Sam storms Mai Dun

[DelP]

Hi folks,

Well, two weeks summer hols with my lad are over

Spent a week in Dorset, my home county (I'm a Weymouth lad), catching up with family and old friends...I'd forgotten what a beautiful place it is, especially at this time of year. The scenery is stunning. Somerset, where I live, is nice too but it's a bit...erm....flat

I introduced Sam to one of my favourite places, IMO one of the best and most impressive man-made features of the English landscape, Maiden Castle, 'Mai-Dun'

http://www.maidencastle.com/










Sam's comment just about sums it up: 'I can't believe that I'm walking in the same footsteps as Celtic warriors and Roman soldiers...'

ATB,

Derek

[Garry Russell]

Cheers for that Derek

Stunning...and so tranquil and peaceful

Sam's grown a lot

[DaveB]

Sam really is a 'mini' you isn't he mate! No mistakin' who his dad is

ATB
DaveB

[DelP]

Sam really is a 'mini' you isn't he mate! No mistakin' who his dad is

A few differences, he's shorter than me, has more hair and I don't have enough muck in my ears as him to grow potatoes.....



Derek

[Filonian]

Looks very peaceful Derek. Thanks for posting.


Graham

[airboatr]

So, no pictures of the castle then.

... Or am I missing something..

great stuff Derek, and thanks for sharing.

[nigelb]

Derek - Thanks for sharing those beautiful pictures!

Joe - check the link provided and you might learn something

Nigel²

[airboatr]

Well of course I could've read all about it .... but I find it much more interesting to hear it from the locals.

[DelP]

Good effort Joe

More:

http://www.dorsetcountymuseum.org/archaeology_gallery

Derek

[speedbird591]

Great pics of Sam and the castle, Del. Having read all of Thomas Hardy's novels, I'm a great fan of Dorset. It seems to have hardly changed since the late 1800s when his novels were written. Seeing the thatched cottages, rolling fields and woods it's easy to feel the timelessness of it.

I work the 'Heart of Wessex' line which runs from Bristol to Weymouth via Yeovil, Maiden Newton and Dorchester. South of Castle Cary much of it is single track line with non-welded rails so you still get the old clickety-clack which older readers will remember. There are also 'Halts' which are tiny village platforms where the train stops on request and the guard opens one door only. There are still semaphore signals at Yeovil Pen Mill station and a token system for trains to run through to Maiden Newton. I did two trips on Saturday and there was a Great Western steam train sharing the line which we passed at Yeovil and again at Maiden Newton. You can see Maiden Castle from the railway line.

Anybody who wants a taste of Hardy's Wessex should start with 'Under the Greenwood Tree' as it's the one with the least tragic outcome for the characters

Ian