One of my favourite walks recently was the short walk up Holcombe Hill. Maybe it was the company that day, or the great weather. From in front of the Peel Monument we could clearly see the skyline of Manchester city centre a good few miles south of here. Ramsbotton is a very picturesque place to visit and I look forward to spending more time there in future. Peel Monument is a memorial tower to Sir Robert Peel, a Prime Minister of the UK in the mid 19th century.
Moorings Pub Worsley
Heading west along the Bridgewater canal we came to the Moorings Pub in Worsley. On a day out on my uncle’s canal barge we got many great views as we traveled from Sale to RHS Garden Bridgewater. This was the furtherest down the canal we travelled, our turning point was the Boothstown Basin here in front of the Bridgewater marina off camera to the right. This day we had a picnic lunch with us. Next time hopefully we can go into the Moorings for a pint or a meal.
St Andrews Church – Ramsbottom
Originally built in 1834 as a Scottish Presbyterian Church. It was eventually consecrated as a Church of England parish church in 1874. Refurbished in the 90s it is a classic style of what I think of when I think of English churches. I was here for a very special christening. As you can see we had the perfect weather on the day. Arriving a little early I was able to capture this photograph without cars in the carpark and the sun over my shoulders.
Kura Moana by Lisa Reihana
As part of the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of The Artist this huge sculpture came to the Whairepo Lagoon on Wellington’s waterfront. This giant octopus – Te Wheke-a-Muturangi was chased by Kupe across the Pacific Ocean, so the story goes. In the words of the artist themselves:
“Kura Moana focuses on Te Moananui a-Kiwa, the great ocean, and its role as connector between Aotearoa and across all the Pacific nations. I have created a series of installations that invite families and communities to discover iconic locations on the Wellington waterfront in new ways, to think about some of the local histories and stories that relate to this place. It’s about travellers, those who dared to traverse the Pacific, people who seek something new, another life. Kura Moana is a treasure hunt across the waterfront and I’m hoping that kids will go on a journey to discover the different installations – there’s music, song, playful inflatable sculptures and an augmented reality experience. I can’t wait to bring this art experience to Pōneke.”— Lisa Reihana, Artist in Focus
This is one of the best sculptures I’ve seen in Wellington. I only wish I had stayed a little longer to see the sculpture lit up at night.