Wells at Christmas

 

A stroll around the smallest city in England, Wells, at Christmas time -

The moat around the Bishop's Palace at dusk.

The moat's famous swans

The other bird common in the boat - Black-headed gull (winter plumage)

And in a quiet corner of the moat -

 - a little egrit

Nearby is the oldest street in Europe - an amazing medieval relic from more than 650 years ago that is still serving its original purpose -

The Vicar's close - providing homes for the cathedral choir.

And speaking of the cathedral - here is the central nave and a few internal details -

Well's cathedral nativity

Then comes the night -

And in the grounds of the Bishop's Palace after dark a sighting of a patronus -

Inside the Bishop's Palace after dark -

The upper banquetting hall ready for feast

A Boxing Day Walk - Bonchurch to Ventnor

It was a dull, cloudy December 26 but the sea was calm and so we walked along the seawall from Bonchurch to Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Here are a few photos.

The most spectacular of the local birds is, Gulosus aristotelis, the European shag, a species of cormorant. 

Looking north from Bonchurch - several large vessels on the horizon.

A distant contrainer vessel

A rock pippit - part of a small flock - almost perfectly camouflaged.

Coastal defences to the east of Ventnor... the route to Bonchurch

Ventnor fishing fleet

Ventnor sea front