Bat Safari Punting

Last Friday was the world premier Bat Safari by punt which was GREAT fun. We set off in daylight travelling in a 4 punt convoy slowly navigating from the punt yard south towards Granchester.

At Skaters Fen the Bat Detection Units picked up their first signs, we spotted them swooping against the semi lit sky. For at least half an hour through dusk we spotted many more bats both high up against the sky and low down over the water.

Having turned back at the start of Granchester Meadows and with dark having enfolded us we broke out high power torches, we caught glimpses of several bats skimming low over the water on our return journey.

Though we had been supplied with Bat Identification Charts, we of course neither got close enough nor did the bats fly slowly enough to distinguish one species from another. However, it was a 75 minute tour I will remember with great delight for quite some time.

This shot does our chauffer far more justice than my sketch.

Mill Pond

Doodled whilst waiting for lunch. I have drawn from this self same spot before on the balcony bench at The Granta Pub in Cambridge.

The building opposite is the Old Water Mill, now Bella Itaila. I remember at one point it was a Sweeny Todd resteraunt.

Nowadays you can hire punts and canoes launching out from this pond from Granta Punt Hire Company

As a teenager we would punt under the building, look up and wave at customers eating their meal at a glass centered table. They would get quite a surprise! Last week I took my daughter on a punt on the Mill Pond, we tried this again and were rewarded by children waving excitedly down at the punt below.

NOT to be tried if you don't like being in a dark damp hole with spiders swinging around on their webs!

Warmer Days

Looking forward to punting in the summer, for now snow lays on the ground round about - and maybe the river is freezing.

Moored up near Granchester

I decided to combine my love of the river, bit of keep fit, catch up with some letter writing and do some painting all in one trip today.

I didn't take my phone nor a watch, and was surprised to discover I had spent almost 5 hours afloat, or sat on the bank sketching out my art work.

The original was in fact twice the size of previous postcards, this one A5. I think it will have to be posted in an envelope rather than as a postcard as all my others have been.

Now, in Lloyd Grossman style voice; "Now to whom shall I send a postcard like this?"
So if you are checking out this blog because you know me, maybe you should be watching your letterbox too.

Barges & Bouthouse

Still wanting to make the most of the outdoors in my lunch hour I cycled down to the Comon and sat by the river to eat lunch, sandwhiches, cake and a bottle of squash.
Then of course, out came the Postcard Pad.
The barge the drawing is based on was moored on my side of the bank, but I thought it would better if it was chugging upstream.