CheltLitFest 2014 Part I

The Loughboro' Experience.

Friends Jean, Sue n Mo were down for the weekend and to experience the start of this years Lit Fest.

It began with The Great Outdoors 

What really goes on in the long grass? What lies beneath the mystery of the moor? Which butterflies can tell you how far it is to the pub? Writers Will Atkins (The Moor) and John Lewis-Stempel (Meadowland) and natural navigator Tristan Gooley (The Walker’s Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs) discuss the great outdoors and our relationship with it.

  Followed by Are We Too Tolerant Of Intolerance?

Should we tolerate beliefs and behaviour that we consider repressive? Journalist Abdul-Rehman Malik explores this conflict in today’s multicultural Britain with The Times journalist David Aaronovitch, Claire Fox, Director of the Institute of Ideas, Matthew Goodwin (Revolt on the Right) and award-winning comedian Shazia Mirza. This really set the debate going amongst Fest goers and raised some really tricky dilemmas! 

Onto the amazing new book from Ian McEwan - The Children Act

Ably assisted by Sir Alan Ward, the former Court of Appeal judge, who had inspired the novel.

An unexpected interruption occurred by McEwans estranged ex-wife as he promoted his controversial new book, it has been claimed.

McEwan was on stage discussing his novel when a woman stood up to shout about an injunction. The author was heard to mutter "it's my ex-wife" after the interruption. The couple went through a difficult divorce and custody battle in the 1990s, when an injunction was placed forbidding his ex-wife Penny Allen from speaking about the case.

Rounding the evening off with the ever dry, amusing Will Self promoting his new tome - Shark

The Fest was interspersed with trips out round n about including - 

Tewkesbury

The weather was unbelievably good to us. Walked through the town, down the canal tow path to the gardens

Tea at an amazing little tea shop packed to the gunwales with memorabilia

then onto the abbey and the search for the incredible Green (gold) Man

Highnam Court

Has to be one of the most interesting and well kept gardens in Gloucester, mentioned before in this blog.  Built in 1658 after the original house was seriously damaged in the Civil War. It is one of the few houses built during the Commonwealth period. The design of the houses is linked to Ernest Carter who was a pupil of Inigo Jones.

The Highnam Estate was bought in 1838 by Thomas Gambier Parry, who was an accomplished artist, musician and art collector. He is also responsible for the frescoes in Highnam Church. He started to layout his garden in 1840, and by 1874 it rivalled any in the UK. Unfortunately since the turn of the last century almost nothing had been done in the gardens. Consequently when the process of restoration started in 1994 the gardens were totally overgrown.

During the last 13 years, since Roger Head has been the owner, the gardens have been totally and lovingly restored to their former glory, with many new additions being made to compliment and enhance the original design.

The grounds contain Lakes, an Orangery and a collection of wood carvings that must be seen.

and again this year the autumn colours are amazing!

Floral Triptyche

Brockhampton Cottage

Created in 1999 by the owners and Tom Stuart-Smith, this scenic hilltop garden looks over miles of unspoilt countryside. On one side is a woodland garden and wild flower meadow, on the other a pear orchard and in valley below a lake, stream and arboretum containing a number of very active bee hives:

Grendon Court

Another contemporary garden designed by Tom Stuart-Smith containing a collection of mass-planted perennials and grasses of different heights, textures and colour give all year round interest. The upper walled garden with a sea of flowering grasses makes a highlight. There is also a pond and valley walk - concluding with a wonderful afternoon tea in the converted Tithe barn:

Brockworth Court

An informal tapestry style garden complementing the period Manor House which it surrounds. Organic, with distinct cottage-style planting areas, natural pond, which is home to moorhens, with a Monet bridge leading to small island with thatched Fiji house. Short paths lead to a country church, kitchen garden once cultivated by the monks and a historic tithe barn where, again, afternoon teas were served. There are views to Crickly and Coopers Hill - of cheese rolling fame. Within the garden are a number of artefacts including a repro warhorse.

Overall seems a pity that so much of the fruit, and an amount of the vegetables, grown in the area were rotting both on the ground and on the vine - I'm sure many a food bank would be grateful for the produce.

Signs of the onset of autumn were all around:

In the Steps of Lewis

Had an absorbing day in Oxford. Having previously done the dreaming spires this time we semi circumnavigated the river route. It was the day before Universities Open Day so loadsa potential students from all corners of the world meandering n lingering the open spaces. The more adventurous attempting punting the river with varying degrees of success :)

Exited through the botanical gardens, with the backdrop of Magdalene Collage Tower:

The gardens have an exceptional medicinal area, you realise how reliant we are on the extracts of these amazing, and often delicate, plants - and the price we might pay if the ecology suffered a major imbalance!

Ending with a pint of Fullers Pride and ambient jazz at Head of the River riverside pub used by Lewis and Hathaway to relax after a hard days policing - it is just round the corner from Thames Valley Police Station :)

Return to Vaux sur Mer

Just had a week in Vaux, nr St Palais, with good friends Dave n Sue who have made their home out there.

The walk into the village from Dave n Sues takes you through a well maintained local park. The village hall, host to the choir in which Sue sings, was also hosting a local quilt display:













Vaux has a small, intimate and picturesque beach. A wonderful short walk along the coast is the larger beach of St Palais - situated close to the town, catering for tourists and with great eateries. A little to the north of St Palais is big beach, a superb length of sandy beach with a gentle slope into the sea for safe swimming and catering for both textiles and naturists.












Also caught up with another 'Musical Thursday'. Romanesque churches of the Agglomeration Royan Atlantique welcome every Thursday evening in season, concerts which include internationally renowned artists and young talented musicians.The season offers a wide range of music for all tastes.The program combines architecture and music, with churches offering incredible acoustics. We caught the concert in L'Eguille sur Seudre at the Eglise St Martin. Performing were the Compass Trio of violin, alto violin and cello.

The week also included a trip to a local village fete with local groups delivering both traditional and pop music to the delight of the audience. Marilyn and I 'twisted the night away' with villagers, followed by a wonderful firework display.

and to cap the week off nicely Marilyn agreed to have another birthday :)

all will be explained in due course!