Across the Medway

A view across the River Medway at low tide from Burham looking towards Snodland.

Trooping Funnel

This is a Trooping Funnel mushroom (apparently) which I found during a recent walk on the Downs in Kent.

You can't tell the scale from the picture but it was a monster. About 6" tall and about 5" across the cap.

There was a circle of them around the base of a large tree. Very impressive. They are supposed to be edible but I didn't want to take any chances.

Merchant Navy Memorial

The Merchant Navy memorial at Gravesend, Kent commemorating seafarers lost during the Second World War.

The sailing barge moored in the background is the Cambria.

Wouldham Churchyard

The churchyard at Wouldham, Kent.

Underneath the Arches

The point where three bridges cross the River Medway just upriver from Rochester, Kent. The two bridges in the foreground carry the M2 motorway. The bridge in the background is for the Eurostar/High Speed Rail link from London to the Channel Tunnel.

Follow the band

A march past through Rochester, Kent. Any idea how they know where they are going?

Kitchener

Memorial to Field Marshall Kitchener outside Fort Amherst in Chatham, Kent.

Kitchener's face appeared on the famous World War I British Army recruiting posters. He died in 1916 whilst on the way to a diplomatic mission in Russia. His ship was sunk by a mine laid by a German U boat.

Fight!

This shot was taken at Loseley Park in Surrey.

We were at an English Civil War re-enactment where over a thousand people took part in a full scale battle with cavalry, cannons, musketeers and pikemen (as shown above).

Ferrari

Close up of the badge of a Ferrari Mondial which my company recently shipped to Cape Town, South Africa.

Medway mud

A shot taken from the Saxon Shore Way at Bloors Wharf on the River Medway in Kent looking across to Motney Hill.

On the Waterfront

A line of three redundant Stothert and Pitt cranes at Imperial Wharf, Gravesend. Tilbury Power Station in the background.

For more information about Imperial Wharf please see my sister blog here

Field of gold

A field of golden wheat awaiting harvest at Cooling in Kent.

I took this photo on one of my walks through Kent. I write about my walks (amongst other things) on my blog Kent Today and Yesterday.

On the footplate

This is a view of the footplate of the steam engine 60163 Tornado taken during a water stop at Headcorn, Kent earlier this year.

I like the way the glow of the fire reflects on the fireman's face.

My son was lucky enough to be invited up to have a quick look on the footplate.

On borrowed time

We spent a few hours on the beach at Hastings recently and my son made this sandcastle.

Unfortunately the tide was coming in and being a typically British Summer's day it was blowing a gale.

Hawk

I believe this is a Harris Hawk. They normally live in North America. It was part of a falconry display at Chevening House in Kent a few weeks ago.

Peacock Butterfly

A peacock butterfly at the RSPB reserve at Northward Hill in Kent.

In the City

These office blocks were built on the site of disused cargo warehouses in West India Dock in London. The Docks closed to commercial shipping in the mid 1980's.

I liked the effect of the clouds reflected in the glass.

Kingsnorth Power Station

Kingsnorth power station in Kent - a bete noir for environmental protesters as it burns coal. Shot taken across fields of wheat. The black and white gives it a moody feel.

Agriculture and Industry

Shot taken on Friday at High Halstow, Kent on the Hoo Peninsula. Fields of wheat with Kingsnorth Power Station in the background.

Outward Bound

The German container ship Rio de la Plata passing Gravesend outward bound from the River Thames.

Poppies

A field of poppies I came across during a recent walk near Eynsford, Kent.

Ghost Train

A couple of weeks ago the fair was in town and we took our four year old for a ride on the ghost train.

I can remember when I was little being scared out of my wits but, fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view, this was probably the most pathetic ghost train ever made despite the impressive artwork.

End of the Pier

It could quite literally be the end for the once proud Hastings pier following a catastrophic fire last year.

There are efforts to raise funds to have it rebuilt but I don't hold out too much hope.

I used a sepia effect on this shot to give it a moody feel. What do you think?

Swanning Around

One of about thirty swans which now live near the Promenade in Gravesend, Kent. They are probably some of the best fed and contented swans in the country.

Bonnie

This is Bonnie one of the cats who we belong to... Normally it is a nightmare getting a decent picture of her because she always manages to look the other way or disappear as soon as the camera appears.

Old Tree at Twitton, Kent

I came across this dead looking tree on a recent walk through the Darent Valley in Kent and thought it contrasted well against the abundant plant life in the foreground (which I am told are cow parsley).

Tiger Tiger Burning Bright

This little tiger came hurtling past me during one of my recent walks. Nice cat but very timid.

Skull

As you can see my new diet is going well....

Actually this is one of Charles Darwin's specimens on display at Down House in Kent where he lived for many years. The house is open to the public and well worth a visit if you are in the area.

I will (eventually) write a post one day about the great man on my Kent blog.

Olga Maersk

Container ship Olga Maersk making her way down the River Thames after leaving Tilbury Docks.

Bluebells

Bluebells in the woods at Shorne Country Park near Gravesend, Kent. They are my favourite wild flower and I always think of them as a sign of Spring.

Royal Wedding Cake(s)

We had a nice surprise this morning when our neighbour knocked on our door and gave us these cakes she had made to commemorate the Royal Wedding.

I can report that they tasted as good as they looked.

Big Bird

Emirates super jumbo Airbus A380 flying low over Brands Hatch race circuit in Kent last year. This actual aircraft A6-EDH is supposed to be the 6000th ever built by Airbus Industries.

Street Musicians

A troupe of street perfomers and musicians in Gravesend, Kent as part of the St George's Day celebrations.


More pictures and information can be viewed here.

Church in a Sea of Yellow

The church at Ifield near Gravesend, Kent surrounded by a sea of rapeseed.

Cross on the Hill

I came across this wooden cross whilst walking the North Downs Way above Kemsing. The daffodils in the foreground are also arranged in the shape of a cross. They were placed there by a Christian missionary group based at nearby Otford Manor.

Dandelion

A dandelion taken in my (overgrown) garden. Still experimenting with close up shots at the moment but quite pleased with how this one turned out.

Angel

This picture was taken in a cemetery at Dartford, Kent. I like the "halo" effect around the wings.

British Icons

A row of iconic (mostly) London double decker buses. This was taken at a rally in Detling, Kent this weekend. A very enjoyable day out and excellent weather for a change.

Butterfly

A butterfly, or is it a moth? I took this shot last weekend at Northward Hill RSPB reserve in Kent. A sunny Spring day so all the butterflies/moths were flitting about all over the place. If anyone can identify it, please let me know.

Update - the power of the Internet... Apparently this is a Comma butterfly.

Jim

This is Jim. The senior cat of the house (or so he likes to think). Normally he gets bossed around by his three sisters and is scared of his own shadow. As you can see, he does like to have his portrait taken from time to time.

Ladybird

My first attempt at a ladybird. Quite hard to get a sharp shot when the little devil kept running up and down and the branch was swaying in the wind. Quite pleased with how it turned out all the same.

Embracing the Sea

A sculpture on the sea front at Deal in Kent called "Embracing the Sea" which I think made a good shot in black and white.

Blood Red Sky

A quick snap taken from my office window one evening last week as the sun set over the Thames.

Dungeness Lighthouse

The old lighthouse at Dungeness, Kent.

Dungeness is a very unique and barren place. A vast flat expanse of shingle on the English Channel. Next door to the lighthouse is a nuclear power station and the station for the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch heritage steam railway.

Well worth a visit if you are in the area but if you go in the Winter don't forget your thermals!

Train Journey

Little man looking thoughtful. We were enjoying a trip on the Spa Valley Railway, a heritage steam line that runs between Tunbridge Wells and Groombridge on the Kent/Sussex border.

Dover Harbour

Dover is the gateway to Britain. This shot was taken from Dover Castle which looks out over the harbour. In the foreground is a P&O freight ferry "European Seaway" unloading trucks.

In the centre the ferry "Dover Seaways" is manoeuvring onto her berth.

In the background, the freight ferry "Sea France Nord Pas de Calais" is making her way out through the harbour entrance heading back to France.

On a clear day you can see the coast of France from Dover.