Seasonally-adjusted Angel of the North

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from the north-east of England. We’re doing the annual tour of the relatives for Christmas week. The end of 2018 has been busy with the adjustment to freelance life, a determined effort to get fitter, a few gigs, and a bit of an uptick in photographic activity (little of which I’ve got round to recording here). I hope to carry on 2019 in much the same way, if I can (though hopefully remembering to post here more often). May you have a peaceful end of 2018 and start of 2019.

The view from the Thames Barrier looking towards Greenwich Peninsula and Canary Wharf

Down to the Thames Barrier on Bank Holiday Sunday morning to take photos for a few different projects:

• To illustrate a Charlton Champion post on the fly tipping that blights the industrial estate
• To capture the derelict Victoria pub on the south side of the estate (as posted here yesterday), and
• To add to a slowly growing (and in need of editing) collection of photos of the area, before the Charlton Riverside redevelopment really kicks off.

While in the area it’s impossible not to go and have a look at the river. The light was only so-so, and the view’s been photographed a million times but it still feels worth it, though, as the landscape keeps changing. How long before it’s impossible to see the Millennium Dome/O2 Arena from this part of Charlton?

Nearby, it was amusing to see how Greenwich Council have fixed their signage department’s peninsula(r) error, and also good to see the Barrier memorial settling into the landscaping.

Later on rain it rained torrentially for much of the rest of the day in classic Bank Holiday weekend style, so I was pleased to have achieved something in the morning, even if it was mostly photographing fly tipping and dereliction.

Charlton Lido Sunset, July 2017

To Charlton Lido on a warm July evening to hear Theo Thomas of London Waterkeeper charity talk about the challenges of making the Thames a swimmable river. It wasn’t entirely relevant for swimmers at my end of the Thames (the currents and the law make it a less than wise choice for swimming), but still an interesting evening. It’s good to know that there are people pushing to improve the quality of our river water (though it was dispiriting to be reminded how so many of the improvements in recent decades have come from EU law, and what that might mean for a post-Brexit Britain).

On the way out the sun was setting over a very still lido.

(PS I’m selling A4 prints of this for only £20 + P&P) – get in touch if you’d like one!)

Friday night, a semi-circumnavigation of the M25 and a night in a Holiday Inn. 
Saturday, the long slow drive to Cornwall and settling in to the camp site. More pylons. 
Sunday, a day on the beach and an invigorating (for which read ‘cold’) swim in St. Ives Bay.
Monday, the train to St. Ives and a look round the Tate followed by the Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden.

  
Tuesday, a walk along the beach to Hayle under grey skies, then ice cream.

Wednesday, pouring rain and a trip to Falmouth.  

Thursday, a whole day on the beach then a barbecue.

Friday, St. Michael’s Mount, pasty for lunch, cream team in the afternoon, fish’n’chips for tea. A swim in the lovely Hayle Outdoor Pool to mitigate the local diet. 
  
  
Saturday, a drive to Bristol, Richard Long at the Arnolfini, then a few glimpses of the balloon festival. 

Sunday, along the M4, around the M25, home, then a mile swum at Charlton Lido. 

Having observed the Saturday morning Charlton Lido swim ritual every week since the pool reopened in March, this morning thunder and lightning forced us all out of the pool. I’d only done three lengths which, as it turns out, isn’t quite enough to shake off last night’s pub trip (the Job Centre in Deptford’s first night – it’s good, despite the ropey name/concept), and it certainly isn’t enough to get the general feeling of smug wellbeing that comes after 20 lengths (I know that’s not hugely impressive in the grand scheme of things, but it’s something).

Now, fingers crossed that the weather improves for this afternoon’s Plumstead Make Merry.