tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724194256139422642011-11-28T00:56:34.581ZJoin me in following the River Thames by foot, bicycle and boat, from its source in the English Cotswold Hills, through Oxford and the Thames Valley, to London and beyond.Mr Jnoreply@blogger.comBlogger121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-39145983005050864662009-05-01T19:25:00.003+01:002009-05-01T19:37:57.303+01:00

The River Coln attracts much wildlife to Bibury, including the rare black swan in this mini-vid. However, the birds must also regard tourist offerings as easy pickings, and this one is no exception.I’ve always been brought up to, “Never feed the swans David - they’re bad tempered and a wing flap could break your arm”. I don’t really know how true this is, but I’m not chancing MY arm!Research for

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-48751662194392503772009-04-24T09:30:00.003+01:002009-04-24T09:44:53.062+01:00

This vid gives you a quick peep at Bibury's piece de resistance, the brain-meltingly picturesque Arlington Row. Its Cotswold stone cottages once housed weavers who supplied cloth for 'fulling' - cleaning wool to remove oil and dirt - at Arlington Mill, also in Bibury. The mill has housed an interesting msueum, including a William Morris room. Right now though, it seems to be closed, with a 'For

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-83883372627299680462009-04-23T15:55:00.008+01:002009-04-23T16:26:56.114+01:00

Well, according to William Morris (above) it is – or was, when he was around in the last half of the 19th century. At that time, of course, Bibury was deep in rural England, and the road through it would have been just a muddy trail.Today, Bibury is best known for the ridiculously handsome Arlington Row, a line of weavers' cottages that overlook the River Coln. Ahem... "Coln?", I hear you say, "

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-73180263216417073292009-04-02T11:17:00.005+01:002009-04-23T19:43:19.705+01:00

I wondered where Poohsticks came from, so I tracked down a copy of The House at Pooh Corner by AA Milne, and there on page 91 we find Pooh inventing the game, by accidentally dropping a fir cone off a bridge.The story develops when Pooh, Rabbit, Roo and Piglet are throwing sticks (easier to mark than fir cones) but see Eeyore floating downstream too. Pooh throws a stone to try and 'hoosh' their

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-88984814367837009652009-03-30T20:44:00.004+01:002009-03-30T20:51:38.766+01:00

The World Pooh Sticks Championships are held on the Thames at Long Wittenham near Dorchester, just a few miles downstream from Oxford. Winnie the Pooh, a favourite of character of mine since childhood, was written by A.A. Milne and was set loosely in Ashdown Forest in Kent, many miles from here. But no matter, it's all for charity, and it's a great family occasion, with people from all over the

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-8131920721650049162009-03-25T11:45:00.005Z2009-03-25T11:53:48.889Z

Nothing like using a really soft pencil (4B) on a Spring day! The artistic merits are hardly at Turner Prize levels, though some may not think that's a bad thing.Still, perhaps by the time this blog trucks through the Thames Valley and on to the North Sea, rusty skills will be honed!

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-24253068389197038882009-03-23T21:35:00.002Z2009-03-23T21:40:09.499Z

The video quality might not be "just right" here, as I'm still looking for the best settings. Still, enjoy anyway!

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-44049384820006189902009-03-23T12:22:00.002Z2009-03-23T12:27:50.581Z

Just before this on the way to the source, I'd spotted these gypsy caravans near Bibury, one of them for sale, and note it has solar panels!The scene was deserted, except for an alert hound – so I didn't go tooo close!

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-58963535438221512462009-03-23T12:16:00.003Z2009-03-23T12:21:48.407Z

According to the map (circled in the pic) the source of the Thames is not far from Cirencester. The road's a busy one, but there are places to park, and after a false start or two, sketchpad, camera and I were marching towards "the spot", about 20 minutes walk through open fields.

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-77196574043625611002009-03-22T10:21:00.000Z2009-03-22T10:23:07.385Z

A fantastic day's exploration, and some speed-sketches into the bargain.Watch this space for pix and vids.

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-86655447178435338642009-03-21T08:16:00.000Z2009-03-21T08:20:08.865Z

The theme of the Thames exploration is "art". I love doing quickie sketches and miniatures, to capture tiny fragments of a place in a personal way, so that's the aim of this journal.Who knows, I might even get round to putting up a gallery – that's if the pieces are any good of course! It's a pleasant morning out there, so it's time to pack up and go.

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172419425613942264.post-39410408967190922942009-03-20T20:56:00.000Z2009-03-20T21:14:07.649Z

Hello! This year's 'project' is to explore the River Thames, from its source not far from Cirencester in the beautiful Cotwolds, through Oxford and Oxfordshire, until it widens out into the wide river that flows through the centre of Britain's capital city, London. East of London, the Thames widens out until it ends at Southend-on-Sea. Here a large marker stone on the beach says officially that

Mr Jnoreply@blogger.com0