Today has been a little hectic. Then it smudged into tonight, and here I am trying to put one word in front of the next. I do not think very many words will end up making it into this blog.
However, there is a little news, and that is that I am trying to put together an audio episode based on a short story, in an attempt to get it competition ready. It might happen, but timings are tight. I’ll keep you posted. Apologies for this ramble in the meanwhile.
Saturday gave us a beautifully warm afternoon, and the chance for a walk in the Surrey Hills in England.
These hills are classified as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), earning that protection and status in 1949 when the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act was passed. Today there are 46 such areas in the UK, and they cover almost one fifth of the land. They are not national parks but they enjoy a similar status, with the aim being to safeguard them for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone.
I think the Surrey Hills are beautiful. They are not dramatic hills but they undulate gently, covered in trees and the quiet that comes with such cover. And the trees are big trees. We were beneath pine for a lot of our walk, with sweet chestnut, oak and beech scattered through them, and occasional walkers with their dogs glimpsed along the network of paths. It was a lovely peaceful hour or so in a late summer woodland.
Today was the first day back for Bartholomew Fair. We found information about it on a visit to St Bartholomew the Great.
Turns out it was a good place to read the news, because the Fair began not far from where the old church stands. The road running beside the church is called Cloth Fair and I suppose that must link back to the original fairs, which apparently were all about cloth and fabric, the aim being to raise funds for the Priory that used to be there.
The Fair’s first charter was granted by Henry 1 in 1133, and it seems to have started off quietly enough, but it sounds like it grew into a riot of dodgy entertainment until it either fell off, or was kicked off, the stage in 1855. The beautifully illustrated souvenir edition of The Courant gives a tasty flavour of all the comings and goings.
Anyway, roll on to this year, almost 900 years later, and things are kicking off again. Today I saw acrobats on St Paul’s, clowns and entertainment in Pater Noster Square, music popping up around the corners, and plenty on for children. It all felt very cheerful.
Might be worth a look if you’re anywhere near the City before 16 September. Looks like it will be moving around the place a bit so best to check at thecityofldn.com.
