Wednesday /Friday , 4.8.23. down the Vale.

Wednesday 2nd August 2023.

I went to Portland Basin but only to the Bridge View Café for lunch.

Never seen the car park so full.

Those cobble stones certainly test your car suspension.

This is their Roast Chicken Club sandwich opened so you can see the fillings, and it is certainly filling. I still managed a one shot latte and afterwards a mint chocolate chip ice cream, was a bit dearer than usual but it was certainly value for money, and why not spoil yourself once in a while.

This would test you David!.

One of the narrow boats in on the day, goodness knows what these cost these days, when we were members at North Cheshire Cruising Club, more years ago than I wish to remember they cost £1,000 a foot!.

Still cheaper than a house I suppose.  

Friday 4th August 2023.

 It was dry for a change down the Vale today, there weren't as many people there as I would have thought with the school holidays, perhaps a lot away to the coast to swim in the sewage!.

There were quite a few at the farm paying to see the animals, perhaps its the grandparents take them there, it would be cheaper to go to the info centre and get a paper with all the birds on, that can be see there and let them tick them off.

I had a sit down on this nice bench someone has had up in to commemorate a loved one.

The big terrapins were out again on the top mill pond, same as last post but in a different pose.

Only saw one Little Grebe chick today, having a nap.

Then it was over to Sunnyside Pond were there was this large heron.

Didn't seem interested in fishing though.

There were lots of mandarins on this branch, in fact they were everywhere.

The song ten green bottles springs to mind here!

On the high table.

This robin can't get in to the grub for all the mandarins

This baby Mallard is nearly as big as mum now.

A nice colourful duck.

This terrapin looks like its wearing a feather boa doesn't it.

The swan family doing well with mum whilst dad is doing his usual dashing about chasing everything in sight.

Noticed another mural on the info centre today, a little grebe.

Certainly brightened up the info centre with the new murals.

So a nice day again down the vale, though I'd expected it to be crowded, still that's what parks are all about isn't it.

.........................................................