Maspalomas – Gran Canaria

(many pigeons amongst the duck people)

It’s birthday time again and this year we flew off to Gran Canaria, exchanging Brit winter for some winter sun. 

 

 











Stayed in the south of the Island and can recommend Maspalomas to anyone who likes laid back hols in a well integrated community + helluva beach :)

 













We had free entertainment, of varying quality, at the local restaurant . An amazing young female saxophonist of real quality and a male guitarist who was OK instrumentally until he started singing (made amateur karaoke sound good!).

Also took in neighbouring Playa del Ingles:

Had a great tour round half the island with an amazing multi lingual guide who slipped effortlessly between many languages with ease. The trip included:

The picturesque village of Telde, once the capital of the gaunche:


 

The rum distillery at Arucas who still the excellent local delicacy – honey rum :-p

 









Many mountain passes and amazing volcanic vistas through Valleseco, Cruz de Tejeda, Ayacata and San Bartolome returning through the valley of Fataga:

Roque Nublo Gran Canary's landmark

A beach day to recover.

Then off to spend a day at Palmitos Park, similar to Tenerife, but much more natural. Incredibly well laid out with breeding progs for endangered species and fabulous shows of free flying tropical birds and birds of prey, butterflies and dolphin show (know the arguments but as they point out they’re in a very large pool that is free from pollution, killer trawler nets and predators).

Took the local bus – the Globus service is pretty reliable, modern air con and relatively cheap – to Las Palmas ( can recommend for those who fancy Blackpool without the tower type hols ;)

replica of the boat in which Chris Columbus sailed the ocean blue

 









Evening promenades caught lovely sunsets.

The penultimate day we took a day trip to the expansive market in the fishing village of Mogan, must have been 5-600 stalls but still plenty of room to move and delicious crepes :) 

Came back, with an excellent driver, over a narrow high coastal road, through Puerto Rico and Arguineguin, with amazing views over many coves and bays.

Chew Valley

Chew Valley Lake is a large man-made reservoir, completed in 1956, nestling in the foothills of the Mendips, ten miles south of Bristol. It was formed by the construction of a dam on the River Chew near Chew Stoke in the 1950's. The lake provides drinking water for nearby Bristol and the surrounding area.

The River Chew enters Chew Valley Lake via the Herriots Pool nature reserve at the shallow southern end of the lake and there is one main island called Denny Island.

The lake and its environs are now owned and managed by Bristol Water who have created an extensive wetland walk accessed from the cafe car park.

 

Lydney Docks

Must have passed the turn off to Lydney Docks a dozen times, either on my way to Taurus or Chepstow, but never hung a left in Lydney that takes you down to the docks.

 









Lydney has been a port from Roman times, though its docks and locks were not built until the early 19th century. Coal has been exported from Lydney since the 12th century, and local oak has been used for shipbuilding. Lydney Pill, where the River Lyd enters the River Severn estuary, was the last upstream port where sea-going vessels could unload.

 
 

By the 17th century, as a result of silting, Lydney became unfit for use. Navigational difficulties continued and Bullo Pill, some 14.5km upstream, began to challenge Lydney as the Forest of Dean’s port.





In 1810, the Severn & Wye Tramroad Company, which operated 48km of tramway in the Forest of Dean, obtained a Parliamentary Act for constructing a basin, canal and outer harbour at Lydney to accommodate larger barges. Two bridges were built during the 1810-13 works — a curved stone bridge over the upper basin and a timber swing bridge at the west end of the lower basin. Both are now Grade II listed structures, though the swing bridge no longer moves.

In 1821, increasing trade enabled a tidal basin and an outer lock to be added, allowing in ships up to 406 tonnes. The 1810 stop gates were removed and a new outer lock, operated by hand winch, was installed. Three quays and a horse-drawn tramway were also built along the whole length of the dock system. The western end of the works connected to Pidcock's Canal, built in 1790, which extended 2.4km further north and was used by local forges for transporting iron.

In 1825, the north pier was extended to facilitate navigation into the basin. Lydney became the principal sea outlet for coal mined in the Forest of Dean. At their peak, the docks handled up to 406,400 tonnes of coal annually. Banks of coal sidings ran along the docks, serving nine coaling stages.

In 1894, ownership of the docks passed jointly to the Great Western Railway and the Midland Railway. In 1948, after nationalisation of the railways, they were owned by the British Transport Commission and eventually the British Transport Docks Board. With the cessation of mining in the Forest of Dean from the 1920s, the coal trade dwindled at Lydney and ceased in 1960. The docks continued to operate until 1976, receiving shipments of African hardwoods from Avonmouth, which were used at the nearby Pine End factory to manufacture military aircraft and plywood.

On 22nd August 1980, Severn Trent Water Authority purchased the docks to develop the area for mooring and as a public amenity. The structures, building and docks at the lower end were designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

In 1989, ownership was transferred to the National Rivers Authority, now incorporated into the Environment Agency. In 1998, the Lydney Docks Partnership was formed to create a sustainable future for the dock area.Refurbishing Lydney Docks began in May 2002. Large quantities of silt were removed and the outer lock gates, sealed since 1976, were opened. In 2003, a £1.9 million scheme for a Lydney Docks re-opened on 23rd July 2005.