Odds and Sods May 2022

May was a bit of a chaotic month and at first I thought my Odds and Sods selection was going to be a bit thin, but then it turned up trumps because although I didn't have as many ventures out, where I did visit, there were quite productive subjects.

My main visit was Plymouth and I have already published a couple of posts about that photo walk. There are probably about another three to come. So although I haven't finished working on all those photos yet I have added a few here as a taster for what is to come.

This is an aerial shot of the Tinside Lido an open air sea water pool recently restored. I say aerial although technically I was on the ground, it's just that the waterfront near Plymouth Hoe is fronted by a cliff so I am outside the ancient bastion walls looking down at the sea front from the top of the cliff.

Tinside Lido is a 1935 Art Deco lido designed in 1935 by John Wibberley. It was officially opened on 2 October 1935. A victim of declining popularity and neglect, the lido closed in 1992 but a vociferous local campaign led to a renovation, at a cost of £3.4 million, and Grade II Listed Building status in 1998. The facility re-opened to the public in 2005.

A lift and hoist were added in 2009 for disabled access. The lido design is a semicircle of 180 feet (55 metres) diameter. The changing rooms are in the art deco style and have square metal windows and a staircase. The pool has three fountains and is surrounded by cast-iron railings. Wikipedia

The stage door to the old cinema.

The closed down Plymouth Art Deco cinema where the Beatles famously played is to reopen as an entertainment and 1,000 capacity live music venue. Under the plans the Art Deco front of the building would be preserved and, where possible, remodelling will aim to respect its architectural heritage and its importance as a community asset. Faced in white Portland stone, in an Art Deco style, it was designed by in-house architect WR Glen for the Associated British Cinemas (ABC) and housed 2,024 seats. The building suffered bomb damage in 1941, but fortunately remained largely intact. Plymouth Herald

Let's hope the project lives up to this "Be excellent" motto.

It may be artfully placed, but it is still litter and while it makes a good picture and at least it isn't lying in wait for someone to slip on it, I question the mind of anyone who would do this after eating a banana.

This is a graphic composition of lines. It is a part of Plymouth Magistrates' Court. Plymouth Magistrates' Court (formerly the Petty Sessions) in Saint Andrew's Street was opened by HRH the Prince Charles on Thursday July 12th 1979, in the presence of the Lord Mayor, Alderman Graham Jinks. The building was designed by Tony Irish. oldplymouth.uk

Shortly after 11am on August 11, 1999, the moon covered the sun and, for around two minutes it was as though night had fallen. It was a truly unforgettable spectacle. Depending on where you were, that is. While parts of Cornwall and the South Hams experienced the full splendour of the event, not seen in the UK since 1927, Plymouth was left disappointed.

The first full eclipse since 1927 and Plymouth City Council began discussing the possibility of sealing off the city with road blocks as it predicted an influx of 120,000 visitors. Thousands of people packed onto Plymouth Hoe for the eclipse and while Stella Artois was sponsoring much of the event on the Hoe, visitors ultimately left disappointed. Plymouth Herald

May proved to be a huge success for flowers, and the hedgerows and gardens seemed to be more than the usual riot of colour, the weather being just the right balance of rain, warmth and sunshine. These are two of my new Irises, flowering for the first time. Having discovered they like this garden I will be planting a lot more in the autumn.

Nearby in the village is this scene at the side of the road. The bedrock around here is slate and shale and this means percolating springs which appear all over the place. This lane is lined with fresh clear springs and under these lilies is one of them. These Arum Lilies have naturalised here and pop up all over the place. They are just hiding a small niche in the wall.

Here is a close up of that niche, which is called a butter well. This is a place where farmers stored butter before the invention of refrigeration. The wall is north facing and the sun never falls on it, and this together with the spring water running below keeps this spot a perfect place to keep butter chilled and cool. It would then have been taken to market where a table would be set up on market day under the shade of the Butter Walk, an arcaded area built for selling dairy products.

My other main project in May was my beach macro project. I have already published a post called See Level. These were a few that got left behind.

Having woken very early one morning due to the bright sunrise I decided to venture out and here is a shot of the lane with the Butter Well and Lilies.

There was also a high tide that morning but no sign of the swans, which have just appeared with four signets in tow, only this week.

May also saw a return visit to St. Neot with it's ancient church and outstanding collection of stained glass. The painted glass dates from around the time of Henry VIII, and makes up the second most complete set of stained glass from that period in the whole of England. When I have worked through the photos I will publish a more comprehensive selection of images.

On the same return trip we found ourselves back on Bodmin Moor at The Hurlers, a stone age set of three circles, which are as impressive in their own way as Stonehenge.

Not impressed at all is this youngster not long arrived, but already immune to having his photo taken by visitors in the car park.