Stephen Branley's photos

I took this from the Greenwich Observatory and shows Queen’s House, with the domes of the Old Royal Naval College behind and Canary Wharf in the distance. Architect Indigo Jones was commissioned to design the building in 1616 by King James I’s wife, Anne of Denmark – supposedly a gift from the king to apologise for swearing in front of her after she had accidentally killed one of his favourite dogs during a hunt...

Here's an interesting fact, there's 11 miles of rigging on the Cutty Sark...

The Royal Observatory is situated on a hill in Greenwich Park, overlooking the River Thames. It has played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation, and because the prime meridian passes through it, it gave its name to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)...

This was originally the site of Bella Court, built by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and subsequently renamed Palace of Placentia by Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI. Rebuilt by Henry VII, it was then more commonly known as Greenwich Palace. It was the birthplace of Henry VIII, Mary I and Elizabeth I, and reputedly the favourite palace of Henry VIII. The palace fell into disrepair during the English Civil War and was finally demolished in 1660 on the orders of Charles II...

In 1692 the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich was created on the site on the instructions of Mary II, who had been inspired by the sight of wounded sailors returning from the Battle of La Hogue. Architectural highlights included the Chapel and the Painted Hall. The hospital closed in 1869 and the remains of thousands of sailors were removed from the hospital site in 1875 and reinterred in East Greenwich...

In 1873, four years after the hospital closed, the buildings were converted to a training establishment for the Royal Navy who finally left the College in 1998...

Looking slightly bemused after waking from a nap...

A queen deserves a royal cushion...

A mountain view from the village of Accous...

The pretty town of Bedous...

I caught some lovely light on the hillside...

At this time I worked on a Search & Rescue flight and I took the shot from the helicopter. It's close to the village of Clachtoll and I believe the building is called Split Rock Croft...

A view from Las Arenas across the river Nervión to Portugalete. The beautiful yellow building is the tourist office. It dates from 1888 and was once the train station for the first trains that connected Portugalete with Bilbao city centre, it was called “Estación de la Canilla.” In the background is the 15th century 'Basilica de Santa Maria'. The little green ferry runs between the two towns every 2 minutes and costs 20c per person...

The Adour river, by le Pont du Diable (the devil's bridge) at Montgaillard is a beautiful spot to while away an hour. In the background is the Église Saint-Hilaire and during the plague of 1657 priests took confession from on end of the bridge whilst the confessor stood at the other end...

Our sweet girl on one of her numerous mini adventures...

She's brought immense joy into our already rich life...

I was never a dog lover, but I've been a Cavalier King Charles lover in the 9 years since she came along...