Life through a cellphone lens

The Hole of Horcum

2011-09-02T16:31:00.001+01:00

Situated in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, the Hole is a "devil's punchbowl" like feature created by springs "washing away" material. Rainwater permeates down through the overlying sandstone which sits on an impervious clay deposit. The springs emerge from the base of the sandstone and have created this huge depression.

Hunmanby, Yorkshire

2011-09-01T13:13:00.001+01:00

Hunmanby lock-up (left), built 1834 and the much older pinfold (right). The lock-up was used to imprison drunks and other offenders, the pinfold to house stray animals awaiting collection by their owners.

Star Disk, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, UK

2011-09-01T13:03:00.001+01:00

Scarborough's Star Disk is the largest illuminated "Star Disk" in the UK at 26m in diameter.
The disk is constructed on the site of the South Bay Pool. It contains, as fibre optic lights, the layout of the 42 brightest stars which never set as seen from Scarborough. It also marks the positions of the sunrise points over the North Sea for
various times of the year.

Books

2011-08-19T12:10:00.001+01:00

Second-hand books for sale near Mancunian Way overpass, Oxford Road, Manchester.

The Gatehouse

2011-07-24T13:25:00.001+01:00

A view of Teversal Manor Gatehouse.

In my garden!

2011-07-02T13:28:00.001+01:00

The butterfly is not unusual here (NW England), the blurry beast is! It's a Hummingbird Hawk-moth. I've only seen these once before and that was in southern central France.

Old and New

2011-03-29T12:06:00.001+01:00

New apartments and old canalside house at New Islington, Ancoats, Manchester alongside the Ashton Canal

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The Planets

2011-02-23T19:16:00.002Z

Scale models of the planets suspended above the Rocks and Minerals Gallery in Manchester Museum. To scale in terms of size. To make to scale in terms of distance from the Sun would require a considerably larger area!

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Spring is on the way!

2011-02-17T19:00:00.001Z

Crocus starting to flower under trees in Gartside Gardens, Brunswick, central Manchester.

Manchester rain

2011-01-26T13:47:00.001Z

On the corner of Oxford Road and Dilworth Street, Manchester. Rain, a poem by Lemn Sissay.

After the celebrations!

2011-01-04T13:28:00.001Z

Atop a local garden wall.

To children of all nations.

2010-11-19T17:43:00.004Z

Seen on the wall of the boathouse in Platt Fields Park, Fallowfield, Manchester. A poem by Mike Garry, 2010.

Inside the Great Hall

2010-11-18T12:50:00.007Z

Manchester Town Hall's Great Hall is lined with murals painted by Ford Madox Brown. These depict significant scenes from Manchester's history, from its founding by the Romans up to the early 19th Century. This one shows John Dalton, a Manchester schoolmaster, scientist and founder of modern atomic theory, collecting marsh gas from a local pond for his experiments.

For more detail click here

Trafford Centre Fossil

2010-11-17T21:44:00.006Z

Fossil ammonite in the flooring material at Mango, 117 Regent Crescent, The Trafford Centre, Manchester. The floor here is composed of Solnhofen limestone from Germany. This limestone is from the Jurassic period (about 150 million years old). It is from these rock formations that fossils of the first known fossil bird, Archaeopteryx, have been obtained.

Aquatics Centre

2010-11-09T15:04:00.003Z

An interior view of the Manchester Aquatics Centre. An impressive facility built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games and jointly owned by the City Council and the Manchester Universities.

Moo

2010-10-29T21:23:00.002+01:00

No animals were hurt in the making of this picture! Seen on Oxford Rd, Manchester.

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Media City

2010-10-28T12:30:00.002+01:00

A night time view of some of the new buildings at Salford's Media City development, Salford Quays.

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Harlequin Ladybird larva

2010-10-11T19:36:00.004+01:00

On an Irlam garden wall. I believe this to be the larva of the Harlequin Ladybird, Harmonia axyridis. A recently arrived invasive species, this insect has spread rapidly north and westwards since first sightings in the southeast of the UK.

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River Medlock

2010-10-08T18:14:00.002+01:00

Here in Manchester, where Princess Street becomes Brook Street, the River Medlock emerges from a culvert that has taken it below this part of the city centre. At first sight it seems devoid of life and dead save for a few marginal weeds. Closer inspection reveals the presence of many little fish. They were easy to see around the sandy area near the tyre.

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Geological Garden

2010-10-05T11:48:00.002+01:00

Another view of the rock specimens in the geological garden of Manchester Museum. Located on Bridgeford Street, Manchester.

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Ruby Tailed Wasp

2010-06-16T23:22:00.002+01:00

Saw this quite attractive insect the other day. A bit less than 1cm long. Never seen one before. It's not a fly but a parasitic wasp of a genus called Chrysis. They parasitise other insects like Mason Bees that raise their offspring in walls. This explains why it was systematically
going up and along ALL the mortar joints of a very big wall!

Claypits

2010-02-19T16:49:00.000Z

A pond situated in Rixton Claypits Nature Reserve. The reserve is located between Irlam and Warrington. It stands on land used by a local brickworks for extraction of clay during the first half of the 20th Century. The site is now a Special Area for Conservation and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Father Christmas

2009-12-15T10:06:00.000Z

Father Christmas presides over the goings on at the annual Christmas market in Albert Square, Manchester.

Wedding Car.

2009-10-16T13:33:00.000+01:00

Spotted by St Teresa's Church in Irlam.

Barton Bridge

2009-09-10T15:18:00.000+01:00

The swing bridge spanning the Manchester Ship Canal at Barton swings back into position after being opened to allow passage of a ship carrying tourists on a sightseeing cruise of the canal from its beginning in Salford to its end at Eastham where it enters the estuary of the River Mersey.
In its heyday this bridge would open many times each day to allow the passage large ocean going vessels carrying raw materials for, and produce of, the industry of Manchester and the industrial north west of England.

Sir Charles Halle

2009-09-08T23:43:00.000+01:00

The grave of Sir Charles Halle (1819-1895) in Weaste Cemetery, Salford. Halle founded the Halle Orchestra, Britain's longest established professional symphony orchestra, in Manchester in 1858.

Beetles

2009-09-06T12:49:00.000+01:00

A few of many of this attractive beetle that appear to be devouring the leaves of bushes at my local Tesco supermarket.

Lego man

2009-08-27T20:31:00.000+01:00

An oversize Lego figure outside a traditional toyshop in Llangefni town centre. Llangefni is the administrative centre of the Isle of Anglesey.

Parish boundary stone

2009-08-13T22:24:00.000+01:00

Old parish boundary stone marking the boundary between Beaumaris and Llanfaes, Anglesey.

Lligwy Burial Chamber

2009-08-13T00:23:00.001+01:00

Situated close to Moelfre on the island of Anglesey. This impressive neolithic burial chamber dates from about 5000BC. The capstone is roughly 5m x 6m and weighs over 20 tonnes. Taken as the light was fading.

Violette Szabo

2009-07-23T19:29:00.001+01:00

Half British, half French, Violette Szabo volunteered to spy for the British Special Operations Executive in occupied France in 1942, following the death of her husband at El Alamein. She was 21 years old. Captured by the Germans on her second mission in 1944 she was imprisoned at Limoges, tortured, then transferred to Ravensbruck concentration camp where she was executed sometime in early February 1945. This memorial, near la Croisille-sur-Briance, is located by the field into which she parachuted to start her final mission. Fresh flowers appear to supplied constantly.

Look to the heavens.

2009-07-08T10:51:00.000+01:00

An astronomer and his equipment fashioned from small succulent plants attached to a framework. Situated outside the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

Ammonite

2009-07-02T20:17:00.000+01:00

Fossil ammonite in building stone near doorway of 55 Princess Street, Manchester. Ammonites were early molluscs that evolved in the Devonian Period about 400 million years ago. They flourished for many millions of years until they became extinct, along with the Dinosaurs, 65 million years ago.

Early Computing

2009-07-01T10:09:00.000+01:00

A couple of posts earlier I posted a picture from the other side of this building, the Coupland Building of Manchester University. That detailed Rutherford and his work that led to the splitting of the atom. On this side we have the windows of the laboratory where, in June 1948, Profs, Williams and Kilburn ran the world's first stored program computer. Not a bad record for a provincial city. Proud to be a Manc!

The Gang!

2009-06-29T17:30:00.000+01:00

Group of wooden cowboys in the quadrangle of the Lymm service area on the M6 Motorway.

Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937)

2009-06-23T16:22:00.000+01:00

Blue plaque on the wall of the Coupland Building of Manchester University. It commemorates Rutherford's time at this laboratory and his work which led to the discovery of the atomic nucleus and the splitting of the atom.

London 182 1/2 Miles

2009-06-22T16:44:00.000+01:00

Old style signpost located on the A6 in central Stockport, close to the Town Hall.

Seen better days!

2009-06-21T15:25:00.000+01:00

In the latter part of the 1980s unemployed youths of the Irlam area were drafted onto youth 'employment' schemes. One of these was the making of Irlam Linear Park, a few hundred metres of path beside a railway embankment. Access points at each end and here, about midway, close to a Tesco hypermarket. A good idea and a pleasant walk when new but no effort applied to maintain it afterwards. Now overgrown and littered.

Medieval stonework

2009-06-20T15:03:00.000+01:00

The rear of Chetham's School and Library, Manchester from Walker's Croft. Buildings here date from the second quarter of the fifteenth century.

A wet Manchester

2009-06-17T12:25:00.000+01:00

Looking along London Road towards Piccadilly from the Manchester Curve footbridge.

Alan Turing Building

2009-06-16T17:11:00.000+01:00

A view of the recently completed Alan Turing Building of the University of Manchester.

Hardman Square

2009-06-11T13:54:00.000+01:00

Located in the Spinningfields development to the west of Deansgate, Manchester.

Manchester weather!

2009-06-10T11:34:00.000+01:00

The morning started off bright and sunny. Good enough to persuade the catering staff of University Place to put these tables and chairs outside. Ah, well! Photographed on Oxford Rd. Manchester.

Garden of Remembrance

2009-06-07T12:16:00.001+01:00

Another view of the Baby Memorial Garden at Salford Royal Hospital, formerly Hope Hospital.

Baby Memorial

2009-06-05T13:45:00.000+01:00

A piece of sculpture in the Baby Memorial Garden of Salford Royal Hospital (formerly Hope Hospital).

Lady Godiva, Coventry

2009-06-04T15:01:00.002+01:00

Lady Godiva was the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia. Sometime around 1050 AD she is reputed to have ridden naked through the streets of Coventry to persuade her husband to remove an oppressive tax. The legend has it that the townspeople were forewarned and were asked to stay indoors to preserve her modesty. All complied save one, a tailor named Tom whose punishment for looking at her was to be struck blind. This gave rise to the expression "Peeping Tom" to describe one who looks where one shouldn't!

The Clock Tower

2009-06-03T22:04:00.000+01:00

The Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower is situated in Chancellor's Court at the University of Birmingham, UK. Named after the University's first Chancellor. It is, reputedly, the world's tallest free-standing clock tower at 110m tall.

Anglesey

2009-05-29T17:05:00.000+01:00

Puffin Island and lighthouse at Penmon Point.

Llanddona

2009-05-27T22:51:00.000+01:00

The vast expanse of sand forming the beach at Llanddona, Anglesey. This is the long, eastward coastline of Red Wharf Bay.

Clogwyn Du'r Arddu

2009-05-26T18:13:00.000+01:00

The walls of 'Cloggy', Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, tower over Llyn Du'r Arddu on the flanks of Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales. Cloggy is a famous rock climbing venue and provides hard routes in an alpine setting.

Caravans

2009-05-25T17:37:00.000+01:00

Holiday caravans at Glan Gors Caravan Park, Brynteg, Anglesey. Fine weather on a Bank Holiday Monday.

Hawthorn

2009-05-24T00:29:00.001+01:00

Red/pink Hawthorn flowers in bloom on Irlam Moss.

Ballot

2009-05-22T12:23:00.001+01:00

Envelopes, postal voting statement and ballot paper for England's North West region for the forthcoming European Parliamentary election. Voting day is June 4th and the paper lists 94 candidates. One Independent and twelve Parties, several of which I know nothing about- yet! I have one vote.

Geological Garden

2009-05-21T21:47:00.000+01:00

Situated by Manchester Museum near the corner of Oxford Road and Bridgeford Street, Manchester Geological Garden is planted with rock specimens mainly originating from the north of England.

Ardwick entrance to Manchester bunker

2009-05-20T15:55:00.004+01:00

Situated in Lockton Close near the junction of Downing Street, London Road and the Mancunian Way this is the Ardwick entrance to the Guardian Exchange Cold War bunker. See also

Salford entrance

2009-05-19T12:18:00.002+01:00

Secure behind a double fence, here is the Salford entry point to the Guardian Exchange, the Cold War communication bunker built under central Manchester in the 1950s. This structure is located about half a mile away from the central Manchester entry point, pictured on Apr. 30th, and is close to Salford Cathedral.

Flood Obelisk

2009-05-14T15:12:00.001+01:00

Located in Peel Park, Salford. This obelisk was erected in 1870 and bears marks showing the depth of floodwater here when the adjacent River Irwell broke its banks on Nov 16th, 1866. A depth of 8ft. 6in. is recorded.

The Blue Lion

2009-05-13T15:05:00.002+01:00

The bar of the Blue Lion, a reconstruction of a Victorian public house dating from around 1870. Built from items salvaged from similar pubs of the period when they were demolished during the slum clearances of the 1950s and 60s. This is situated in Lark Hill Place, a re-creation of a Victorian Salford street, located in Salford Museum and Art Gallery, The Crescent, Salford.

A plane, a train and a bus station

2009-05-10T14:48:00.002+01:00

A Jumbo jet banks after taking off from Manchester Airport while a Virgin Trains inter-city train waits at signals on Stockport Viaduct. The roofs of Stockport bus station appear below the viaduct.

Arum maculatum

2009-05-03T22:33:00.001+01:00

Commonly called "Cuckoo-pint", "Lords and Ladies" and "Jack-in-the-pulpit". The central spadix bears the flowers which emit a smell of carrion. This attracts the flies needed for pollination. Photographed near Brynteg, Anglesey.

Bluebells

2009-05-03T12:05:00.000+01:00

A carpet of bluebells in woodland at Menai Bridge, Anglesey.

A legacy of the Cold War

2009-04-30T11:19:00.000+01:00

This austere structure is located in central Manchester between George St and St James St. I believe it to be an entrance to the Guardian Exchange. This underground communications bunker was built in the 1950s and was designed to withstand atomic attack on Manchester and preserve regional and national communications links. The development of the H bomb reputedly led to its security being compromised. The bunker and its tunnels are still used to route telecommunications cables under the city. A fire in such a tunnel in 2004 put parts of the telephone network out of action for several days.

Whitworth Park, Manchester

2009-04-29T13:42:00.001+01:00

An entrance to the park from Denmark Road. The park is owned by Manchester University and leased to the City Council who maintain it. Set by Oxford Road in a now very busy location the park provides an area of tranquillity. The park and adjacent Whitworth Art Gallery were established by Joseph Whitworth a local industrialist and inventor in 1890.

A glacial erratic

2009-04-28T14:15:00.000+01:00

A boulder in the quadrangle of the University of Manchester. Found nearby about 30 feet below the surface during an excavation. Carried here by ice during the Ice Age from its origin in the Lake District about 100 miles distant.

Blackthorn

2009-04-14T20:20:00.001+01:00

Flowers of the Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) on trees near Brynteg, Anglesey. The flowers are about 1.5cm across and appear before the leaves, unlike the similarly flowered Hawthorn whose leaves appear before it flowers.

Easter Monday tea

2009-04-13T20:00:00.000+01:00

Peter enjoying his Toffee Sundae!

Spring

2009-04-12T12:13:00.000+01:00

Wood Anenome and Celandine, Lon y Glyn, Benllech.

Llynnon Mill and Celtic Roundhouses

2009-04-07T16:02:00.002+01:00

Llanddeusant, Anglesey. A working windmill flanked by reconstructions of communal dwellings that were used by local people in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age, approx 3000 years ago.

The end of the road at the end of the year

2008-12-31T20:28:00.004Z

After an extremely cold night (by the standards of urban NW England!) we awoke to find a white blanket of frost/snow lying on the ground. It lay here all day which is also unusual, the outdoor temperature at 1800hrs being around -5C.

I'm glad I never made any rash promise to make this a daily photo blog, I'd have failed miserably! My New Year resolution is to do more in 2009.

As 2008 draws to a close I wish all of us (the Global We) a better 2009. Peace, health and happiness to ALL.

Wisdom and effort

2008-12-08T12:40:00.005Z

The coat of arms of the City of Manchester on the parapet of Dawson Street Bridge crossing the River Medlock close to the city's Salford boundary. A translation of the motto is " wisdom and effort."

The sailing ship represents the city's trading links with the world and the Manchester Ship Canal. The three stripes below representing the city's main rivers; the Irwell, Medlock and Irk. The bees on the globe above represent industry.

Which way will it go?

2008-11-29T21:05:00.007Z

Between now and 10th December the approximately 1.9 million voters of the ten district councils that make up the Greater Manchester area are being asked to cast their vote in a referendum.

They are being asked to vote for or against a proposal which includes both major investment in public transport and a weekday, peaktime only congestion charging scheme for some motor vehicles, notably private cars.

Organisations both for and against the idea have mounted spirited campaigns throughout the region. Pictured here are adverts from both camps and the ballot paper.

John Dalton, colour blind father of Atomic Theory

2008-11-27T22:02:00.005Z

Statue of John Dalton located outside the Dalton Building of Manchester Metropolitan University on Chester Street, Manchester, UK.

Dalton was an English chemist, meteorologist and physicist.
(b. Sept. 6, 1766, d. July 27, 1844)

Dalton taught in Manchester and conducted experiments which enabled him to develop the ancient Greek concept of atoms into a scientific theory that laid the foundation of modern chemistry.

Dalton also scientifically described an affliction possessed by himself and his brothers which became known as Daltonism - colour blindness.

Confluence

2008-11-24T01:17:00.003Z

Looking across the River Irwell to the point where the River Medlock enters Manchester's main watercourse. Also the site of Hulme Locks which link the Irwell with the nearby Bridgewater Canal. Downstream of here the Irwell was canalised in the late 19th Century to form the Manchester Ship Canal. Recently built apartment buildings flank the river and canal banks and the Victorian railway arches.

Autumn

2008-11-09T22:41:00.004Z

Autumn colours on trees in Moorside Park, Swinton

Looking up Roscoe Road, Irlam onto Irlam Moss on a sunny but cold autumn day

A Manchester River

2008-11-06T13:00:00.006Z

River Medlock

The River Medlock rises in Oldham, to the north east of Manchester and flows through east Manchester into the city centre. Within the city much of its course is culverted under buildings etc., the river only briefly appearing where it flows below bridges carrying the roads and railways of the city. Pictured here is part of a lengthy exposed stretch of the river as it flows alongside Potato Wharf, Castlefield (on the left bank) and the New Elm Road industrial area (to the right). In the distance the river flows under the Dawson Street road bridge and then adds its waters to the River Irwell.

Old advert!

2008-11-06T12:35:00.002Z

Turog Bread

Advertisement on the gable end of a former bakery in my home town of Irlam. This probably dates from the 1950s and before. I thought I'd photograph it before it, or the building, disappears.

A new hope

2008-11-05T20:49:00.002Z

Learning Centre

Oxford Road, Manchester, UK on the day Barack Obama became President-elect of the United States of America. Buildings of the University of Manchester, old and new, dominate this area.