Blackpool 4. South Pier and Pleasure Beach

We completed our 3 miles walk along the beach at the South Pier and Pleasure Gardens in time for a late lunch at the pier cafe that serves everything from All-day Breakfasts to Hot Roasts (glad not cold). By the time we had lunched and had a stroll round the entrance to the Pleaure Gardens - unfortunately now Ticket only, the afternoon light was great and time for the walk back.

The first image from the 1990s when the Pleasure Gardens were free. From scanned film, I had just purchased a scanner and was experimenting with  Photoshop2.

Blackpool 3. Central Pier

The area between the North and Central Piers was full of Blackpool life including a very cold wedding party, rather disgruntled donkeys and active Lifeboat crew. Central Pier definitely hosts all the fun of the fair.

View of Cambridge from Castle Hill by James Ward, 1840 in Musem of Cambridge

The Museum of Cambridge (formerly the Folk Museum) have recently acquired (with help of the Art Fund) a painting of Cambridge by the Victorian artist James Ward. It proved very difficult to photograph as requested by the Museum because it has glass on front of the oil painting surface and windows directly opposite. You will see a view I took from the top of Castle Hill trying to line Kings and Trinity with the painting. I also located on the internet a sketch done for the painting.

The painting was officially 'unveiled' at an 80th Anniversary reception for the Museum on Thursday. Image shows Sarah Ingram, Chair of the Trustees of the Museum and Lorna O'Brien the Museum Manager with the Mayor of Cambridge, Councillor Jeremy Benstead

Some details from the painting

Blackpool 2. North Pier

After overnight rain, the air was crystal clear on Saturday for our day exploring Blackpool. The first image is an in-camera composite that I like with sand and steps added to classic scene. It was very windy so lots of moving sand. Final two are daytime underexposed scenes!

Blackpool 1. Sunrise - Panorama and Fisheye

Clear and very chilly sunrise on Saturday at Blackpool. By mistake, I set out with one camera and 40-150mm and 18 mm fisheye lenses so here a combination of vertical stitched panoramas and very wide angle shots. Enjoyed the starlings leaving the pier though they didn't hang around.