Beckford’s Tower

Just before going to photograph a rugby match (see next post), I stopped off at Beckford's Tower on the edge of Bath. Far easier to climb up than Alfred's Tower at Stourhead - apparently Beckford built it when he was in his 60s, so that might explain why it's so much wider and less steep! The views from the top weren't anything to write home about, but I did quite like the spiral stairs. ...
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More Flinty Red

Flinty Red asked me in recently to take some shots in the kitchen for them to use to publicise their Outside Catering service. Some Creme Brulees (or should that be Cremes Brulee?) in the foreground, with Max the (temporary) chef in the background. Crostini, ready to be loaded up with Marsala-cooked onions on Ricotta. This was actually the (really nice) staff dinner - pork, beans, herbs and some of the Marsala onions. Onglet with courgettes. I think the yellow ones came from Matt the chef's own garden. Fresh haloumi cheese I had an email yesterday from someone at the BBC (yes, that BBC), asking for photos of Flinty Red to use in one of their food magazines. Coo!...
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King Alfred’s Tower

I've been to Stourhead a couple of times before, but have never got round to going to the nearby King Alfred's Tower. It's 205 steps up to the top, so Mother decided against it and sat in the car and snoozed. When I got up there (wheezing slightly, legs like jelly), it was cloudy and with rain clearly falling nearby. Within about 20 minutes, it all cleared up, so I was able to take photos of dark skies and blue sky & fluffy clouds within a very short time! ...
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Stourhead

Mother came to stay for a few days, and while SWMBO entertained her for most of the time (Tyntesfield and Concorde [only open until the end of September]), I felt morally obliged to take a day off work and take her somewhere. We ended up going to Stourhead, somewhere she'd not been before, and one of the best known landscaped gardens. Fortunately, we managed to avoid the rain - the heavens opened just as we got back to the shop & tea room, which was a perfect excuse for a slice of cake. I think this is one of the nicest views there is - it looks completely natural, but you just know that a landowner with a firm opinion of his place in history combined with a egomaniacal landscape gardener probably uprooted several small villages and converted a small hill into a substantial lake. He probably then decided that he didn't like the colour of the water and had the landscaper...
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