I'm on Google Street View!

Not got time to post much. Got stuff to do. Just a quick pic...



It's near Mannings Lane South / Long Lane / Greenfields Lane, on the outskirts of Chester if you're interested in seeing for yourself.

The bigger picture

• The Great British Public get ready for the general election

For some reason, if I try to copy an image from google earth, and paste it into a photo editing program (I use a thing called GIMP, which is an open source photoshoppy thing) it says there is no image data in my paste buffer.

Trying for a workround, I found that I could email the image to myself, then copy the image and paste it.

What I'm trying to do is create an enormously wide picture by stitching several images together.

A bit time consuming but should be relatively straightforward.

You'll see the result at the bottom of this post, assuming I can work it out.

Today, we went for a walk along the Dee marshes. In a similar vein to the walk we did a few weeks ago in Mostyn in North Wales, but this time, I found that we could walk along the old road past the firing range. There's no vehicular access, but you are allowed to walk.

There was a big red flag flying, but that's always there. As I mentioned last time, the road has been closed to vehicles for getting on for 20 years, and I was interested to see how it had deteriorated. It was actually in fairly good nick, considering. I think perhaps the sheep help to keep the grass and weeds from taking hold. Or maybe the fact that it's nothing more than the occasional tractor driving along it has something to do with it.



The ravages of time do show up in some things though.



We went just a little bit past Burton Point, where there used to be an Iron Age settlement. There are spectacular views across the marsh to the Clywydian hills. Surely Moel Famau is a mother mountain if ever there was one. Today it was in silhouette, because we got there as the last dregs of daylight turned everything red and gold.



As to that big pic? Still trying to sort it out. It involves layers, and it's getting too complicated for my tired brain.

8

I keep finding them! These numbers and letters keep on appearing. But I'm having to work quite hard to find quality examples.

Today I have none, but fortunately, I had something in reserve. A day when I found lots but didn't use them all. I kept my powder dry. I didn't give away the goods too soon.

And now I can reap the rewards of my prudence. Today's the day when I give to you, dear reader, the number "8"

As with all the symbols I'm collecting, it's not directly an 8. I could find all the numbers and letters quite easily just be looking for road markings or helipads or whatever. Indeed this 8 does have a perfectly good "H" inside it, which I will not be using. It forms a near right angle when lined up with the locations of my "Q" and my "T". Spooky huh? Never mind leylines. My alphanumeric symbols will spell out the Truth and we will all be saved. Maybe.

The BBC's postcode used to be W12 8QT. Coincidence?

Nope. Totally contrived. By me.

Anyway... the "8". Here it is.

It's just to the South of Chester, England; close to a small Cheshire village called Boughton Heath, and just to the south of the A55.

53°10'13.17"N, 2°51'28.28"W

I think it's an old army camp or something, so perhaps it was formed by the boots of hundreds of men marching round and round in circles.

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1234567890

A Personal ritual

I got married on 18th of April, 2004. Exactly one year later, me and my lovely missus climbed Helsby Hill and carved our names into the sandstone, before going on to a place called Lady Hayes in nearby Frodsham. That's a big craft centre, and since the first anniversary is represented by paper, it seemed like a good thing to do.

Climbing the hill has become a little ritual. After we've carved the latest date and recut the old cuts, we go driving and find somewhere nice to have a meal.

53°16'24.45"N, 2°45'47.83"W

Helsby Hill is a lovely place to be. The GE screenshot doesn't really do it justice.



You can see up to Liverpool, and across to the hills of Clywyd, and down across the Cheshire plain to the hills of Shropshire. What the picture doesn't show you is the plume of smog from the chemical plants and oil refineries of Ellesmere Port. Nor does it give any indication of the constant muted roar of traffic travelling along the nearby M56 motorway. Oh, and it's generally a bit chilly when the sun isn't shining, at least in mid April. Will we be there next year? If we still have legs, sure!