Architecture-Churches-Houses

Our fifth day on this beautiful Island takes us a just few miles south of Sóller to the village of Deia, still on this Western coast. This beautiful mountain village is just a few miles from the sea. "The small coastal village of Deià, on the northwest coast of Mallorca, is one of the prettiest villages on the island. Perched in a ravine at the foot of the Teix mountain, with views out to the Mediterranean below. Deià has long been a magnet for famous artists, writers and other creative people – most notably the writer Robert Graves. Acclaimed author Helen Walsh’s 2014 book The Lemon Grove was inspired by, and set in, the ruggedly seductive setting of Deià." Enjoy full size.

The Wonders of Mallorca: Deia – Son Marroig This wonderful structure belongs to what is now the museum and grounds of ‘Son Marroig’, a beautiful 19th century manor that was owned by the Austrian Habsburgs. It was an emblematic possession in Deia where Archduke Ludwig Salvator lived. From here a wonderful garden path leads us to a trail down to the sea far below where more wonderful views and a fabulous little restaurant awaits. See PiPs for more view in and out. HFF, enjoy your weekend in safety.

A look at this old station that was built in 1883 on the Whitby, Redcar and Middlesbrough Union Railway between Loftus and Whitby. In 1911 it also served the nearby village of Goldsbrough as part of the North Eastern Railway. This station, along with the line itself, was closed in 1858 due to the high costs of maintenance on the tunnels and bridges and is now used by scouting and outward bound groups. The first and 2nd PiP show the Kettleness Railway tunnel just to the south of here. At 250m long with a gentle curve it is now almost completely hidden. Until recently an exciting walk was had for those not afraid of the dark and crumbling brickwork. The third PiP, is a mile or so up the line (now a path for walkers and cyclist) towards Runswick Bay and shows a memorial piece of work depicting scenes from the railway and local area, a topic often undertaken with help of local school children. A wonderful video exist to accompany these photos: www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4oQayjm5F8 Full size viewing essential.

Our sixth day on this Island takes us back into the mountains to this fine monastery. Here we see the inside, almost ready for prayer and mass. “Every year thousands of locals as well as tourists flock to the pilgrimage site of Lluc to worship the statue of the Black Madonna in the 17th basilica of the Santuari de Lluc. The religious and spiritual site is the most important holy site on Mallorca. It is located in a basin at a height of 525 metres and is surrounded by a number of high mountains such as the Puig de Massanella, all within the Tramuntana mountains. See PiP Enjoy full size.

Two photos here of a typical farm complex showing ‘gable ends’. This is the vertical triangular wall between sloping ends of the roof (also called a gable roof). Here (in pip1) we see also the array of chimney pots leading from the open fires of old into almost every room. This is the farm too, that the red farming implement on the preceding photo stems from. (Pip2) PiPs Enjoy full screen

A typical Lake District farm with its stepped gable-ends.

Taken at The Church of Saint Anne, Lydgate, on our morning isolation walk today. This was after yesterdays very quite remembrance day celebrations. All the poppies here were hand made, mostly knitted and made from wool, no doubt by their own parishioners. Enjoy full screen.

There is something going on here at Oldham’s Alexandra Park Conservatory. The whole inside almost pulsates with light as though some link to another world is taking place… And…someone or something has transported all the beautiful hot-house plants to …where? - Only to replace them with bits of wood in a most haphazard, even explosive fashion! It’s perhaps just as well that a high well-locked fence protects us on this side, as there is no telling what might happen to us if we should try to pass through that door! HFF. Have a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Whitby Abbey as seen from the side. The sea is just behind me, below the cliffs. "Whitby Abbey was a 7th-century Christian monastery that later became a Benedictine abbey. The abbey church was situated overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, a centre of the medieval Northumbrian kingdom. The abbey and its possessions were confiscated by the crown under Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries between 1536 and 1545. Since that time, the ruins of the abbey have continued to be used by sailors as a landmark at the headland. Since the 20th century, the substantial ruins of the church have been declared a Grade I Listed building and are in the care of English Heritage; the site museum is housed in Cholmley House just to the right of this picture. (see adjacent photo -PiP) The abbey is a setting in Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897). Count Dracula as a creature resembling a large dog which came ashore at the Whitby headland runs up the 199 steps to the graveyard of St Mary's Church in the shadow of the abbey ruins. The abbey is also described in Mina Harker’s diary." Wiki

A different view to normal of this famous Abbey. At the side of the Abbey stands the old Whitby Hall or as it is also known 'Cholmley House and the Banqueting House' with its replica statue of Borghese's Gladiator which we see here. Part of the Hall is now the Whitby YHA (Youth Hostel Association). www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-whitby Nice full screen PiP for adjacent page photo

We conclude our trip on this wonderful island by travelling along the NW coast southwards and then along its SW coast to Palma where our plane back to Britain awaits later in the same day. Our first big stop is in the small town of Valldemossa not only famous for its beautiful location and town splendour but also for its association with the composer Chopin. We see here a view towards the triple named: Carthusian Monastery, Parish church of Sant Bartomeu and also the Chapter House. This is where Chopin and George Sand spent the winter of 1838-9. The Real Cartuja was originally a royal residence, until Carthusian monks occupied the building from 1399 until 1835. The Pips shows us some alternative views too. Best seen full screen.

One of the fishing huts down in this cove. Someone’s pride and joy in the old flotsam fishing hut. See adjacent photos for full view of the other hut and sea-view scene. (PiP's) Keep safe. Herb

One of the two main streets here, with a few shops and hospitalities. This normally heaving street is very rarely as quite as this which was fortunate as I managed to get the cobbled road free of footfall and traffic. Time has done its damage here as in lots of similar villages, I remember many more shop fronts here in the 45+ years that I have been visiting, now turned into holiday homes or an artist getaway. Ah well, it could be worse at least we are not seeing concrete shopping centres -yet. Around the corner, you come to the sea end of this lane, opposite the very distinctive 'Cob & Lobster' Inn. See PiP Enjoy. Herb

A visit to this wonderful small town brings us down to the banks of the River Lune. Here we see not only the old bridge, which now only takes walkers, but also the rather attractive road bridge set in the background. This is in the county of Cumbria and also said to be the Lower lake District. See PiPs “Spanning the River Lune to the south and east of Kirkby Lonsdale is Devil’s Bridge. This magnificent three-arched bridge, probably dates from the 12th or 13th century. ~ The bridge was later ascribed to the Devil. The story grew that the Devil appeared to an old woman and promised to build a bridge in exchange for the first soul to cross it. The woman agreed, so the Devil built the bridge. The clever old woman then threw a loaf of bread over the bridge and her dog chased it.” More info: www.kirkbylonsdale.co.uk/discover/13341-devils-bridge Enjoy full screen.

A rather artistic view as we get to our half way point of this round walk in very wet conditions. We arrive at the village church built in 1892 near the older original, so in some ways it is quite modern. Our return way is along the narrow lane you see going up from the left and this takes us back to our car parked just beyond the footbridge having completed our little circle of around four miles (6.5km). See PiP. Enjoy full screen.

The Norman Kirkby Lonsdale Parish Church of St Mary's. 11/12th century. See Toz's great example for more info: www.ipernity.com/doc/2405228/50955266

Another week by the sea takes me for a night to Somerset’s Weston-S-Mare’s promenade in rather dodgy weather. Here we see its famous Grand Pier which for us was unfortunately closed. Originally built in 1905 it was damaged by fire in 2008 and its superstructure repaired and re-opened in 2010. Of course for me, I am attracted by the stormy light here and some minutes later had to run for cover. Enjoy full screen.

PiP to previous image