

Well, February so far has been the usual mixture of weather 

A glorious sunset last Friday after a lovely day with clear blue skies

Storm Doris has hit the UK and the gusting 80km/h winds are coming directly into the stern of Still Rockin'.  Of course it would be much worse if it was hitting us broadside!

We still have some blue sky though with those scudding clouds 

Here at Hambleden (nr Henley on Thames) we look as if we shall get off lightly!

48 years

I'm  a bit behind on my posts at the moment, we've been busy, busy!

This is George and I with our families 48 years ago (14th February, 1969).

Of course that demanded a celebration so we booked a table at the Dog and Badger ~ a bit extravagant but worth it just this once.

 The D&G wine cellar  ~ that's our 75cl bottle of wine on our table and the bottle in the cellar is I think the waitress said is 5 litres, how anyone managed to lift and pour from the bottle is beyond me! Perhaps it was placed in on the floor with lots of drinking straws in it!

 A nice touch from the restaurant at the end of our meal.

... and a beautiful bouquet from my lovely hubby.

So that's who it is!

I thought it was a cheeky Chafinch chucking all the seeds from the feeder onto the floor, but now I know better!

 It's this bird which will feed from the feeder and from the ground

 The Greater Spotted Woodpecker is still a regular visitor

 Goldfinches washing in the now very low stream which runs into the River Thames just behind Still Rockin'

 The UK's favourite bird!

The Nuthatch picking up the seeds he's thrown about!

 He's a very pretty bird!

 A Wood Pigeon looking over his territory

And he's back again!