Wednesday 31 July 2013

Horstead is off the tourist trail, Horstead Mill, Horstead, England.

British countryside tranquility...

In a tranquil spot and over the river Bure are the remnants of what was once a thriving watermill. Nowadays of course, agricultural modernization has made mills such as this one at Horstead, 7 miles north-east of Norwich, somewhat redundant. Back in those bygone days though, there would be the frequent clip-clop of horses hoofs as carts would pull into the yard and dispense their cargo of crops into the mills for grinding into flour which then got transported onward by a specific type of barge known as a 'Wherry'. So, from about 1700 to the early 1900's the place was a hive of activity, seeing Britons through the agricultural revolution and into early mechanization.

Today, walking trails have been created alongside the river where those with enough patience can be seen doing a spot of fishing. Others bring their pets and a few brave souls jump off the old walls into the icy cold water below. This is not a touristy place, infact I doubt a tourist has been here in decades being only accessible by car and not necessarily publicized - And some would say "lets keep it that way".
 




































The mill in a bygones era CLICK HERE

Monday 15 July 2013

Slower, Lower over England, July 13th 2013

120 knots and 3000 feet, a nice change from those tin tubes flying on the edge of space at 400 odd knots such as I have been used to over recent months. Slower, and much lower offers a completely different perspective of flying - more to see, better photographic opportunities as the pictures below depict. Co-pilot Lee and Captain Dave, along with me in the back of course, are flying this single engine small light plane along the Suffolk coast to Felixstowe returning back to homebase at Seething airfield, Norfolk, England, about a 30 minute flight.

Co-pilot Lee

Fields of Norfolk

Just after take off

Bungay in Suffolk

Low clouds hugging the coastline

Somewhere near Woodbridge, Suffolk

Captain Dave

Passing a nuclear power station, sizewell



Press this button, the plane flies on its own!

Near Orford, Suffolk

Is this Tasheki's Castle

Felixstowe

The Docks at Felixstowe

Turning to fly up the river

Landguard Fort, Felixstowe



Flying up the Orwell River



The Old Ispwich Airport, now a housing estate

Downtown Ipswich

Ipswich Centre

"Where are we", asks Lee.

We are here Lee!


Nice flying!

Fasten Seat belts and trays upright

This plane is called a Sirrus 22

Home with co-pilot Lee and Captain Dave