Monday, July 09, 2012

Idle at Lechlade

Or maybe that should be “Idyll”.
With the river rising and running fast there’ve been strong stream warnings all the way up. On Saturday we had “red boards” appearing on several reaches blossoming like desert flowers after the rain.
Still, it’s not been a problem. We’ve enjoyed watching the aircraft arriving at RAF Fairford just 4 miles away for the airshow.

I’m going to bore you now with more aircraft pictures… so look away if you’re not interested.
First the iconic British aircraft….

Avro LancasterSAM_1438 RAF Lancaster
Avro VulcanSAM_1424
Vickers VC10SAM_1461
Lockheed Tristar, part of the RAF transport fleetSAM_1466 Tristar
The Americans were well represented – transport aircraft included the ubiquitous HerculesSAM_1472
And the huge Boeing B-17A GlobemasterSAM_1469 Globemaster

Most of these shots were captured as the planes were on approach to Fairford, flying slowly and therefore quite easy to take. The display teams were a different matter entirely…

The Red Arrows, no introduction necessary..SAM_1476 Red Arrows
The Swiss national aerobatics display team, Patrouille Suisse.SAM_1418
From South Korea, the Black Eagles flying domestically built supersonic T-50 Golden Eagles.SAM_1433SAM_1435 Black Eagles

Later in the evening yesterday I caught a blurey P50b Mustang doing aerobatics…..SAM_1486 Model Mustang

But all is not what it seems!
SAM_1490 Model Mustang

It was a fine evening so George lit up the barbeque and we enjoyed a mixture of chicken, lamb chops, Cumberland sausage and salad, washed down by a bottle of wine (or two). Splendid.

It’s been quiet today, we’ve been hearing jet and prop engines on and off but with a change in the wind direction the planes have been taking off away from us. They’re already in the cloud base by the time they get anywhere near us.

We were getting a bit worried about sanitary arrangements while we’re stuck here, so George and I visited the caravan site just across the field and arranged use of their facilities. It still means carting full loo tanks across the meadow and full water bottles back, but that’s so much better than running out!

For a change of pace, this afternoon George and I took the dogs to the head of the navigation at Inglesham Roundhouse, then on to the village church.

Inglesham Roundhouse, head of the navigable Thames, confluence of the River Coln, and start of the derelict Thames and Severn Canal.SAM_1506 Inglesham Round House

Ten minutes across a field took us to the village, just a couple of farms and a venerable old church.

St. John the Baptist, IngleshamSAM_1497 Inglesham Church
Although no longer used for services, the church is maintained by The Churches Conservation Trust
SAM_1499 Inglesham Church  
SAM_1500 Inglesham Church




The main structure dates from very early in the 13th C, with alterations and additions made up to the early 1500’s. The church has remained much the same since this period, apart from the rebuilt bell-cote, a mere 300 years old!




The interior is stark, the murals which once decorated the walls have long since faded. SAM_1501 Inglesham Church
The altarSAM_1504 Inglesham Church
It must have been inspiring in it’s heyday, but now it feels a little sad, with the weight of 800 years of worship hanging in the air and penetrating the old oak of the pews. A bit spooky, to be honest…..

With a couple of days of relatively dry weather the water is starting to behave. This evening most of the stream advice between here and Oxford has been downgraded to “Stream Decreasing”. We’ll give it till Wednesday morning to settle down a bit more then we’ll give it a go.
It’s still a bit fast to negotiate those tight bends in a narrowboat going downstream.

Locks 0, miles 0

2 comments:

Roger Smith said...

Sorry to be even more boring but a couple of minor errors on the aircraft.

Firstly my appologies for miss identifying th Korean aircraft as F16s the other day.

Secondly the Globemaster is designated as C17 not B17.

Thirdly that isn't a Hercules it's the new and controversial (late over budget etc.) Airbus A400M Atlas a more modern take on the same idea supposed to be bigger than the standard Hercules but smaller than the C17.

Geoff and Mags said...

Hi Roger
Not boring at all, I got most of them right!
The misidentification of the Atlas is why I couldn't find it on the RIAT website, then.