For many, summer is a time to escape and do a bit of exploring further afield, perhaps crossing geographical, national or international borders. I pretty much knew that a lot of my summer would be spent office bound trying to help students obtain their visas to cross their country borders and making it possible for them to enter the UK.
When I read the August microadventure task of exploring a border I knew that I had missed a trick! During the last week in July I had been to visit family 'up North' and had actually taken the time to drive over the border to Scotland! Alas, I knew Jonathan would not allow this sneaky submission but what the heck, it was a great photo opportunity so I have added a couple of pictures anyway! | |
I was inspired by the broad interpretation of July's theme 'time with trees' by some of the micro adventure participants and thought that I would see how I could interpret the 'border' theme.
So my first border is a border terrier dog. Meet Nora! Originally the Border Terrier was known as the Coquetdale or Redesdale Terrier after the area in which it evolved, but by the late 1800's it was generally known as the Border Terrier, probably because of its long history with the Border Hunt in Northumberland.
So my first border is a border terrier dog. Meet Nora! Originally the Border Terrier was known as the Coquetdale or Redesdale Terrier after the area in which it evolved, but by the late 1800's it was generally known as the Border Terrier, probably because of its long history with the Border Hunt in Northumberland.
The month of August was not all about rain, despite it feeling that way at times. On a glorious sunny day I ventured over the border from East Sussex and into Kent to visit Sissinghurst Castle Garden, which was created in the 1930's by Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson. It is now owned by the National Trust. Sissinghurst has a variety of garden areas including the white garden, formal garden and cottage garden. So my next borders are the flower bed borders at Sissinghurst and their myriad of plant varieties.
So to my last border themed adventure! This one is focused on protecting of our geographical borders from invasion through the ages. Being based in what is known as '1066 country' I am surrounded by reminders of the Norman invasion.
On a dreary Tuesday I set off to beat the predicted downpours to visit Pevensey Castle. The original structure was a Roman Saxon shore fort built around 290AD most likely to protect the coastal area. Once the Romans had left it was reoccupied by the Normans in 1066. It was abandoned again at the end of the 16th century until the ruin was acquired by the state in 1925. During the Second World war the castle was occupied again and the addition of machine gun posts to guard against German invasion can still be seen today. These days it is in the care of English Heritage.
On a dreary Tuesday I set off to beat the predicted downpours to visit Pevensey Castle. The original structure was a Roman Saxon shore fort built around 290AD most likely to protect the coastal area. Once the Romans had left it was reoccupied by the Normans in 1066. It was abandoned again at the end of the 16th century until the ruin was acquired by the state in 1925. During the Second World war the castle was occupied again and the addition of machine gun posts to guard against German invasion can still be seen today. These days it is in the care of English Heritage.