Lake Windemere, The Lake District  Lake Windemere (left) is a beautiful lake in the Lake District of NW England. In early September 2016 I had the privilege of spending five weeks in England. I had always wanted to visit the famous Lake District but had never had the opportunity until now. The District consists of 11 lakes set in the rugged hills of the County of Cumbria close to the border with Scotland. The weather rained for most of the nine days I had allocated to visit the area! Nevertheless, I did manage to get some spectacular photos during the two days I spent travelling around the valleys and hills of the District.

The photo on the left gives an idea of the strange combination of grand scale, beautiful vistas and rugged terrain that is characteristic of the entire Lake District. The beauty of the place is especially poignant when the sun bursts through the clouds and lights up the surface in beautiful patches of light. The whole experience conveys a sense of peace and tranquility.

         I had worked at a town called Derby in Central England for several years. I lived there when I left school in Sept 1967 to join Rolls Royce (Jet Engine Division) as an Engineering Apprentice. Just north of Derby, in central Derbyshire, is a beautiful area known as the Peak District National Park. I remember going there as a young man and taking long walks in the beautiful English countryside. I decided I would devote one day to visiting the Peak District, and specifically Chatsworth House only 22 miles north of Derby. According to the House's website: "Chatsworth is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, and has been passed down through 16 generations of the Cavendish family." This historic house sits on about 1000 acres of rolling hills, and in addition to the more than 30 rooms that the public can access, consists of a large very well kept garden - including a full size maze. (I didn't even try that one since I get lost easily without asking for it!) The House is huge and is home to many works of art, both modern and ancient. It also has many sculptured works from Rome and Egypt, spanning over 4000 years. In one room (right) I photographed this proto-beatle in action seated on plush red seats and surrounded by wood panels.     

 My brother and his family live in a small village called Orlingbury located about 50 miles north of London in the county of in Northamptonshire, . It is a quaint village dominated by the Anglican church. On the road to the church from my brother's house I saw this beautifully thatched roof house (left). This, together with the stone wall, is very characteristic of the housing in the area and reflects the obvious pride with which these ornate roofs are constructed. Historically, a variety of materials have been used, but it seems thatching straw is the most common. In a strange combination of ancient and modern one can see advertisements for the thatcher's service on the internet! Apparently, there is a comeback in demand for thatched roofs now in England.