Fruit of Three Segments: SWIRE Exhibition; Lacock Abbey; and Books (Pepys, Trollope & Brontë) - Gretel le Maître Ponders Beauty, with Bede & other guests Good Evening and welcome to tonight’s episode which I’ve produced just for you! Welcome newcomers and hello friends 🤗.First I visit the wonderful Swire Ridgeway Arts Prize 2026, organised by the Frien...

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The Ridgeway leading to Uffington Castle. The second Uffington podcast from @gretellemaitre.bsky.social is now available, where we meet @annadillon.bsky.social at the 2026 Swire Art exhibition. (Link in first reply)

Mozart's Requiem in the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia - ARTE Concert YouTube video by ARTE Concert

One of my favourite works in one of my favourite buildings.

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🐝🦋🤗☀️🤍

Gretel and Aerial Photographer Hedley Thorne visit Wayland Smithy - Gretel le Maître Ponders Beauty, with Bede & other guests Dear friends, new and old, welcome to an episode that was recorded yesterday in the Oxfordshire sunshine but took a while to publish; huge apologies for the delay and also for the absence of our readi...

Gretel and Aerial Photographer Hedley Thorne visit Wayland Smithy share.google/KDK6CntCOpDt...

Welcome, everybody, to the wonderful world of @gretellemaitre.bsky.social. I have been so excited to be in an episode of her engaging and soothing podcast (episode link in first reply).
"Thank you to kind Hedley, the Gabriel Varden of Didcot. I look forward to our next rencontre."

Where St George had his tête-à-tête with the mythical dragon; Dragon Hill above Uffington in Oxfordshire.

Like a wreath from above

Two of the four large orthostats on the facade of Wayland's Smithy. Picture from yesterday's super visit with Gretel.

Ooooh, I have competition?!

Wayland's Smithy, earlier today. I met the utterly lovely @gretellemaitre.bsky.social here to be a guest on her podcast. We also visited the SWIRE Arts Prize in Uffington after, shall we say, a "challenging" drive there (my fault!). Do follow her, her podcast link is on her profile.

Thank you

Temple Island, appearing like a battleship through the morning mist. #Thames

Ah I should have mentioned that! I park in Blewbury, near the farm (just in the farm entrance)

Blewburton Hillfort, Oxfordshire YouTube video by UK Hillforts

New UK Hillforts video!

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Uffington Day 2 of 3. I visited The Uffington Museum and saw some of my pics in their terrific "Myths, Moments and Memory" exhibition.

Eeek! No, I haven't seen it in Oxfordshire, sorry!!

A great afternoon judging the SWIRE Art Prize in Uffington; some truly amazing entries this year as well as an astonishing children's photography exhibition! Theme: "Shapes and Shadows of The Ridgeway". Opens tomorrow (Saturday 18th April); Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, Uffington, SN7 7RA.

From The Ridgeway looking down across fields towards The Vale, above Wantage.

Sounds about right! Nearby Liddington was a decoy site but it clearly failed to protect the local area then!

Ah, I think that was the Watlington White Mark, nearby.

Quite possibly!

Yes, your picture shows them properly! And they may have been deeper back then too.

Aaaaythankyou

Superb!

The intriguing Whiteleaf Cross, high on the scarp of the #Chilterns above the Icknield Way. It's origin, date and purpose appear to be unknown!

Ah no, I was the other side of the valley near The Ridgeway at the time

"Chunt" in Cornwall. Rhymes with "Trump".

Barbury Castle, a large and impressive Iron Age hillfort in the Marlborough Downs at around 260m elevation. #HillfortsWednesday (there, I used it!)