Blog :: Geograph Britain and Ireland

Blog Entries by Geograph Users

The Grantham Canal

11 days ago

The slight easing of the Covid-19 restrictions allowed a relief from a very routine daily round in the urban environment for getting essential exercise, with an opportunity to get out into the countryside. The early part of May 2020 has produced significantly fine weather. The canal towpath has been developed as a multi-user route and is a popular place - not too many at the time I was taking my walk. The walk gan be seen as a Geo-trip here Link

grantham canal multi-user route coronavirus-covid-19

Railways of Chasewater 1

20 days ago

As many of my fellow geographers know, Birmingham and the Midlands has a rich history of railways. Subsequent to their demise before/since Mr Beeching, many have now become fabulous oasis from the (once) fast pace of the city and of life in general. Fast forward to the present worldwide lockdown, and I chose to get some early morning exercise visiting the area north of Brownhills to search out such railway relics, whilst enjoying a short hour and a half's walk in the sunshine and with...

lnwr mr footpath circular walk short walk former railway track chasewater brownhills brownhills station a5 m6 toll

Ilkley to Eastby

1 months ago

Starting from the Old Packhorse Bridge in Ilkley, which coincides with the eastern end of the Dales Way proper. The route basically follows pastures beside or close to the River Wharfe to reach the village of Addingham. Once passed a caravan site, the long distance path follows pastures through wonderful scenery dominated by Beamsley Beacon to the east. On reaching the B6160 a path has been created in fields parallel to the road, to keep walkers safe from speeding traffic. After Bolton...

geo-trip walk

Half a season

1 months ago

My photo season begins in April and ends in October, when I can travel as far as possible in a day to make my map records and collect pre-Worboys signs. Luckily I did two such trips just before the clocks went forward, and means the road signs which I consider a priority as so many are gone if you wait a day too long, are up to date. Each year I list the next trips, using the map to see the next record I can get without being stranded in the middle of the night off the A1 in Lincs...

lockdown coronavirus local photos

Strath Halladale

1 months ago

You can see this trip plotted on a map on the Geo-trips page Link .

geo-trip walk

2019 summary

5 months ago

2019 was probably my busiest Geograph year. I reached 18th on personal points (I didn't aim to, I just went out most weeks), and went further in a day and back in Britain than I have in my whole life (although Brussels is the record). In fact it was because the Eurotunnel was on partial running through August as it was so hot and told passengers not to travel if possible I chose Yorkshire as an alternative. It was a good idea in principle, but I didn't allow long enough to get there as...

malvern filey rain mid-wales

One last look at the cooling towers

5 months ago

I was in Ironbridge back in the summer and whilst visiting some of the museums I took a couple of photographs of the cooling towers of the Ironbridge Power Station which ceased generating electricity in 2015. Knowing the towers were to be demolished during the coming winter I thought it would be good to return when the leaves have fallen thus hopefully getting a better view of them. I’ve been thinking over visiting in recent weeks but the dull and very wet weather of November had put me...

geo-trip walk

Circular walk by the River Beauly from Black Bridge

6 months ago

A circular walk beside the River Beauly above Lovat Bridge used to be possible by parking a car near Lovat Bridge at the entrance to the estate. The Laird has now closed the logical car parking area, and the walk now is best made by parking at Black Bridge. The full circle is over 9 km if one extends the route into the woodland that adjoins the Balblair Quarry. In fact the best part of the walk is the section in Balblair Wood. The route along the river is very quiet. I have been in the...

geo-trip walk

Confirmation of inaccessibility

8 months ago

A week-long holiday in Trefdraeth, I thought, might give me a fighting chance of picking up the two still-green squares of SN0442 and SN0543 on the coast just to the north of Newport Sands. It appeared from the maps that, steep as the access obviously was, it might just be possible to sneak into either of them from the south in each case. The first attempt was at SN0543. On the Tuesday afternoon, I took an illicit but quick bike ride along the coast path to scope things out, and...

Mission complete

9 months ago

My 13 year long Geograph mission was completed on the 24th of June 2019. It had stages, the first was compass records, going almost as far east as it's possible in Southwold Photo, the south coast in various places Photo Photo, north to Harrogate Photo and west/southwest to Exeter Photo. Exeter also completed the longest reasonable distance between two points, as living in a corner of the map in London can't equally travel north and south to get long...

myriads travel counties distance

Along the Clyde in central Glasgow

10 months ago

Having arrived too late to join the organised canal walk the day before the Geograph AGM in Glasgow, I had a short stroll across Photo and along Photo the River Clyde near my hotel in the Gorbals, past the Central Mosque Photo and the Roman-Catholic cathedral Photo and onto the Suspension Bridge Photo. Amongst the bridges is the Caledonian Railway Bridge Photo, where tracks begin to fan out towards Glasgow Central station Photo, which I...

geo-trip walk scotland glasgow river clyde

City squares in Glasgow Hillhead, Kelvingrove, Anderston, Blythswood, Gorbals

10 months ago

This is my walk back to the hotel after meeting other Geograph-ers at the Òran Mòr, a church-turned-foodie pub in the Hillhead area in northwest Glasgow. As my hotel was in the Gorbals, that gave me an opportunity to collect a few squares while walking back on the evening of the latest sunset of the year. I started by walking down Byres Road Photo to the remnants of the former Western Infirmary, where the erstwhile Tennant Memorial Institute of Ophthalmology Photo awaits...

geo-trip walk scotland glasgow anderston

Post-AGM exploration of Glasgow's Museums

10 months ago

This Geotrip describes a walk led by Richard Sutcliffe Link , who works at Glasgow Museums and gave us some insight into some of the museums the city has on offer and how they present and curate their collection. We started from the Gilbert Scott Building Photo, the main building of the University, where the Geograph AGM had taken place in the morning. After a look across town from the viewing point at the foot of the bell tower of the...

geo-trip walk geograph meet guided walk scotland glasgow kelvingrove museum

Geograph-ers exploring Glasgow's Merchant City

10 months ago

On the day after the Geograph AGM 2019 in Glasgow, a group of Geograph-ers met for a guided walk of the Merchant City. Our tour guide was local fellow member Richard Sutcliffe Link , who led us through the grid pattern of the area and explained some of its architectural features, occasionally referring back to Tony Lewis's talk at the AGM the day before. We started at George Square Photo, following down Buchanan Street to the arch at the...

geo-trip walk geograph meet guided walk scotland glasgow architecture merchant city

Exploring both sides of Hadrian's Wall near Vercovicium

11 months ago

This walk is a combination of a visit to the Housesteads Museum at the Roman fort of Vercovicium with a short exploration of the section of Hadrian's Wall surrounding it. Some of the mileage shown is simply moving fairly randomly amongst the ruins of the fort. The walk begins at the museum car park on the B6318. It is quite pricey but there are plenty of spaces, and there is an entrance fee which gives access to the museum and the fort. There is no need to worry about closing times at the...

geo-trip walk england cumbria hadrian's wall vercovicium housesteads roman britain whin sill

Siss Cross

12 months ago

Typical of the many crosses that are a feature of the North York Moors. Originally erected by the Saxons or Danes after their conversion to Christianity but most replaced over the years. Their purpose has been speculated as a waymarker, territorial boundary or a memorial but may have been re-used for all of these. Siss Cross is on Danby Low Moor close to the ancient trod running north from Danby to the coast. From my photo-diary for 14th May, 2019 see Link

out and about

Powder House, Belmont Ironstone Mine

12 months ago

The climb up Highcliff Nab from Hunter Hill Farm used to be one of my regular routes, but I rarely get that way much now, so I was surprised to see how much clear felling of Guisborough Wood has been done, with I guess more to follow. I remember this heavily reinforced concrete bunker being hidden by trees and almost buried. It was a powder house where the black powder or explosives for the Belmont Ironstone Mine were stored, well protected and well away from the mine entrance and other...

out and about

The Lake, Studley Park

12 months ago

John Aislabie first began to create the landscaped gardens of Studley Park around 1716 but it was only after he retired from Parliament under dubious circumstances that he was able to devote fully to the task. During his time as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Aislabie guided the bill through the House of Commons whereby the South Sea Company would take over the national debt in exchange for government bonds. But when the South Sea Company collapsed in 1720 it was found that Aislabie had...

out and about

The top section of the Tardebigge flight of locks, Worcester and Birmingham Canal

13 months ago

While in Birmingham for an Ex Cathedra concert at Bramall Hall in the University in the evening, we decided to use the afternoon to explore the locks at Tardebigge. We left the car on the roadside on the minor road leading past St Bartholomew's Church Photo and Tardebigge First School Photo. After passing the school and walking through the cemetery Photo, a grassy slope Photo leads down to the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. The canal is reached at the...

geo-trip walk worcestershire england worcester and birmingham canal locks tardebigge flight

Geograph's 14th birthday town walk in Gloucester

13 months ago

To celebrate Geograph's 14th birthday, a group of Geograph-ers followed Phillip Halling's call to come to Gloucester for lunch at the Fountain Inn, followed by a town walk. Phillip guided us around the cathedral precinct and the docks and treated us to his detailed and interesting commentary on all aspects of the city's history from Romans to mediaeval times to early industry. From the pub in Westgate Street Photo, we walked through College Court Photo to Cathedral Close...

geo-trip walk england gloucestershire gloucester geograph meet cathedral docks

Across Birmingham city centre

14 months ago

This is a walk traversing Birmingham's city centre from west to east and back. It starts from Hagley Road Premier Inn, where there is parking, presumbably intended for guests of the hotel and the nearby restaurants. After following the main road inbound for a while, we turned into Monument Road (noting a domed building with an interesting history, the Birmingham Oratory Photo) and across Chamberlain Gardens towards the Middleway, the main ring road around central Birmingham (much...

geo-trip walk birmingham west midlands england canal sightseeing

Day Return to Kyle of Lochalsh from Dingwall

15 months ago

The railway line from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh is famed for its beauty. Together with the more publicised “Harry Potter” line that includes the Glenfinnon viaduct on its way from Fort William to Mallaig, and the wilderness route to Fort William over Rannoch Moor, the majority of the passengers who use the lines are tourists out for the ride and experience. Each year my wife and I plan a winter journey from the Inverness area on one of the North Highland lines. The choice is...

geo-trip train ride

2018 summary

16 months ago

2018 was the busiest photographic year of my life. A new car actually compatible with motorways Photo (it's only a 1200 but size isn't everything) started me off breaking new records from the beginning of the year onwards. First my north record in Lincolnshire Photo , followed by my map distance record a month later in Exeter Photo . As I am in London Photo trying to beat that again north or west would require a lot further, towards the Lake District, as SW-NE...

counties devon yorkshire harrogate motorways

A small circuit into Cwm Rheidol from Pontarfynach/Devil's Bridge

20 months ago

A quick evening wander into the Rheidol gorge, starting from the centre of Pontarfynach/Devil's Bridge, where there is usually ample parking space by the side of the main road. After following the road in the direction of Aberystwyth up to the edge of the village, we took a gate to follow the path over grassland Photo to the edge of the gorge, just above the Vale of Rheidol trackbed. The path then follows along the edge of the wooded slope and alternates between grassland...

geo-trip walk wales ceredigion cwm rheidol

Scottish Hill Track 303 part 1 Glen Torridon to Coire Mhic Fhearchair

20 months ago

Scotways Hill Track 303 takes the popular walk from Glen Torridon between Beinn Eighe and Liathach as far as a col and then heads up behind Beinn Eighe before crossing trackless country to join a path along Glen Grudie that reaches Loch Maree at Bridge of Grudie. The 14 km walk is described in detail in the Scotways book, Scottish Hill Tracks. The first half of the walk is on excellent paths and a small spur takes you into Coire Mhic Fhearchair. Many take this route there and back to...

geo-trip walk

2020				3	2
2019		2	1	1	3	2	3	1	1		1	2
2018	1	1	1	1	9	1	3		2			1
2017		1	2	14	4		1	3		1
2016			1	1	1				1
2015		1	1	1	3	2	7	1		2	1	5
2014		1	1	1	4	1		5	3	1	1	2
2013	3	4	7	8	1	2	1	1		2
2012	5	12	9	10	7	8	9	4	3	3	3	2
2011	7	7	7	7	12	9	4	4	2	2	2	2
2010											4	9