Brittany Butterflies

We were hoping for a lot more species and certainly numbers of butterflies during our recent holiday in Brittany. The weather was as in England, cool, blustery and showery so it was no surprise that butterflies were thin on the ground. We did manage two new species for us - the Map, here in its second brood form (have yet to work out  the evolutionary advantage of two different forms during the year) and the Grayling, beautifully disguised on lichen-covered rocks. We also photographed very pristine Walls, a very tatty Silver-washed Fritillary, Holly Blue, Common Blue and Clouded Yellow.

Museum of Cambridge II

A second visit to photograph objects and rooms at the Folk Museum in Cambridge. This time I took a shift lens which helped the perspective in the small display rooms and gave very sharp images.

Clacton Airshow and Beach

Some of the crowds at the Clacton Airshow on Thursday. The skyride kept going during most of the display giving some people a great view of the two Lancasters. There were still spots on the beach to be alone or to serve up a rice dish to all the family.

The Vulcan at Clacton

Much as I detest anything designed to kill, there is a lot to admire in the design innovation and the engineering expertise that went into the construction of the massive Vulcan plane and then the dedication to keep it flying. It was certainly shown off to its very best at Clacton Air Show yesterday. It is due to fly for only one more season.

Derelict Factory Honfleur

In contrast to the very picturesque town and harbour, the docks area of Honfleur has some wonderfully evocative factory buildings slowly falling into decay.

Fougères Castle and Town

On the way back to Calais, we visited the splendid Château de Fougères, a medieval castle built on a granite ledge, which was part of the Duchy of Brittany's ultimately unsuccessful defence against French aggression. It is possible to climb all the towers and to walk on the high walls - like many monuments in France, health and safety are not high on the list.