I have just returned from a lovely nine-day holiday in England. Of course I used the delivery of jugbirds to Primavera Gallery as the excuse for another trip across the pond, but I also wanted to spend time with some of my extended family over there. Luckily for me my brother Bill and his wife Lottie live in St. Neots, a short bus ride from Cambridge, my sister Mary and her husband John live near Salisbury, a short drive from Shroton, the village where we grew up, and Bill’s son Mike and his wife Mel and their children Molly and Sam live in East Sheen, London from where it’s an easy commute in to Central London. And all three kindly invited me to stay with them and took time to take their Canadian sister/aunt to my favourite haunts.

I will of course be posting photos of my day in Cambridge with Bill, when I delivered the pots to Primavera. And my final day was spent in London, where we packed many activities into the day. The highlight was walking around the Tower of London to see the astonishingly powerful installation of thousands of ceramic poppies to commemorate those who died in WW1. That day warrants a Picasa album of its own.

But for today I want you to see photos I took as Mary and I walked over Hambledon Hill last Thursday.

https://picasaweb.google.com/112208740085943894765/HambledonHillShroton#

When we were children we always knew that the hill is an important archaeological site. Walking up the chalky paths and over springy ancient plants, spotting rare snails, flowers and butterflies and then clambering over the sinuous causeways and ditches, we imagined the people who lived atop this hill so long ago. It was magical!

On one of our trips to Dorset in 1979 my archaeologist husband was delighted to discover that the University of Edinburgh, led by Professor Roger Mercer, were conducting excavations right near the village of Shroton. Sadly that area had been ploughed due to a Government incentive to increase arable land, so the top few feet were completely disturbed. But it was most interesting for Al to meet the crew and later to read what their work had added to the understanding of this amazing site.

I have tried in my photos to show the really deep ditches and high ridges. They’re just as impressive as those at Maiden Castle, near Dorchester. It’s sometimes really windy up there but well worth the hike to see the views of Dorset and across Blackmore Vale towards Somerset. The recent announcement that the National Trust is taking over administration of the site is very good news and will mean that the ancient site and natural environment will be protected from any further harm. It has been held by the National Nature Reserve in recent years and this has helped to preserve the unique flora and fauna.

So click on the link and Google will ask you if you want to revert to Picasa. Say yes, then click ‘slide show’ and join Mary and me on our ramble over Hambledon and in Shroton.