Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail

The second part of the week I headed firstly to the Forest of Dean which again is 30 minutes from home and decided to stop at Beechurst purchase the Sculpture trail map and see if I could find all 18 sculptures. 

This sculpture was called Meander by Kristin Veasey in 2023.  Created from steam using bent oak.  It mirrors the river Wye and Severn. 

The Heart of the Stone by Tim Lees in 1988 echoes the shaft of the drift mine on which it sits and the fish alludes to the forest's location between two rivers. 

Soil Unsoiled by Khady Gueye and Zakiya McKenzie in 2021 is a poem depicting racial inequality in the Forest of Dean. 

Fire & Water by David Nash 1986 are charred boats that resemble the canoes carved by hand from a single piece of wood. 

Iron Road by Keir Smith 1986 has twenty carved sleepers to represent the train line that used to run through the forest. Each sleeper has a different element to show aspects of the forest. 

On the walk I saw this fallen tree and was amazed how shallow the roots were. 

For me my favourite place by far to be is by the sea, but looking up when enveloped by trees is pretty special too. 

Grove of Silence by Ian Hamilton Finlay 1986 is a plague high up depicting stillness. 

Cone & Vessel by Peter Randall-Page 1988 are carved in stone showing an acorn and fire cone.

Hill33 by David Cotterell 2010. The building was built from industrial material and filled with coal spoil.  However it is slowly collapsing and being taken over by nature 

300 million year old tree fossil. 

Coal Measure Giants by Henry Castle 2016.  The tree fossil and the sculpture are set 300 metres apart so show the distance of the nearest goal seam below ground. 

I'm not up on my foraging but I think this was wild mint as it smelt so lovely. 

Echo by Annie Cattrall 2008 was my favourite of all the sculptures.  Made from cast of the quarry in which the sculpture stands it echos the rock face and even the tree.  It was such a tactile sculpture

Cathedral by Kevin Atherton 1986 I'm sure is the most photographed of all the exhibits and it is a beautiful work of art. 

Hanging Fire by Cornelian Parker 1988 used locally smelted iron ore to form into rings of flames which is high up in the tree line. To represent the crowing of the trees in the once royal forest. 

When you explore I always love to spot nature and this beetle was no exception. 

Gathering by Julian Wild 2023 built from stainless steel to represent fungi in all their colourful forms. 

I was literally at the end of my walk one minute from the van when the heavens opened.  

Doesn't the forest look stunning in the rain. 

Day trips out. Part one.

For the first time I have had a week off and have nothing set in stone and planned. I have a couple of things I want to do, like work on the garden and decorate my hall and fresh coat of paint on the front door. Both of which are done and I'm so happy how they have turned out. 

But other than that I am have been waking up, looking at the weather and just deciding on the day, it's so liberating and fun! 

So I'm lucky in the fact I live in the Cotswolds and also a member of the National Trust. 

As I had the week off work I wanted to do some day trips. 

So the first trip was 30 minutes from home to Croome Court

The gardens are designed by Capability Brown and they received a National Lottery fund of £1.8m towards restoration. 

One of the things I like to do with my beautiful British Short Hair kitty is take her out in her backpack.  She happily lies there and just enjoys seeing different places with me. 

Can't beat walking in the tree's seeing the many shades of green. 

Trip two. 

I only discovered Chastleton House through an advert and even though it was reasonably local (an hour away) it was a nice drive out. 

Originally the land had a house on built by Robert Gatsby, the leader of the Gunpowder Plot. 

Then in 1612 the now Chastleton House was built by Walter Jones. The Jones family originally from Wales and wool merchants, however Walter trained as a lawyer working in Worcester. 

The house stated in the Jones family for 400 years.  The last resident Barbara Clutton-Brook left the house in 1991 when the National Heritage Memorial Fund bought it. 

The house has been left almost as it was when the last resident left. 

The top floor was my favourite room which runs the length of the building with an incredible wooden floor.  Back in the 1800's the ladies where not aloud outside so they and the children entertainmented themselves up here. 

This was the view from the top floor. 

The gardens where also beautiful. 

I even sat on the wall and worked on my latest project. 

Thanks for reading. 

Birthday trip away. Turning 56, feeling 40!

So how on earth may I ask did that happen.  

One minute your 30 off on a trip to Greece to celebrate.  The next your 56!!!  

On the other hand I am truly blessed to have the best person in my life, my Son who is 22 now and between him and his amazing girlfriend keep me both mentally and physically way younger. 

So basically I am now re living the last 16 years, but with the addition of being slightly older, but alot wiser! 

To celebrate my birthday it will be an extended affair thanks to said two people firstly involving a camping trip to my favourite country Wales! 

The first part of the fun having seen the oh so funny Susan Calman's Grand Days Out-South Wales where she had a trip on a boat around the bay at Cardiff.  So to my complete joy Son had organised a trip too!

We then after an amazing lunch in the Docklands headed to Museum Wales St Fagans what an amazing place.  So much history, great for walking.  They even had a craft fair where I may have purchased a skein of yarn!  

Day two, well this was up their on the absolute brilliant days, namely due to sea and an incredible Geological beach being involved!! 

We headed to Monknash Beach 

To get to the beach you walk down through this beautiful woodland where there is a small waterfall. 

I have never been on such a fascinating beach.  You have the headland which is full of thousands of years of history. 

Then you have rock pools, and the beautiful, beautiful sea. 

I was happy I spotted a fossil!! 

One of the eye opening things that both Son and girlfriend are very keen on is clearing any rubbish they find on the beach and are both strong supporters of 4 ocean a charity who's statement is 

"4ocean was founded on the belief that business can be a force for good and that the small choices we make every day, collectively, have the power to change the world.

Together, we can end the ocean plastic crisis and build a more sustainable future where humanity grows alongside nature, not at its expense."

In the space of 30 minute's we collected all this rubbish!! 

After the beach we headed to Dyffryn Gardens National Trust

The grounds where spacious and just lovely to walk around. At the moment you can not go into the house as it is under renovation. 

But both Son and I love books, he collects travel books, me novels.  We bagged ourselves 4 great books for £6! All of the money goes back into renovating the property a great idea the National Trust does. 

At the end of the walk we lead on the grass and I watched the clouds drift by, so much fun! 

The view from the campsite my last being 55!

The next morning on my birthday we woke to a beautiful day. 

Originally I was set to head off on a solo trip, but Son asked if I'd like to join them for a spontaneous day of surprise and fun.  

Well that was a no brainier!! 

Firstly we went to a lovely town called Cowbridge it was a really nice vibe to it. 

There they had a great Vintage shop Happy Days Vintage an eclectic mix of great things. 

Not least this beautiful chair that would look great in my house! 

After this whistle stop visit we headed to a place I didn't know was in Wales. 

The Royal Mint Experience for £17 you get an incredible tour and if you go on the weekend you can even go inside the factory where they make the coins.  It is well worth a trip. 

To finish off my birthday treat before I headed home we drove to this stunning Reservoir in the Brecon Beacons Pontsticill Reservoir. 

Created in 1927 it holds 15,400 mega litres of water in the 110 ft embankment. 

I'm times of very low water you can see the remains of the Chapel, built in 1829 that is now submerged in the bottom of the reservoir. 

I hope you have enjoyed my birthday festivities as much as I have!