# A Dangerous and Irresistible Pastime > The World According to Peter ## Posts - [The Ghost of Tom Joad](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-ghost-of-tom-joad/):  In the UK, we’ve managed to show some sense and get rid of the bunch of self serving, privately educated conservative politicians and replace them with a group of, hopefully, more effective, honest and moral leaders. With 2 cabinet members from the same Wigan Comprehensive school, at least we should be able to see an... - [Take the Long Way Home (Supertramp 1979)](https://peterdraper.co.uk/take-the-long-way-home-supertramp-1979/):  Sunday the 7th was dull in the morning but dry, so we decided to go for a walk in the afternoon. The countryside around the gite was very pleasant. Rolling farmland with loads of trees and deep river valleys. In fact lovely walking country. We covered 6 or 7 miles, on what tuned out to... - [Won't Get Fooled Again!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/wont-get-fooled-again/):   It has been a fascinating last few days politically with the landslide for Labour in the UK and the turnaround in France with the right wing National Rally being relegated to third place.Could it be that the rise of right wing parties is frightening ‘normal’ people into voting to keep them out? While I... - [The Wanderers](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-wanderers/): Thursday morning looked a bit iffy on the north coast so we headed south to Auray, where we made an interesting discovery. We have some photos of our boys on holiday which we have always thought were in Dinan, but it became obvious that they were actually taken in Auray. It’s a lovely town and... - [A Day in the Life x 2](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-day-in-the-life-x-2/): Went for a walk yesterday by the Lac de Guerledan, lovely spot, hard walk and we got rained on while eating our butties! Very grey today and with intermittent drizzle, so we wnt to a local market to stock up on fruit, cheese etc and then came home for lunch. We decided on a rest... - [Our House..... Crosbby, Stills, Nash and Young](https://peterdraper.co.uk/our-house-crosbby-stills-nash-and-young/): The little gite on the prairie. This is a really nice little house. 5 rooms. The kitchen/diner and lounge are on the front with 2 bedrooms and the bathroom on the back. My only gripe is the shower cubicle which is a bit small. Or maybe I’m a bit big? Behind the gite is the... - [Watching the River(s) Flow](https://peterdraper.co.uk/watching-the-rivers-flow/): Friday morning was terrible! We had torrential rain. Went to the market in nearby Montrichard and got drenched. However! It cleared up. Went to Chenonceau. You know those places that you’ve seen umpteen times in photos and you think it might be an anticlimax to see them in real life? Well this really wasn’t one... - [Ca Plane Pour Moi - Plastic Bertrand (French Punk Rock 1977)](https://peterdraper.co.uk/ca-plane-pour-moi-plastic-bertrand-french-punk-rock-1977/): We bumbled down from Caen yesterday, avoiding tolls and motorways until we got to Alencon and then decided that driving through dull murky France was no fun. We transferred to the autoroute and it started to rain as well! However, we wound up in Amboise for lunch, outside in the sunshine. This was only 30... - [Sitting on the Dock of the Bay](https://peterdraper.co.uk/sitting-on-the-dock-of-the-bay/) - [A Weekend in my new 'Local' (Musical Ref: Hurry up Harry by Sham 69)](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-weekend-in-my-new-local-musical-ref-hurry-up-harry-by-sham-69/):  We had a lovely weekend, mostly in sunshine, at D&S’s in Stainton last weekend. We had a nice lunch at the Brackenrigg Inn on Friday with Nick and Kahlan as well as Nick’s mum and dad. The Brackenrigg Inn, Watermillock We followed this up with a stroll and an ice cream in Glenridding and a... - [Tramps like us](https://peterdraper.co.uk/tramps-like-us/):   Last Wednesday evening 45,000 people braved dreadful weather to see The Boss. Thankfully we were under cover although it seemed that those on the pitch had just as good a time as us. I went along hoping for Land of Hope and Dreams and Bobbie Jean, got neither, but came away with a new... - [No Footy, No Cry (Look What They've Done to my Game, Ma)](https://peterdraper.co.uk/no-footy-no-cry-look-what-theyve-done-to-my-game-ma/):  I don’t think that there has been a season since the very early 60s when I have watched less football. From about 1966 I used to stand on the Kop until family and work started interfering. Then it was a case of going when I was able. Gradually over the years my attendance at the... - [Hey Now Baby, Get into My Big Black Car *](https://peterdraper.co.uk/hey-now-baby-get-into-my-big-black-car/):  An interesting week in politics on many levels. In Lytham St.Annes we only had an election for a Police and Crime Commissioner. This is a post which I personally do not think should be voted for. I regard this as the beginning of a slippery slope that has led, in the USA, to voting for... - [A Busy Week!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-busy-week-2/):  The last weekend in April and I’m on my way to David’s on the train, on my own!! Huge disappointment at Preston station when, with camera poised, I’m greeted by the Northern Belle being pulled by 2 diesel locomotives rather than a steam engine. Didn’t take a photo! Great weekend despite the weather. Saturday night... - [An Unexpected Journey](https://peterdraper.co.uk/an-unexpected-journey/): A Conservative Donor waiting for a peerage  Over the last few weeks I’ve found it harder and harder to read the paper or watch the news as they’ve both been full of Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, Iran, Russia all with an undercurrent of China and Trump. As ever, those that suffer are the innocents and one... - [Raindrops kept Falling on Me 'Ead](https://peterdraper.co.uk/raindrops-kept-falling-on-me-ead/): Martin Mere – Mere Sands Wood One of (the only?) problems with moving has been that I have struggled a bit to find a group of people to “hang out” with, as the youngsters say. In Southport we were both very attached to our church and had a group of friends there who we saw... - [Party Time!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/party-time/): 🎉  Splendid party with old friends yesterday. We compared medications, illnesses, discussed the medications and illnesses of people who weren’t there. We solved some of the world’s problems, but not many. I managed to avoid any political discussions at all (as far as I can remember anyway) probably due to the fact I was driving... - [It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World](https://peterdraper.co.uk/its-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world/):  Released in 1963 ( I was 12) this was one of my earliest favourite films. Perhaps this explains the way my sense of humour developed over the years. However, the title of the film was obviously prophetic. This is from The Guardian this morning:  China targets group of MPs and peers with string of cyber-attacks... - [Last of the Summer Wine......... Almost](https://peterdraper.co.uk/last-of-the-summer-wine-almost/): Three of the 5 amigos A lovely day out yesterday around Wayoh and Turton & Entwistle reservoirs with some good mates. Despite the threat of rain, the weather ended up rather nice really and a good day was had by all. The picture is taken on the dam of the Turton & Entwistle reservoir which... - [Politicians? Ha! They're all the same!!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/politicians-ha-theyre-all-the-same/): Short answer: NO THEY’RE NOT!!! First off you need to register to vote. CLICK HERE to go to the form to allow you to register online. If you aren’t already registered you need to register by April 16th to vote in the May 2nd local elections. You don’t need to re-register for subsequent elections (General Election... - [The Ongoing PSA Saga](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-ongoing-psa-saga/):  Just a very quick post today. I mentioned I had another PSA test this week in my last post and it was yesterday. I got the results today and am delighted to report its fallen again to 1.18. In the words of the late, great Larry Grayson, “I’m cock-a-hoop!” Larry Grayson - [Another New Beginning!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/another-new-beginning/): It’s wet and miserable outside and the last time I posted on the blog was June last year, so it’s obviously time for the 18th attempt at starting the blog as a regular update on happenings in the Draper clan. I’m currently waiting for the glue to dry on my latest modelling project. Having built a... - [Back in France at last!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/back-in-france-at-last-2/): We are finally back in France. Brittany to be precise, and we have found that we love it just as much as we always have. It’s a bit cloudy this morning with a threat of a little rain, so, Heather’s painting and I’m blogging again. (At last ! I hear you all cry). Travelled down... - [To Watch or not To Watch..... That is the question!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/to-watch-or-not-to-watch-that-is-the-question/): The great moral dilemma is whether to watch the World Cup or not and I’m torn. Reasons to Boycott: Reasons to Watch Are there too many “mights” in the reasons to watch column? - [In the words of Marvin Gaye "Wha's Happenin' Bro"](https://peterdraper.co.uk/in-the-words-of-marvin-gaye-whas-happenin-bro/): As a country we’ve lost a Home Secretary and then a Chief Whip and her Deputy and then got them back, and then a Prime Minister. We’re now being threatened with the return of our recently ex-PM and 2 failed leadership candidates in our ex-Chancellor and a lady that the majority of the population wouldn’t... - [Crisis? What Crisis?](https://peterdraper.co.uk/crisis-what-crisis/): Just watched our Prime Minister’s press conference, strangely not really full of jokes but full of: Truss being decisive, but apparently definitely NOT sacking the Chancellor who has apparently shown his patriotism by resigning. Truss forgetting that the chronic lack of growth in the UK has been presided over by her party since 2010 Truss... - [Back from the Wilds](https://peterdraper.co.uk/back-from-the-wilds/): Just back from a weekend in North Wales with good mates from Southport. No phone signal. No wifi. I didn’t see any news from Thursday lunchtime till Sunday evening and it was bliss. We stayed near Beddgelert which is one of my favourite places in Britain. Surrounded by lakes, mountains, waterfalls, it really is beautiful... - [A Day at the Office (Sept 19th, 2022)](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-day-at-the-office-sept-19th-2022/): Heather is watching a funeral on the TV and I’m keeping out of the way. The thought of professional welshman Huw Edwards and the sycophant in chief Nicholas Wychell is just too much. How do I feel in these days of BBC overkill? I thought our Queen did a tremendous job as Head of State.... - [Our New PM](https://peterdraper.co.uk/our-new-pm/): The UK’s drift to the outer limits of right wing politics continues with the installation of Elizabeth Orban Bolsonaro Truss as our new overlord Prime Minister. Apparently 80,000 white male old people selected this person to be leader of the Conservative party and, hence, the supreme leader. With luminaries like Suella Braverman (somewhat to the... - [Likes and Dislikes](https://peterdraper.co.uk/likes-and-dislikes/): What I Like (no particular order) Family and Friends Mountains and lakes Liverpool F.C. Good music (ie: what I like) Red Wine, beer and good food A good book The red Ferrari I’ll never own My country (mostly) What I don’t like (no particular order) Our current government Brexit Manchester Utd. Bad music (ie: what... - [Update!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/update-2/):   Ages since I blogged. I keep promising myself I’d do this more often but, it’s a bit like New Year’s resolutions! What prompted me this time is that Google seem to have lost all my posts after May 27th 2016 ( A super day and night in Atapuerca with Larry & Desi and Joe... - [Friday, 27/05](https://peterdraper.co.uk/friday-27-05-2/): Stayed on Tuesday night in an albergue (hostel) attached to a really nice hotel. We had an excellent pilgrims menu in the hotel dining room…. 3 courses, bottle of wine, bottle of water for 12 euros each. The dormitory slept 40, th biggest we had stayed in, but it was quiet and everyone was shattered,... - [Where we are 24/05/16](https://peterdraper.co.uk/where-we-are-24-05-16/): Location service is not available - [Tuesday Afternoon](https://peterdraper.co.uk/tuesday-afternoon/): Sunday night was another multi national meal culminating in an Italian guy and I going out for a pint with a young German guy who had just walked away from his father’s business because he hated it. We naturally gave him the benefit of our experience and hope he takes all the advice on board... - [Sunday Afternoon](https://peterdraper.co.uk/sunday-afternoon/): Got into Logrono on Friday evening and had a super night. The city was full of people of all ages till late. Had pintxos (tapas but northern) and an all round good night. Set off walking to Ventosa (about 20Km) at 7am and arrived at about 1pm. The walk was lovely. Hot and sunny and... - [TGV](https://peterdraper.co.uk/tgv/): Whizzing down through France. Left Paris at 7:30 and we’re now south of Bordeaux. Love French railways! I run at 1:30 and Logrono at teatime. Excited!! - [On our way at Last!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/on-our-way-at-last/): First blogpost of the holiday from the 10:09 to Euston. Train packed and had no seats booked, so we’re sitting separately, but on our way. Felt quite unsettled at the beginning of the week, but yesterday and today I’ve been cool, calm and collected. Walked our of the flat at 9:45 as planned. The only... - [Last Training Yomp](https://peterdraper.co.uk/last-training-yomp/): Last training run today, before the big day on May 19th. As those of you who went on geography field trips to view limestone countryside will know, this is Malham Cove, one of the wonders of the northern world. We did 11miles with full pack and seemed to manage OK. The test will come on... - [Only 4 Weeks To Go](https://peterdraper.co.uk/only-4-weeks-to-go/): Thank goodness. I’m bored with training. I’m bored reading forums(a). I’m bored with guide books. I WANT TO GO…….. NOW!!!!!! Out tomorrow on the 14 mile Burscough Loop with a full pack but no hills ‘cos the Lancashire plain is like that. You know……. plain. We were hoping to do High Cup Nick, which I... - [Trial Packing](https://peterdraper.co.uk/trial-packing/): Just 7 weeks to go. Settled on Logrono as the start point and booked a hotel, so we can stop wondering if that’s the right decision now! I did a trial pack last week and the pack weighed in at 10.5kg (TOO MUCH!!). We did a 20km circuit at Rivington on Easter Monday and I... - [So many socks, so little time!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/so-many-socks-so-little-time/): After a beautiful 2-3 days in the Lake District walking and the discovery (by us anyway) of Downham near Clitheroe and  the rather wonderful Assheton Arms, we now have only 10 weeks to go. Above you see Loughrigg Tarn with The Langdales in the background, and below my niece -in-law (?) Jenny at the Fairy... - [The final Piece of the Jigsaw](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-final-piece-of-the-jigsaw/): Got the last 2 pieces of the travel jigsaw sorted. Southport to London and Paris to Irun (Northern Spain). It’s 234 miles approx from Southport to London and 500 miles approx from Paris to Irun, and guess what? The English bit of the journey is going to cost almost exactly twice as much as the... - [Rain, rain and more rain!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/rain-rain-and-more-rain/): The weather is still dreadful. This afternoon it just poured and poured so no walkies. Also loads of work on as I do a complete revamp of one of the websites which I maintain. http://luxuryhandles.co.uk is going to look beautiful and hopefully do another substantial increase in turnover for Master Lock and Safe. All this... - [My New Bluetooth Keyboard](https://peterdraper.co.uk/my-new-bluetooth-keyboard/): I’ve just received a rather dinky folding bluetooth keyboard from those tax avoiders at Amazon. I thought that if I was going to blog while we were walking the Camino, I really needed a keyboard and at 25 squid, this looks ideal. Problem No. 1 is I can’t find the pound sign, but the keyboard... - [18 Weeks to go!!!!!!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/18-weeks-to-go/): Another milestone last weekend when we booked our return flights. Got a great deal with Iberia Express. Santiago to Madrid to Manchester for ÂŁ65 each. Just need two more train tickets now and they become available next month. Also got a rather wonderful app for my phone on which you can plan your route, get... - [Happy New Year](https://peterdraper.co.uk/happy-new-year/): New Years day is a day to look back and look forward. Not at the same time obviously. Looking back while moving forward could also be dangerous………. better have a drink! 2015 was a year of mixed emotions. Lovely holidays and time spent with good friends and with my brilliant family. Juergen Klopp. The loss... - [Boxing Day](https://peterdraper.co.uk/boxing-day/): I’m sat listening to some rather chilled out music while the wife watches Downton Midwives on the telly. It’s grey, blustery, but not actually raining at present. Had a lovely day yesterday with family and off to see everyone later on this afternoon. I’ve seen the flood warnings circulating (AGAIN!!!) and I’m just being extremely... - [It's Christmas!!!!!!! (Quote from Noddy Holder)](https://peterdraper.co.uk/its-christmas-quote-from-noddy-holder/): We’re deep in the throws of Carol Services and stuff and my wife (Methdist local preacher and chaplain to 2 nursing homes) is deeper in it than most non-ordained people. I think by New Year I might get her back!! The weather has been dreadful for ages. Rain, wind but mild temperatures. There’s really no... - [Lake District Floods.](https://peterdraper.co.uk/lake-district-floods/): It’s only about 6 weeks since we had a wonderfully sunny and warm, autumn week in Keswick but just look at it now: Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Cumbria at this traumatic time. Hope the weather improves soon and then stays improved! - [Booking No.2](https://peterdraper.co.uk/booking-no-2/): To you it may just be Nov. 21st, but to us it is the day that Eurostar tickets for May 19th 2016 go on sale. Booked this morning. Next booking day is Feb19th when Virgin trains and TGV tickets go on sale. Looks like we’re committed now. - [A Sad Day](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-sad-day/): Sat here on a damp, dreary Saturday with the news full of the Paris atrocities and feeling a bit down despite the fact it’s my birthday. I’m fed up with our governments getting involved in situations in the Middle East that they don’t see through to a sensible conclusion. If we’re going to encourage Syria’s... - [Another bit of my life](https://peterdraper.co.uk/another-bit-of-my-life/): So, this is the first non walk based blog. I’m a practising (No, I’ve not got it right yet) Christian and a steward at my local Methodist Church (No, it’s not a temperance church and yes I do like a glass of wine/beer/gin/brandy). As a steward, I’m part of the Leadership Team and we’ve been... - [Keswick in October](https://peterdraper.co.uk/keswick-in-october/): Just back from 4 beautiful days in Keswick. The weather was excellent, the bed & breakfast really nice and the pubs of Keswick very acceptable! We parked the car on Monday afternoon and didn’t drive again until Friday morning apart from a ride back from Rosthwaite on the bus. By the end of 4 days... - [Nearly The Lakes](https://peterdraper.co.uk/nearly-the-lakes/): Staveley is a village right on the edge of the Lake District National Park, and is one of those places you mostly drive straight past on your way elsewhere. Yesterday we decided to explore a bit having done a walk a couple of weeks ago on my Walking Weekend. The River kent flows out of... - [Fairfield Horseshoe](https://peterdraper.co.uk/fairfield-horseshoe/): For those of you unfortunate enough to not know the Lake District, Fairfield Horseshoe is a 12 mile (ish) walk from Rydal Church covering 4 summits in excess of 2500 feet and reaching a high point of 2900 feet or about 885 metres and finishing back in Ambleside on the banks of Windermere. Not much... - [Training Weekend!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/training-weekend/): Yes, it’s time for the second annual Leyland Road Methodist Church Walking Weekend! 2 nights at the luxurious Ambleside YHA, right on the banks of Windermere with bar and restaurant. The view from the lawn in front of the bar is shown below. Stroll round Ambleside tomorrow aftrnoon, Fairfield Horseshoe on Saturday and, weather permitting,... - [Stocks Reservoir](https://peterdraper.co.uk/stocks-reservoir/): Got out yesterday in the Forest of Bowland. Beautiful countryside and we took a well loved walk around Stocks Reservoir from Slaidburn. Slaidburn is festooned with signs warning of the passage of the Tour of Britain bike race on Monday. I’d really love to get up there to watch but, sadly it can’t be done.... - [Training Run/Walk](https://peterdraper.co.uk/training-run-walk/): Just back from 14.6 mile (23.5km) training walk. A local one, so a bit flat, but enjoyable all the same. Both our new boots seem to be shaping up OK, although we’re both feeling the increased weight of the boots towards the end of the walk. Heather discovered while reading a book or forum or... - [First Booking..... and it's only August!!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/first-booking-and-its-only-august/): We’ve pretty much decided that we are going to travel to t he beginning of our Camino by train. Southport – London London – Paris Paris – Irun (N. Spain) Irun – Logrono or Burgos So last night I was looking at hotels near the Gare Montparnasse in Paris as we will overnight there before... - [In the beginning........](https://peterdraper.co.uk/in-the-beginning/): Having talked about it for months, seemingly, Heather and I have committed ourselves to doing a large portion (NOT all!) of El Camino de Santiago de Compostela in May next year. The exact starting point is still to be decided but, if we start in Burgos, which is the furthest point along the route from... - [Exploring Preston](https://peterdraper.co.uk/exploring-preston/): The most recent outing for the Fairhaven Methodist Church Walking Group took place on Monday, September 14th when 5 explorers hit the bus routes of Lancashire to rendezvous at the brutallist masterpiece which is Preston Bus Station. We had been promised showers, rain, sunshine and most things in between, but the afternoon was warm and sunny and perfect for a walk. The Preston Guild Hall is closed primarily due to legal disputes with its former operator and the subsequent discovery of dangerous Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in the roof. Walking from the bus station down towards the Flag Market, we passed the Guildhall. […] - [Summer Highlights & A Return To Blogging](https://peterdraper.co.uk/summer-highlights/): Apart from the June announcement of my leaving Facebook, this is my first ‘proper’ post since March. I thought I might give you an overview of my summer highlights. April A few nice walks but this one took first place. Arnside is a lovely spot and this was a lovely day to go with it. May The undoubted high spot of the summer……. 2 weeks in Crete. A super holiday. Fingers crossed, we can repeat it next year. June 2 nights at The Imperial in Llandudno and 2 half days in Bodnant Gardens, one of our fave places in the known […] - [First Post Since March.](https://peterdraper.co.uk/first-post-since-march/): i stopped posting on the blog because the number of people reading fell hugely and nobody was commenting. I now have a private journal which is much more satisfying as I’m just writing for me. However I thought I should post this. Last night I found a load of posts on my Facebook feed from some right wing nut job. When I looked at the account I was listed as a follower. Yo my knowledge, I have never and would never follow anyone with such views so I decided the only answer was to delete my FB account. It will take […] - [From (Owd) Russia with Love](https://peterdraper.co.uk/from-owd-russia-with-love/): Some of you may have read my post “Exploring Darwen’s Reservoirs”. Having posted this on Edgworth Now and Then, I got in conversation with a gentleman called Mark Wild who mentioned Old Russia. I’ve walked around Edgworth many times but never come across the name, so immediately decided this warranted another trip. For the derivation of the name, CLICK HERE. The Route This is a very popular route for walkers, strollers and dog walkers and is one that I’ve done loads of times. It has the great advantage of being easily lengthened or shortened depending on the weather and how my […] - [A Day in the Spring Sunshine: Haigh Hall and the Whelley Loop](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-day-in-the-spring-sunshine-at-haigh-hall/): It seems that the spring sunshine has decided to join us and to help us put winter and February behind us. Yesterday being the first Wednesday of the month, it was time for the occasional walking group to convene, this time at Haigh Hall near Wigan, for a walk on The Whelley Loop and The Leeds and Liverpool canal. Haigh Hall – A Stroll Through Centuries of History Perched above the Douglas Valley, Haigh Hall is a grand 19th-century mansion with a history stretching back to medieval times. Built between 1827 and 1840 for the Earls of Balcarres, the hall replaced […] - [Exploring Darwen's Reservoirs: A Scenic Walk Around Entwistle and Edgworth](https://peterdraper.co.uk/exploring-darwens-reservoirs/): The weather has been dreadful. Last Tuesday was supposed to be a nice day, but we had quite a bit to do in the morning (Aldi etc). I managed a walk up to St. Annes and back and the weather was nice but the walk was not what I needed. Heather had stuff to do on the Wednesday but I was free, so I decided on the old stand-by, the Rag Pudding Walk, a walk exploring Darwen’s reservoirs. I’m on my way! The day started with me getting up feeling lethargic but, after a quick kick up the backside (mental), I […] - [Cleaning Up My Digital Life: From Political Noise to Linux Gaming](https://peterdraper.co.uk/cleaning-up-my-digital-life/): Why I Scrubbed My Facebook Feed Over the last few weeks I have found myself scrolling through Facebook, only to be bombarded by political comments and articles. I decided I needed to begin cleaning up my digital life. In the last week, the number of articles regarding Jim Ratcliffe’s controversial views on immigration has been huge and the sheer volume of agreement beneath these posts was overwhelming—and not in a good way. I realized that my feed had become a battleground of opinions I didn’t want to engage with, and worse, it was affecting my mood. So, I did something radical: […] - [Switching to Linux: How I Finally Broke Free from Windows](https://peterdraper.co.uk/switching-from-windows-to-linux/): Switching from Windows to Linux It’s been ages since I’ve poked around the “innards” of a computer. I fondly remember the days when the desktop case sat open on the floor, waiting for a RAM upgrade or a new graphics card. I even remember my son mapping a Duke Nukem explosion sound to the shutdown button—much to my wife’s surprise! While those days of hardware tinkering are mostly gone, I recently decided it was time for a digital change. Inspired by our European and Canadian neighbors who are finding alternatives to US tech giants, I decided to ditch Windows and give […] - [Mandelson and the last 10 days - Jan 26th - Feb 4th](https://peterdraper.co.uk/mandelson-and-the-last-10-days-jan-26th-feb-4th/): It’s been quite a busy week. On Tuesday of last week we had our fortnightly 2 Pint Meditation at The Fairhaven followed by my appointment with the diabetes nurse on Wednesday. For those of you who haven’t been keeping up, this is my first appointment which has been postponed twice, so it’s actually about 3 months since I was informed that I was diabetic. My nurse was very pleased that I has lost about a stone in weight and my blood test showed a reduction in blood sugar levels so all is improving. To celebrate, on Saturday we went for brunch […] - [The Weekly Review Journal- Jan 19th-25th](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-weekly-review-journal-number-1/): Health Issues We’ve both still got my big son’s cold. My man flu is obviously much worse than Heather’s slight cold!! My diet is a bit stuck at around 90kg, but the blood sugar seems to be a lot better. I bought myself a monitor after Christmas and it’s been quite interesting watching what happens as I eat different things. I’m supposed to have an appointment with the diabetes nurse next Wednesday but, as the appointment has been postponed twice, I’m not holding my breath. Walking The weather has been cold, wet and windy here so, since last Wednesday’s visit to […] - [A Day at The British Commercial Vehicle Museum, Leyland](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-day-at-the-british-commercial-vehicle-museum-leyland/): As it has been cold and wet since Christmas, Neil suggested that the Walking Group try something different and suggested The British Commercial Vehicle Museum at Leyland. For those of you who don’t know, Leyland is south of Preston and is the home of Leyland Trucks and Busses. The company were also very involved in the manufacture of military vehicles from World War 1 onwards. More recent vehicles included Centurion and Chieftain tanks and then large transporter vehicles. The company is now part of Leyland DAF. The museum is housed in a fairly modern warehouse type building quite near the centre […] - [2026: Health Wins, Local Wanders, and a World on Edge](https://peterdraper.co.uk/health-wins-local-wanders-happy-new-year-2026/): Happy New Year 2026 I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a restful holiday. We certainly did—it was full of quality family time and, if I’m honest, far too much food and drink. Despite the festive indulgences, the health journey continues. I’m currently hovering around the 90kg mark. Since I started this process seven weeks before Christmas at 96kg, I’m feeling quite chuffed with the progress. A Gift to Myself: The Numbers As a special present to myself, I bought a blood sugar monitor. It’s been an eye-opener. The readings show a significant fall, bringing me very nearly below […] - [Hidden Wonders: A Boxing Day at Brockholes Nature Reserve](https://peterdraper.co.uk/brockholes-nature-reserve-boxing-day/): There’s no better way to shake off the Christmas indulgence than with a dose of fresh Lancashire air. This morning, we traded the sofa for the trails of Brockholes Nature Reserve near Preston, and it was nothing short of magical. It always astounds me that, despite its proximity to Junction 31 of the M6 and the accompanying noise, there is so much wildlife to see. We took the yellow way marked trail, which is about 3 miles. Wildlife Highlights Despite the cold, the reserve was buzzing with life. It didn’t take long for our feathered and furry neighbors to make an […] - [A Little Medical Update](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-little-medical-update/): I thought it was probably time that I gave you a little medical update and now seemed like a good time. If you read the blog fairly regularly, you will know that I build little plastic models during the long, dreary winter days. Today, after lunch, I went to do a bit more work on the latest project. I’d been thinking what I was going to do. There were three steps. Unfortunately I attempted them all together and, luckily, stopped before I made a complete mess. I then did stage one and walked away. This is a major achievement for me […] - [Mere Sands Wood Walk](https://peterdraper.co.uk/mere-sands-wood-walk/): My December, Mere Sands Wood, walk with the Southport guys was to be a familiar one. We started at Fettler’s Wharf, Rufford. Well, actually we started at Tastebuds at Fettler’s Wharf, where I had a large cup of tea and an excellent bacon barm cake. The Route From Fettler’s Wharf, we walked to the canal and turned North towards Spark Bridge. Just on the far side of Spark Bridge, a flight of steps takes you up on to the A581 Croston Road. Turn rightand then immediately left on to Spark Lane. Follow this quiet lane to its junction with the A59 […] - [My Little Lancia Delta S4](https://peterdraper.co.uk/my-little-lancia-delta-s4/): After much shouting and banging, I finally reached a point where I, sort of, finished My Little Lancia Delta S4. It isn’t brilliant. The rear engine cover is not removable and the front and rear suspensions are a bit wonky. Luckily, as the engine cover is not removable, the bodge job on the engine is mostly hidden by the intercooler. The bodywork, however, looks quite cool and the picture of the car posed in the Italian (I think) Alps, courtesy of Nano Banana, is ace! Considering I shed so many tears over the thing, I’m semi-pleased with it. See my previous […] - [My Little Lancia](https://peterdraper.co.uk/my-little-lancia/): My little Lancia Delta S4 has been keeping me busy recently, so I haven’t had time to post. I have to say that things are not going well. I suspect it’s a combination of my ineptitude and the fact that the model is not particularly well made and the instructions leave a bit to be desired. Anyone who makes plastic models will know that they generally fall into one of two categories. Either they are ridiculously easy and done very quickly or they are incredibly fiddly and take ages. Usually I prefer fiddly and a bit of a challenge, but this […] - [A First Time Visit to Glasgow](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-first-time-visit-to-glasgow/): The Trip that Nearly Never Was Some time ago Heather and I planned a visit to Glasgow. We would go to the theatre to see “To Kill a Mocking Bird” and have a day exploring Glasgow. The trip was planned for Nov 5th. Unfortunately, on the third, there was a derailment on the West Coast Main Line and no trains ran on the 3rd. On the fourth there were still no trains and we were confidently expecting our trip to be cancelled. However, despite appalling weather, services were restored late on the evening of the 4th, so the trip was back […] - [Winter Draws On.....](https://peterdraper.co.uk/winter-draws-on/): As the days get shorter, colder, wetter and more windy and the nights get longer and darker, I have returned to model making. It’s ironic that, as a staunch republican (NOT in the American sense), my birthday falls on the same day as King Charles III. Anyway, as my birthday is approaching, Heather wanted to know what to get me. She’s really come up trumps this year. Not only has she given me a space in the art room, but she has bought me a portable painting booth with a fan. Now, there’s a certain amount of self interest in the […] - [Sizergh Castle, A Visit to the Rock Garden](https://peterdraper.co.uk/sizergh-castle-visit-rock-garden/): Explore the stunning autumn colors of acers in the rock garden at Sizergh Castle, a historic gem in the Lake District. - [Beach Birthday Breakfast](https://peterdraper.co.uk/beach-birthday-breakfast/): Today is my dear wife’s birthday so we decided a little treat was in order. We went for a walk along the beach to St. Annes. It was a grey morning but with no wind as we strolled along the beach to the Beach CafĂ© for a hearty breakfast. We walked just short of 6 miles, which probably took care of about a third of breakfast but a good start to the day. Birthday lunch will be on Sunday. - [A Grand Day Out at the Harris Museum!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-grand-day-out-at-the-harris-museum/): At the heart of Preston is the magnificent Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library. Now freshly refurbished at a cost of ÂŁ19 million, it has reopened with a major cultural attraction – the Wallace & Gromit exhibition! As soon as you step into the Harris, you’re struck by its grandeur. The soaring ceilings, intricate detailing, and sense of history are palpable. You are immediately drawn to the UK’s longest Foucault Pendulum, a 35metre long precision instrument to demonstrate the rotation of the earth. We decided to start on the top floor with Wallace and Gromit and work our way down. The […] - [The Beamers Trail](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-beamers-trail/): A group of three or four of us try to meet once a month for a walk. It’s a bit weather dependent but usually takes place on the first Wednesday of the month. Our walk for October found us in Witton Park in Blackburn, repeating a walk that Heather and I had done in May. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t quite as good, but The Beamers’ Trail is a good one in most weather conditions. Witton Park is a huge green space on the edge of Blackburn. There are paths, playgrounds, sports pitches and woods and, also a cafĂ©. This was supposed […] - [Hardcastle Crags](https://peterdraper.co.uk/hardcastle-crags/): Early this week we ventured out from Lytham for a scenic escape into the heart of West Yorkshire’s countryside to Hardcastle Crags. After an easy 80-minute drive, we arrived at Lower Midgehole Car Park, ready to stretch our legs and soak in the early signs of autumn. First problem, it’s in Yorkshire, but we managed the border controls alright. (For the benefit of foreigners, that’s a joke. There are no border controls. Lancashire and Yorkshire are two administrative areas and we all love eachother really.) Hardcastle Crags is close to Hebden Bridge famed for its picturesque, historic character, vibrant arts scene, […] - [A Sunny Sunday Stroll around Lytham](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-sunny-sunday-stroll-around-lytham/): There’s nothing quite like waking up on a Sunday to blue skies and sunshine. It feels like an invitation to get outside, so that’s exactly what we did this morning. We went for a stroll around Lytham. We set off from our flat on Woodlands View and headed out for a loop that took us through some of our favourite corners of Lytham. First Stop: Lytham Hall We love walking through the grounds—whatever the season it always feels calm and looks beautiful, even if we’ve been there countless times. The trees were glowing in the morning light, and there were just […] - [Un Article de Blog en francais](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-blog-post-in-french/): Bonsoir, ma famille et mes amis. Notre cuisine a Ă©tĂ© remplie de dĂ©licieuses odeurs aujourd’hui. Heather a prĂ©parĂ© des gâteaux de NoĂ«l, comme elle le fait chaque annĂ©e. Elle en fait un pour chaque foyer de la famille. Ils recevront rĂ©gulièrement des doses de cognac d’ici NoĂ«l. Une semaine ou deux avant NoĂ«l, ils seront remis aux trois foyers qui composent notre famille. Heather et moi, Ă©videmment, garderons le quatrième. Il y a quelques semaines, j’avais promis de ne plus publier de messages politiques avant 2026. Ces deux dernières semaines ont cependant Ă©tĂ© difficiles. Aucun parti politique britannique n’inspire la moindre […] - [Speke Hall again and other stuff](https://peterdraper.co.uk/speke-hall-again/): Thursday was the last full day of the school holidays that we would have our grandson. After our visit to Speke Hall earlier in the summer, we thought it would make a great day out for all three of us, so, off we went. Despite the weather forecast being a bit iffy, apart from a couple of heavy showers whilst in the car, it was OK, and we had a great time. The ‘Summer of Play’ stuff that the National Trust had going for children was great and our grandson really enjoyed a treasure hunt in Speke Hall itself, and The […] - [Visiting Merrily Watkins Country](https://peterdraper.co.uk/visiting-merrily-watkins-country/): On our way back from visiting family in Worcester, we decided to avoid the M5 and much of the M6 and drive up through a little bit of Herefordshire, and across Shropshire and Cheshire. We aimed to stop in Church Stretton for lunch. Some of you may know that this is the stamping ground of Merrily Watkins, the vicar/exorcist/detective invented by the late Phil Rickman. The A49 and the railway pass between The Long Mynd to the west and Caer Caradoc and Hope Bowdler Hill to the east. I have always found it an extremely beautiful area if slightly spooky. Merrily […] - [The Great Whin Sill](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-great-whin-sill/): Above is The Great Whin Sill exposed at High Cup Nick near Dufton in North Yorkshire Having failed a geology degree several centuries ago, I am happy to say that I still find geology endlessly fascinating. The Great Whin Sill is a major geological feature in Northern England. A sill is a band of volcanic rock which has been inserted in between older layers of rock. While the feature was once regarded as the result of one event, it now appears that there are four components to the feature. For more details of this, and to save me boring some of […] - [Yvette Cooper](https://peterdraper.co.uk/yvette-cooper/): I know I said no more politics until 2026, but I just had to reprint this from the Letters page of The Times a couple of days ago. Hope I don’t get arrested. Apparently I’m in the right demographic. Sir, The home secretary proposed to ban Palestine Action on the ground of “unacceptable criminal damage” after they infiltrated RAF Brize Norton (“Palestine Action’s rise from ashes of Corbynism to public enemy No 1”, Aug 9). In the 1980s when I was UK commander of the RAF Greenham Common cruise missile base, I had a ÂŁ250,000 annual budget to repair damage done […] - [Pendle Heritage Centre and Colne Walk](https://peterdraper.co.uk/pendle-heritage-centre-and-colne-walk/): It’s a constant source of amazement to me that the surroundings and public spaces of the mill towns of East Lancashire are so beautiful. Yesterday four of us walked from the Pendle Heritage Centre at Barrowford, up to the Lower Foulridge reservoir and then back down through Alkincoats Park and Colne to finish with an ice cream back at the Heritage Centre. With just a few hours to walk, the Ribble Valley and the Blackburn, Burnley, Colne area are ideal. Just an hour or so away from the Lancashire coast and you are in the hills. The lakes may be reservoirs, […] - [I Grant You Refuge](https://peterdraper.co.uk/i-grant-you-refuge/): 1.I grant you refugein invocation and prayer.I bless the neighborhood and the minaretto guard themfrom the rocket from the momentit is a general’s commanduntil it becomesa raid. I grant you and the little ones refuge,the little ones whochange the rocket’s coursebefore it landswith their smiles. 2.I grant you and the little ones refuge,the little ones now asleep like chicks in a nest. They don’t walk in their sleep toward dreams.They know death lurks outside the house. Their mothers’ tears are now dovesfollowing them, trailing behindevery coffin. 3.I grant the father refuge,the little ones’ father who holds the house uprightwhen it tilts […] - [If I Must Die](https://peterdraper.co.uk/if-i-must-die/): Yesterday evening (Aug 3rd) Heather and I attended a vigil for peace in Gaza. This post and the next will featrure two poems by Palestinian writers which were used in the vigil. Neither are used to excuse or justify the actions of either Hamas or the Israeli government and army. Both, it seems to me, demonstrate that the cost of these wars is borne mainly by the innocents. If I must die,you must liveto tell my storyto sell my thingsto buy a piece of clothand some strings,(make it white with a long tail)so that a child, somewhere in Gazawhile looking heaven […] - [Speke Hall](https://peterdraper.co.uk/speke-hall/): Looking for a day out yesterday, we realised we hadn’t been to Speke Hall for ages. Speke Hall is a National Trust property which sits right beside Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Speke Hall is a rare Tudor timber-framed manor house in an unusual setting on the banks of the River Mersey. Restored in the 19th century, it is a unique mixture of Tudor simplicity and Victorian Arts and Crafts aesthetics. Built by the devout Catholic Norris family, eager to impress visitors with the grandeur of their home, Speke Hall embodies more than 400 years of turbulent history. Its secret priest hole reflects […] - [The Handmaid's Tale](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-handmaids-tale/): Landslide by Fleetwood Mac with help from the handmaids Last night we finally reached the end of the final series of The Handmaid’s Tale. For those of you who haven’t kept up, there have been 6 series. The program has never been less than good and has often been excellent if extremely disturbing. The final series followed this pattern, starting off slowly but reaching excellence in the last 3 episodes. The use of the wonderful Landslide by Fleetwood Mac helped this. While washing up this morning, however, something occurred to me. Near the end of the final episode our hero, June […] - [Preston and The Essence of Great Britain](https://peterdraper.co.uk/preston-essence-of-great-britain/): Heather and I had a day out in Preston on Wednesday. We walked from the bus station, now a Grade II listed building and a prime example of “brutalist” architecture. We went past the market, now a much reduced version of the old bustling area. We carried on to Fishergate, where we used to have a shop. This area still has an empty BHS store in a prime position and seems to have more coffee shops and bars than ever. The St. Georges Centre is still a retail hub, but is sadly lacking anything that would identify it as being in […] - [Chill Out at Acorn Bank](https://peterdraper.co.uk/chill-out-at-acorn-bank/): It’s been a really busy month so far. I repeated the Beacon Fell walk with 2 good friends from Southport about 10 days ago. The post showing the original walk in May is HERE. Then we had big Grandson’s 23rd birthday at the rather wonderful Solito Posto in Lytham. Small Grandson says it has the best ice cream anywhere, but I went for a double espresso and a glass of Strega. People say it’s an aquired taste, in which case I’ve aquired it! Following this we were out for lunch at Lytham Hall with one of our neighbours and a friend […] - [Grandson Climbs a Mountain](https://peterdraper.co.uk/grandson-climbs-a-mountain/): Mummy and Daddy took me up to The Lake District at the weekend and we climbed another mountain. This one was by the side of a big lake and there was a huge waterfall on the way up. There were stairs so you could go down to the bottom of the falls. The path up the mountain follows the river for a while and then you go up to the top. I’m sure that Nana and Grandad would have liked this but they both say that their knees are going wonky. They say that they both hurt when coming down, which […] - [It's Glasto](https://peterdraper.co.uk/its-glasto/): High Spots: Just watching The 1975’s set from Friday night. Pretty good really. I was quite looking forward to Rod Stewart this afternoon, but after the Farage comments, might give it a miss. I’m sure that Kneecap are chuffed to bits with the extra publicity received from our PM and the BBC. Didn’t watch the set. I have trouble keeping up with rap in English never mind Irish! Just to put stuff in context the last album I bought after seeing a band on Glasto on the TV, was Hot Fuss by the Killers in 2004 ( you know…. Mr. Brightside). […] - [Father's Day](https://peterdraper.co.uk/fathers-day/): On Sunday I did Junior Park Run and then Mummy, Daddy and I went walking to a place called Nicky Nook. It’s a hill with a weird white stone on the top, which Dad called a trig point. Apparently it tells everyone how high a place is – not sure how. In case you missed it, it was Father’s Day on Sunday. Mummy and Daddy invited Grandad and Nana out for lunch. A few days later my cousin Nick called to see if he could come to see Nana and Grandad and so ended up coming with us. I hadn’t seen […] - [It's Just Not Fair](https://peterdraper.co.uk/its-just-not-fair/): I’ve just seen Nana and Grandad’s photos of their day out yesterday and I don’t think it’s fair that I have to sit in class learning about Florence Nightingale while they go off enjoying themselves. I bet they had ice creams as well cos Grandad always has ice cream when he goes out for the day. Actually, I don’t really mind going to school cos the teachers are really nice and I get to see all my friends. We even went to a Christening on Thursday! I really would have liked an ice cream though. - [What I Found Out in the Newspaper Today](https://peterdraper.co.uk/what-i-found-out-in-the-newspaper-today/): I’m really sorry to disappoint you all, but grandson has gone back to school and says he can’t think of anything to write about. So it falls to me to continue the mildly amusing, nearly non-political posts that my grandson has started. Click on the pictures to go to the news story. In UK News Having watched the Michelle Mone documentary this week, if further proof was needed that the honours system is completely broken. In US News One for the “Couldn’t happen to a nicer couple” section. European News Never mess with your granny: Antipodean News Just a really nice […] - [Grandson's Holiday](https://peterdraper.co.uk/grandsons-holiday/): Gosh, it has been a busy few days. Nana and Grandad got back from their holidays to find that their taxi home from Manchester had broken down. Nana said Grandad used some very bad words, but they got home eventually. Nana said her flat felt like a laundry on Wednesday and Thursday, but luckily I arrived to cheer her up on Thursday afternoon. This was because my Mummy and Daddy were going off on holiday without me!!! They were back on Sunday, but all we saw of their holiday were some little glasses of brown stuff. No sandcastles again!! Anyway, on […] - [Mel says Banana!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/mel-says-banana/): Me and Mel are seeing Molly and Milo this weekend. Mel has a tribe. There is an idiot in the tribe called Norbert. Mel slept with the dogs like always. Hit the beat 3, 2, 1 GO! - [Postcard from Crete](https://peterdraper.co.uk/postcard-from-crete/): Grandad has sent me another few pictures and a story or two from his holidays. Apparently they had an earthquake a few days ago! Nana and Grandad slept through it of course. They have been exploring Crete by bus. Grandad wanted to hire a car, but Nana wasn’t keen. Heraklion is the capital of Crete and the airport is named after the man who wrote Zorba the Greek. I have no idea what that is! Agios Nikolaos has a lake right in the middle of the town which is bottomless. Nana and Grandad decided to hire a car for 2 days […] - [I Borrowed Grandad's Blog 3](https://peterdraper.co.uk/i-borrowed-grandads-blog-3/): Holiday in Crete Nana and Grandad are on their holidays so they asked me to do their blog. I think I might get this job full time soon, cos my posts get more hits than grandad’s! They are in Crete at the moment where Grandad says Nana is getting a “taste for raki”. I’m not sure what that is but Grandad says he’s going to send a video to my cousin Nick. They say that the place they are staying is very nice and the weather is hot and sunny. But. I’ve not seen any pictures of sand castles yet so […] - [I borrowed Grandad's Blog 2](https://peterdraper.co.uk/i-borrowed-grandads-blog-2/): Grandad said that my last post on the blog was really good and lots of people read it, so he’s let me do another one. Even my cousin liked it and he’s a black belt in karate! Nana and Grandad pick me up from school on a Thursday, and last Thursday was the 80th anniversary of the end of World War 2 and we had been doing loads about it in school. We also had a cake competition and Nana and Grandad really liked mine. Actually, mummy helped me, so it wasn’t just mine. I thought you all might like a […] - [The Witton Weavers Way 1](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-witton-weavers-way-1/): The Witton weavers were not a specific group of people, but rather a term used to refer to the hand loom weavers from Witton near Blackburn. The Witton Weavers were among many Lancashire textile workers who were replaced by industrialisation and modernisation of the industry in the 19th century. The Witton Weavers Way is a 32 mile trail around Blackburn and Darwen created to celebrate the areas industrial heritage and natural beauty. The Beamers Trail The Beamers Trail starts in Witton Country Park on the western side of Blackburn. It climbs to Billinge Hill and then gradually drops into the valley […] - [I Borrowed Grandad's Blog](https://peterdraper.co.uk/i-borrowed-grandads-blog/): As my mummy and daddy were away on Friday night, I was staying with my Nana and Grandad. As Grandad and I had breakfast on Saturday morning, I could tell something was wrong. Grandad was chunnering and wasn’t his normal happy self. He kept on muttering about someone called Nigel, who seemed to have done something very bad, but he wasn’t very precise about what. Almost as bad, apparently, were two other people with really funny names, Keir and Kemi. One seemed to be trying to make friends with Nigel, and the other one must have been driving cos Grandad said […] - [A Walk to Beacon Fell](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-walk-to-beacon-fell/): The Forest of Bowland National Landscape covers in excess of 800 sq. km. of NE Lancashire with a small section in North Yorkshire. Most of the Forest is not forest as we understand it. It was created as Royal Hunting Forest after the Norman Conquest and was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (later a National Landscape) in 1964. Beacon Fell Walk: Bluebells and Lancashire Views The day was forecast to be warm and sunny, so I decided that Beacon Fell would be the aim of the walk. It’s only 873 feet (266 metres) high, but the views around […] - [Clitheroe and The Ribble Valley 3](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-pendle-witches/): The Pendle Witches – A Haunting Tale from England’s Past As we walked around the ruined battlements of Clitheroe Castle, Pendle Hill was bathed in sunshine a few miles to the south. The pleasant outlook was in stark contrast to the chilling tale of The Pendle Witches which unfolded 400 years ago in the villages surrounding Clitheroe. The tale of the Pendle Witches and their trials in 1612, is a story of superstition, poverty and sectarian fear which ended in tragedy. Historical Context of the Pendle Witches The story begins in a time of religious unrest and widespread belief in the […] - [Clitheroe and The Ribble Valley 2](https://peterdraper.co.uk/clitheroe-and-the-ribble-valley-2/): Clitheroe Castle Clitheroe Castle is one of the most iconic landmarks in Lancashire and a key feature of the town that shares its name. Though modest in size, this ancient structure is packed with character and history, offering a fascinating glimpse into medieval life and the development of the region. Built around 1186 by order of Robert de Lacy, Clitheroe Castle was originally constructed to establish Norman control over the area. It sits atop a 35-metre high limestone knoll, providing a strategic vantage point over the Ribble Valley. The keep is one of the smallest Norman stone keeps in England, yet […] - [Clitheroe and The Ribble Valley 1](https://peterdraper.co.uk/clitheroe-and-the-ribble-valley-1/): We’re just back from a couple of days in Clitheroe. It’s a lovely town and it’s only 40 minutes away from us. I was bought a night in The Spinning Block Hotel, which is part of the Holmes Mill complex, for my birthday last November and we finally managed to take advantage of my very generous gift. Let me tell you a little about Clitheroe. Nestled in the heart of the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, the bustling market town of Clitheroe offers an interesting mix of history, natural beauty, and local culture. With its cobbled streets, independent shops, and welcoming atmosphere, […] - [Exploration and Investigation](https://peterdraper.co.uk/exploration-and-investigation/): Those of you reading this who live locally, will know that we have a new road from Ansdell up to the beginning of the M55. As they have laid a nice footpath along the new road I decided to have a bit of an explore on Thursday morning, as a bit of a change from heading to the coast. As you can see from the attched image, there wasn’t a lot of hill walking! However it was quite interesting covering a bit of new ground. The part linking the Crematorium to Blackpool Road is extremely interesting. This is Regent Avenue. For […] - [Joy of Sport 3](https://peterdraper.co.uk/joy-of-sport-3/) - [Endings and Beginnings](https://peterdraper.co.uk/endings-and-beginnings/): A very sad day yesterday as we came to the end of season 3 of Ted Lasso. We were very late to this particular party, but what an excellent series it’s been. Can’t wait for season 4! From what I read in the papers this morning, the two episodes we watched last night were much more entertaining than the football on the TV. However, new and launched today, we have my very talented wife’s Art Gallery page . It’s taken a while to convince Heather to put some of her artwork on the blog, but I’m really pleased that we have […] - [The Joy of Sport 2](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-joy-of-sport-2/): So after a lovely Saturday, Sunday was something of a disappointment. My wonderful football team played in a rather less than wonderful fashion to lose the Carabao Cup Final to a, frankly, bang average Newcastle Utd 2-1. If Liverpool had been playing someone half way decent they would have got hammered! The players of the Brazil team of the 1970’s must be horrified to see those 2 Brazilian yobs in Newcastle’s midfield, and I can only assume that Kieran Trippier learnt all those falling on the ground tricks at Atletico Madrid. An awful performance from the boys in red. As well […] - [The Joy of Sport: Afternoon Pints and Fond Memories](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-joy-of-sport-afternoon-pints-and-fond-memories/): I’m having a sporty week or so. Andy and I had one of our afternoons at Fylde Rugby yesterday. It’s a good oportunity to have a couple of pints and a natter while watching live sport that we don’t really understand and where the result doesn’t really matter to us. It’s nice to see Fylde win, but if they lose, well, the pints and the natter have made the sfternoon worthwhile. I have to say that, much as I love my little grandson Josh (A LOT), it’s nice to be able to have a conversation with Andy without Josh leaping on […] - [It's All Happening at The Zoo](https://peterdraper.co.uk/its-all-happening-at-the-zoo/): As a relative newcomer to Lytham, I don’t know whether this happens every year but, for the last 2 years Blackpool Zoo have offered a 40% discount for residents of FY postcodes during March. So, always with an eye out for a bargain, we had a day out at the zoo today. I’m not entirely sure that the heron is a resident. I think it may have been pasing through, but it does look rather elegant. Please excuse the scratches on the glass between me and the tiger. I really didn’t want to get any closer! I had a look at […] - [Thanks and Goodbye to Royal Lancaster Infirmary.](https://peterdraper.co.uk/lancaster-again/): Following on from my last post concerning Heather and her accident in Grasmere, I thought I would update everyone regarding her injuries. Heather was discharged from out-patients today. The x-rays showed no breaks to her facial bones and it’s just a question of waiting until some bits of scar tissue heal up completely. Once again we both have to thank the staff at Kendal, Lancaster and the paramedics who looked after her in Grasmere for their brilliant care. The picture at the top of the page was taken today (March 7th), the one to the left was taken on Feb 26th, […] - [Could this be Spring?](https://peterdraper.co.uk/could-this-be-spring/): Crocusses near The Clifton Memorial, Lytham St. Annes I had a lovely walk in the spring sunshine this morning. The walking has taken a bit of a back seat recently as Heather has been recovering from her fall, but today she drove to Art Club so things are obviously improving. One of the problems with getting older is your heroes start dying off, the latest being Gene Hackman. I’m not sure that Popeye Doyle will ever be bettered. - [Thank You NHS](https://peterdraper.co.uk/thank-you-nhs/): If you have read my blog fairly regularly, you will know that I am always banging on about how grateful I am to the NHS for keeping me going despite my various medical conditions. Well my dear wife and I now have another reason for gratitude. Unfortunately, just over a week ago, Heather had a fall in Grasmere which resulted in severe bruising to her face, several stitches in her lip and a badly bruised knee. This led to the calling of an ambulance, a trip to Kendal Minor Injuries Unit and finally a trip to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. We […] - [When you come to the end of the road](https://peterdraper.co.uk/when-you-come-to-the-end-of-the-road/): OK, I admit I’m a bit of a politics nerd. We have a subscription to The Guardian and a subscription to The Times and I usually read John Crace’s diary piece in The Guardian on Prime Minister’s Questions and sometimes Tom Peck’s sketch in The Times. For those who are unaware, the centrepiece of PMQs is the leader of the opposition getting to put 6 questions of their own choosing to the Prime Minister, the idea being to embarass, stump or otherwise make the Prime Minister look stupid, incompetent or both. Usually the 2 newspapers mentioned give reports totally different to […] - [Prostate Cancer](https://peterdraper.co.uk/prostate-cancer/): There has been a lot in the media about prostate cancer recently. It’s become the most common diagnosed cancer, overtaking breast cancer. Chris Hoy was on TV before Christmas, Giles Coren in The Times, Rod Stewart, Stephen Fry, Ian McKellen, Andrew Lloyd Webber have all shared their stories of living with prostate cancer. My sponsored walk didn’t make the national news but, hopefully, raised awareness and definitely raised money for research into PC. A number of friends and aquaintances have been diagnosed recently with PC, often when their doctors were looking for something else, so, when I read this article in […] - [You Make the Path by Walking](https://peterdraper.co.uk/you-make-the-path-by-walking/): This is, more or less the walk we did yesterday. It’s 5.5 miles, but there are loads of variations to make it shorter or longer, all helped by 2 nice pubs. The Black Bull, just off the path in Edgworth, and The Strawbury Duck, next to Entwistle Station. The Wader is a 10foot tall heron, sculpted in galvanised mild steel by the British based Dutch artist Marjan Wouda. It has been a feature of the northern shore of the reservoir since 2008 and depicts a heron patiently waiting for its prey. The stick in the heron’s beak is, apparently, a stick […] - [The Social Media Conundrum](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-social-media-conundrum/): In a world where billionaires like Musk and Zuckerberg influence politics and public opinion, social media shapes our perceptions. Discover how one joyous surprise can brighten the daily scroll. - [Walk like a.............](https://peterdraper.co.uk/walk-like-a/): It’s 10 days since I last blogged, and, while I would love to say I’ve been walking every day, actually, due to a combination of tired knee, horrible weather and work (yes, I’m still doing a bit), I’m falling behind the ultimate target. I was hoping to get the double marathon distance done this week and then get to a triple marathon next week, but that looks unattainable now. Thanks to everyone who has donated to Prostate Cancer UK, it’s made the walking very worthwhile. If anyone would like to donate, the Just Giving page is HERE On the more positive […] - [Walk on with hope in your heart!!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/walk-on-with-hope-in-your-heart/): Today has been a very good day! I finished the marathon distance of 26.2 miles for the sponsored walk for Prostate Cancer UK and so I’ve increased the target mileage for January to 52.4 miles. Please note, this doesn’t mean that all you very generous people who have donated have to double your donations! But, just in case………………. Here’s my Just Giving page I’m going to keep on going through January and then continue, knees willing, through the rest of the year. I am hoping to do 2 walks outside of Lytham next week, Rivington and the Rag Pudding walk at […] - [Keep On Walking](https://peterdraper.co.uk/keep-on-walking/): A cold, still day today so I’ve been for a walk with Heather this morning, through Lytham Hall grounds, down Green Drive along the coastal path to Granny’s Bay and home. Just short of 6.5 miles. Up to 14.3 miles so far. I’ll keep on going through January and see how far I get. (Camino training??) I can’t wait to get out of Lytham to walk. Hopefully, from Jan 20th, I’ll be back driving and I’m looking to do the famous Rag Pudding walk (possibly no pub – dry January and all that guff!), Rivington, Rufford and Slaidburn. I’ll post dates […] - [Another milestone](https://peterdraper.co.uk/another-milestone/): Headlights on Crocs!!!! Who Knew????? When I had my first consultation with my oncology consultant at Clatterbridge, I asked her for a prognosis and she wouldn’t give me more than 5 years. My immediate reaction was that I had far too much still to do to fit it all into 5 years. This was in August 2019. Therefore 2025 is my first Bonus Year!! We’ve had a superb Christmas and New Year with the family in Cumbria, with a full complement of them over the weekend of the 28th. I would like to thank them all for putting up with the […] - [Have yourself a merry little Christmas](https://peterdraper.co.uk/have-yourself-a-merry-little-christmas/): We’re having a lovely time in Stainton. We had a beautiful Christmas lunch courtesy of Sarah. We walked yesterday morning onto Askham Fell to overlook Ullswater and the Helvellyn range and then dozed through the afternoon and today we’ve been out replenishing the food stocks. We’ve attempted to learn how to play poker with varying degrees of success, and, on a personal note, I’ve got Richard (landlord at The Kings Arms) to call me Peter. Hopefully he will remember tonight! The turkey was still really good for lunch today and I think there’s a bit left for tomorrow. As well as […] - [Strictly Blogging](https://peterdraper.co.uk/strictly-blogging/): After only 7 months we have finally reached the final!! What are they going to do with all the small children who have been in the audience all this time? So, given all the news from friends in the Lytham Mens’ Health Group, I’ve been thinking about how I react to my medical problems. I do this by setting targets. Not always big ones, and I try to make them attainable. I don’t try to make them easily attainable, but I’m not going to set myself a target of climbing Everest, cos I’m never going to be able to achieve this. […] - [Just Keep Walking!!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/just-keep-walking/): For those of you who don’t see my Facebook posts or aren’t part of various WhatsApp groups of which I’m a member, in January 2025 I’m taking on the Run the Month Marathon Edition for Prostate Cancer. Unfortunately, I won’t be running this, but I will be walking quite briskly and I’m aiming to do as great a distance as I am able, rather than just the 26.2 miles. I have a Just Giving Page if you would like to help me raise money for research into Prostate Cancer Those of you who have followed the blog will know that I’m […] - [Everybody's Gone Surfing](https://peterdraper.co.uk/everybodys-gone-surfing/): Had a nice, if short, walk this morning. The sun was shining, the tide was in, but it must have rained really hard in the night cos everywhere was very wet! The walk was 2.5 (flat) miles, taken at stroll pace. I don’t think my energy levels are improving, but, generally feeling OK. Had my second attempt at ramen last night and it was a huge improvement on the first try. The recipe I sort of followed was prawn and chicken, but I subbed tofu for the chicken and, astonishingly, I enjoyed it. The broth was great. Chicken stock, mirin and […] - [Autumn 3 or Winter 1?](https://peterdraper.co.uk/autumn-3-or-winter-1/): All the leaves have gone from the horse chestnut tree at Lytham Hall. It will be interesting to see what happens next year. Was it the weather or some disease which caused the leaves to fall of in clumps? Cold today, but Lytham Hall still looks lovely, although I wouldn’t like to pay for the heating. It’s strange but it seems to me that when you walk along the promenade virtually nobody speaks unless you actually know them, while, in Lytham Hall grounds, practically everyone greets you, whether they know you or not. Interesting phenomenon …………….. discuss. - [A Horse with No Name](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-horse-with-no-name/): We are just back from a lovely weekend in Harrogate. We got a brilliant hotel deal to coincide with a performance by the mighty Bellowhead at the Harrogate Convention Centre and also my birthday. We met up with some family on Saturday morning , had a stroll around Harrogate and then went out for a rather lovely meal on Saturday night. The meal was almost spoiled by a rather loud bloke at the next table. Not rude, drunk or anything, he just had a loud voice. Luckily the food was excellent so we were able to cope. Harrogate gives the impression […] - [......... and I feel fine. (Faded Old Glory Hangin' like a Rag)](https://peterdraper.co.uk/and-i-feel-fine-faded-old-glory-hangin-like-a-rag/): Unless you’ve been in a cave in Outer Mongolia for the last few months, you will be aware that the US Presidential election took place on November 5th. Bonfire night, how appropriate. So who won, I hear you ask as you emerge from said Mongolian cave, tripping over 6 months growth of beard. Most people seem to think Donald Trump won, but I would like to offer a few alternatives. Elon Musk? He must get something for investing a reputed $117 million dollars in Trump’s campaign. Mark Zuckerburg? He now realises that the power of his social media companies is so […] - [A Chocolate Story](https://peterdraper.co.uk/1904/): Back when I was at school, in the middle of the last century, we were taught about the great Victorian philanthropist industrialists, and foremost in these families were the Cadbury clan. The Cadburys were Quakers. That doesn’t mean they just ate porridge, but does mean they were devout Christians and pacifists. In 2010 Cadbury was bought by Kraft Foods and in 2012 sold to a US based confectionery multi-national called Mondelez. In 2023 Ukraine designated Mondelez an “international sponsor of war” as they still operate factories and pay taxes in Russia. The campaign group B4Ukraine in a statement said, “The values […] - [Autumn on the Way 2](https://peterdraper.co.uk/autumn-on-the-way-2/): So, I had this bright idea. I thought I’ll take a series of photos of the big chestnut tree at Lytham Hall over a number of weeks to illustrate the onset of autumn and then winter. The original idea was for 1 a week. The first (Autumn on the way) was published on October 10th and this, three and a bit weeks later is the second. If you compare the 2 images, the second is definitely showing more signs of autumn colours, but the top is a right mess. I don’t know whether the tree has caught something, or if the […] - [Just Dropped In.......](https://peterdraper.co.uk/just-dropped-in/): Latest medical update: PSA is 1.59 and everyone is reasonably happy with that. Potassium is 3.3 which is low, but no lower than it has been for the last 6 years apart from the 2 occasions in recent weeks when I was on potassium supplements, but my GP isn’t happy and I have to see him in 10 days. Prostate cancer feeds on testosterone so the meds I’m on aim to limit the amount of testosterone I produce and this is working well. There is one obvious side effect which I’m not going to explain, but there are a number of […] - [Hey now baby, get into my big black car](https://peterdraper.co.uk/hey-now-baby-get-into-my-big-black-car-2/): So, I open the Guardian App this morning while drinking my cup of tea and see the above headline and I wonder “What is going on??” Who is this speaking? Is it David Cameron or Theresa May or Boris Johnson or Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak (have I missed any?)? No! It’s our Labour Prime Minister. As we all know, slashing red tape has been such a good idea in the past. Grenfell, environmental issues, pollution in rivers, deregulation of the banking sector, privatisation……. all this good stuff had at its core the desire to ‘slash red tape’ and much of […] - [Autumn on the way](https://peterdraper.co.uk/autumn-on-the-way/): After a day of grey skies and rain yesterday, this morning the sun shone and the sky was blue. I’m keeping my eye on the chestnut tree at the side of Lytham Hall and waiting for it to show its full autumn glory, so there may be more pictures similar to these. - [The Queen of the Ribble Valley](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-queen-of-the-ribble-valley/): Another beautiful day today, so we took ourselves off to Clitheroe for lunch. If you haven’t been, and I’m sure most of you have, its a lovely little town with loads of independent shops like D. Byrne and Co Fine Wines, Cowman’s Famous Sausage Shop, Maxwell’s Cafe down by the railway station and The Emporium at the other end of town. Too many to list really. The market at the station end of town was buzzing today. We bought cheese, and then sautered through town via Seasons Dress Shop (Got Heather’s birthday prezzie…… Gold Star!!) to arrive at Bowland Food Hall […] - [Rag Pudding Mama](https://peterdraper.co.uk/rag-mama-rag/): A fine day today, so Heather and I went off to Darwen to do the walk around the reservoirs, and, just for once, we took a packed lunch hence avoiding the Black Bull’s culinary masterpiece. For those of you unfamiliar with the area, which is just of the A666 between Darwen and Bolton, there are three large, connected reservoirs in the valley. Turton & Entwistle, Wayoh and Jumbles as well as several smaller ones. These supply Bolton and surrounding areas with water. The dam at the eastern end of the Turton & Entwistle reservoir was built in 1832 and was the […] - [O Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz](https://peterdraper.co.uk/o-lord-wont-you-buy-me-a-mercedes-benz/): Not by any means my favourite Porsche, but it comes in a gift set with a 918 Spyder so a bargain buy! Winter is coming so I’m back to nerdy, trainspottery type stuff to keep me occupied. With limited display space, something will have to give way, probably one of the early attempts which were a bit duff really! Interesting Notes I used to think that the line in Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams was ‘Standing on your mama’s Porsche’, which I thought was a bit impolite. Also the eagle eyed ex-tablers out there might notice in the picture an […] - [Walk Like a Man](https://peterdraper.co.uk/walk-like-a-man/): Since the Walking Weekend at the very end of August, I’ve found it really hard to get back to the level of walking I was doing before. I went up to Stocks Reservoir the weekend after the Wales trip and really struggled to do a walk that, previously, I would have expected to do easily. Finally, after a few weeks of strolls around Lytham, I went out today feeling good. It may not sound much, but 6.2 miles in 2hrs 2mins was pretty good for me, and I got back feeling OK too. I’m chuffed! - [A New England (?) - Kirsty McColl](https://peterdraper.co.uk/a-new-england-kirsty-mccoll/): English identity is fraying says Jenrick Mr Jenrick says that our English identity is being destroyed by record immigration. This immediately raises 2 questions. Who has been in charge for the last 14years? Oh yes…… Robert’s mates in the Conservative party. What is English identity and are we asking the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish to adopt it, whatever it is? Perthaps English identity includes taking backhanders from property developers. Unlawful approval of Westferry housing development During the 2024 United Kingdom riots, Jenrick said police should have “immediately arrested” protesters shouting Allahu Akbar (meaning “God is Great”), prompting condemnation from several Muslim MPs who […] - [Immigration Man](https://peterdraper.co.uk/immigration-man/): For three weeks from the 18th of June, Heather and I were on holiday in France. As this period included the general election, we applied for postal votes which didn’t arrive before we left on holiday, meaning we could not vote. The results in our constituency, Fylde, were close. The Conservative candidate won but with a majority of only 561, meaning practically the only splodge of blue in North West England is Fylde. We both felt dissappointed that we could not vote but pleased that the Labour Party won with such a huge majority. However, the sight of our Prime Minister […] - [Blinded By Your Grace](https://peterdraper.co.uk/blinded-by-your-grace/): James 3: 3-8 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course […] - [Meet on The Ledge](https://peterdraper.co.uk/meet-on-the-ledge/): Another walk in the country on Saturday. This time in The Forest of Bowland from Slaidburn up to Stocks Reservoir and back. This is a beautiful walk which can be extended or reduced with several optional starting points. There were very few people about, presumably as the fine weather had sent everyone off to The Lake District instead. Unfortunately, from lunchtime onwards, the cloud came down and it was dull and humid. I had hoped to do the full circuit of the reservoir from Slaidburn which is about 11 miles, but it became pretty obvious after about 3 miles that I […] - [Walk on the Wild Side (L. Reed - Parental Advisory)](https://peterdraper.co.uk/walk-on-the-wild-side-l-reed-parental-advisory/): About the only problem with moving to Lytham is my inability to find a group of blokes to “hang out” with. This is probably my fault. I think that I’m getting too mature to have to make an effort to meet up with people, and it’s much easier to stay in touch with people I’ve known for a while. Thankfully, the guys from the walking group in Southport still let me play and we stay in touch with a few of the Rotary/Round Table bunch. Last weekend was the annual weekend away for the walking group. The venue was the Lancashire […] - [The Anniversary Waltz](https://peterdraper.co.uk/the-anniversary-waltz/): So that’s it, the end of our weekend Golden wedding celebrations. Sunday was OK. A not too wet Lytham proms which was spoiled rather by a lack of musicians. Mostly the performers sang to backing tracks which I’m never too keen on. Then on Monday we drove up to Barnard Castle. We found a fabulous chocolate shop and had a super afternoon in the Garage Spa at The Morritt Hotel, followed by a nice evening meal and a few drinks. This morning we drove up to Durham, just because we had never been there. The weather was a bit iffy but […] - [Latest Work from the Artist formerly known as Heather](https://peterdraper.co.uk/lytham-hall-by-heather/): For those of you who haven’t been, Lytham Hall is lovely and well worth a visit. Plus, if you tell us when you’re coming, we’ll even make you a cup of tea if we’re in, as we don’t live far away. - [Diary of a Madman - (Ref: O. Osbourne)](https://peterdraper.co.uk/diary-of-a-madman-ref-o-osbourne/): If anyone is actually keeping up with this blog, you may remember that a while ago I discovered a load of blog posts had gone missing, including the majority of my Camino posts from 2016. I’ve actually found links to them in Facebook posts, but the links just lead to messages telling me the posts don’t exist. I’m using the Blogger forums to see if the posts can be traced but I’m not hopeful. Anyway, as I’ve been a bit fed up with the Blogger platform for a while, I decided to swap to WordPress, hence the sparkly new blog. Transferring […] - [Redemption Song](https://peterdraper.co.uk/redemption-song/):  It’s been a tumultuous 9 days since I last posted. With the help of some British politicians, some American politicians and owners of social media along with some fairly ordinary people from, mostly, England, various collections of racists, right wing idiots and collections of people out for a fight have rioted in parts of the UK all claiming to be supporting the parents of the children murdered in Southport just over 2 weeks ago. As if to prove how easily false rumours spread, our next door neighbour, a nice lady of about 80(?) calmly told my wife, after the actual name […] - [I Know It's Only Rock n' Roll](https://peterdraper.co.uk/i-know-its-only-rock-n-roll/):  We’ve been watching some of the BBC Proms concerts, and last night we watched The London Sinfonia play some music by American composers. While I found the second half of the concert a bit ‘difficult’, Adagio for Strings (Barber) was utterly beautiful. You will probably have heard it. It’s been in all sorts of films and TV programmes from Platoon and The Elephant Man to The Simpsons and South Park. It was described by one of the presenters on BBC2 as a cry of grief. Have a listen. You will see what they meant. This was followed by George Gershwin’s Rhapsody […] - [This is Southport](https://peterdraper.co.uk/this-is-southport/): They started coming almost as the new day dawned, bringing brooms and buckets, trays of drinks or just goodwill. The rubble was swept from Southport’s once-quiet streets and the windows shattered by rioters were fixed.  Local builders volunteered to shore up a wall outside the mosque, smashed in the previous night’s orgy of self-righteous thuggery, while neighbours helped council workers clear up. A traumatised town was doing its best to show that the riots were not in their name; that they just want to support those who are suffering the unbearable loss of three little girls at a summer holiday dance class. And that’s what civic pride, looking […] - [Summer Breeze - Isley Brothers](https://peterdraper.co.uk/summer-breeze-isley-brothers/):   Preston from Cuerden Valley Park Another Wednesday walk yesterday, this time around the surprisingly beautiful Cuerden Valley Park. Unfortunately, the circuit we set out to do couldn’t be done as the entrances to Cuerden Hall are closed off, apparently due to an “unsafe bridge”. They seem to have been closed since 2021, so I think we can assume whoever owns Cuerden Hall has little or no intention of reopening any time soon. Finished off with a rather nice Wallings ice-cream in the Park cafe. After the appalling news from Southport this week, it was really nice to get out into […] - [Wild in the Country - Bow Wow Wow](https://peterdraper.co.uk/wild-in-the-country-bow-wow-wow/):  After a lovely evening of Shakespeare the weather returned to normal so didn’t do much for a few days. We did, however, discuss the walk we did last week and decided to compare and contrast with a walk on our own this week. We headed to the Wyre Valley at Scorton and walked up to Dolphinholme and back. The River Wyre near Dolphinholme I have to say, the river is a lot prettier here than at Fleetwood! The Ramblers are a wonderful organisation, but when Heather and I go for a walk we go to look at stuff like trees, flowers, […] - [English Trees (Crowded House) - Actually some are French!](https://peterdraper.co.uk/english-trees-crowded-house-actually-some-are-french/):   Saw this during the interval in Romeo & Juliet at Lytham Hall I’m a big fan of The Rest is Politics podcast with Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart. Alastair Campbell has had a tree of the week on his Twitter Feed, so I thought I might steal the idea. On the Nantes – Brest Canal, Josselin A mixed week. A couple of nice walks. The River Douglas looking toward Hesketh Bank The Ribble Estuary at Lytham Also a cultural evening: Romeo and Juliet at Lytham Hall ## Pages - [Calendar](https://peterdraper.co.uk/calendar/) - [](https://peterdraper.co.uk/): Hot off the Press – Latest Posts - [Photo Gallery](https://peterdraper.co.uk/photo-gallery/) - [Glasgow Trip](https://peterdraper.co.uk/glasgow-trip/): A few photos from our visit to the Kelvingrove Gallery and Museum - [Model Cars](https://peterdraper.co.uk/model-cars/): As some of you may know, I waste my time during the winter months making model cars. I have, however, moved beyond Airfix, and, while Revell are still operating, there are lots of other manufacturers out there if you can find them. Here are a few of my more successful builds. - [Lytham Classic Cars](https://peterdraper.co.uk/lytham-classic-cars/): Lytham Classic Car show is held on Lytham Green every year and raises money for The Rosemere Foundation which supports the Rosemere Cancer Centre at Preston, a cause close to my prostate. I could carry on. I’ve never seen so many TVRs in one place in my life, presumably as they are (or were?) built locally. Strangely, not a Maserati in sight. Great show! - [Bodnant Gardens](https://peterdraper.co.uk/bodnant-gardens/): The weather forecast was good, so we decided on an impromptu visit to one of our favourite places in the world, Bodnant Gardens near Conway. Needless to say, it was as beautiful as it always is. Quiet (apart from one yappy little dog in a pram), and a place to just be. It’s not really a thin place in the religious sense, but certainly somewhere to revive one’s spirits at a time when the news seems to be uniformly bad. All this and the sun shone until we got back to the car, then it rained! Hope Josh enjoyed school. - [Crete](https://peterdraper.co.uk/galleries/crete/) - [](https://peterdraper.co.uk/art-gallery/): Heather’s Art Gallery Thirlmere 2 From an original photo by David Draper Thirlmere Original photo by David Draper Llanddwyn Island, Angelsey Nuthatch Winter Grasses, Brockholes Quimper Cathedral Watercolour I’m not really sure what to call this other than My Birthday Present. As such, it’s not for sale. Personally, I still think it’s Heather’s best! I could probably be persuaded to part with it if someone offered a ridiculous amount of money Living on the Edge Water colour and guache. April 2026 53cm x 43cm SOLD Winter Stroll by Derwentwater Watercolour January 2026. 33cm x 43cm From a photograph by Gill Draper […] - [Transport](https://peterdraper.co.uk/transport/): See Also – Lytham Classic Car Show - [Lytham St. Annes](https://peterdraper.co.uk/lytham-st-annes/) - [Great Britain](https://peterdraper.co.uk/great-britain/) - [Galleries](https://peterdraper.co.uk/galleries/) - [](https://peterdraper.co.uk/profile/): Me, Im Just a Random Angry Old Bloke In 2016 my wife and I did 600+km on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela and I kept a blog on Blogger.com. Unfortunately, having not posted for a while, I went back to it to post and found that everything after our third night on the walk had been lost. For some reason which I’m not really clear about, this encouraged me to start blogging again. I stop and start with the blog but I am currently on a roll. I’ll post links on my Facebook page and hopefully some people with nothing […] ## Optional - [Agent (MCP protocol)](websites-agents.hostinger.com/peterdraper.co.uk/mcp) [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)