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19 June 2013

Millenium Pond, Eversholt

Eversholt is a small village about 8 miles distant north of Houghton Regis. http://www.eversholtvillage.co.uk/ for more information.





I spoke to the lady emerging from this house and asked her if she'd like to be in the photograph. "If I'd known, I would have got dressed for it," she replied. Just behind me, the village school had 20 minutes earlier decanted dozens of children out of an old building into a range of 4x4, family saloon cars, and sports cars. "There used to be 20 in that school, we now have over 80," the lady explained.


Eversholt Millennium Pond. "This pond was created by Eversholt 2000 and the people of Eversholt to mark the millennium. It was opened June 3rd 2002 by the Marquess and Marchioness of Tavistock" - plaque on the gate. Heritage Lottery Fund supported.



Milton Bryan & Pond

Depending on your starting point, the location of this delightful pond in Milton Bryan is between 6 and 7.5 miles from Houghton Regis. Head north to Toddington, take Park Road northwards. The thatched building and the Red Lion are on the main road. The thatched private dwelling house has a post box underneath one of its windows. Near this point locate Pond Lane. Before long you'll come across this wonderful pond.
         











           

05 June 2013

Castle at Mahmutlar is Being Left to the Cows

Mahmutlar Turkey, pictured by me in May this year. 

I'm a regular visitor to this area and I've long thought that something more should be made of these ancient castle(?) walls. I actually know very little about them. But I do feel that they should be a feature to be proud of, not left to wildly growing shrubbery, and the neatly planted cow pats from the random cows staked to the ground to prevent them wandering away (poor things).

It's in an area near to Alanya in the south of Turkey, an area increasingly enjoyed by people from many different countries, all looking for something to do, and somewhere to walk on a nice summer's day. So why not tend the area as a public garden, put up information plaques, and really make something of it?

Above: Taken in 2008, and here, below, is virtually the same angle in 2013  ...


This is a disgrace. Dumped, broken aquaduct. It is not the enticing family friendly entrance to the area that it should be.


Junked aquaduct piping that once brought water to irrigate the nearby orange groves and banana plants.


Builders rubbish is allowed to be tipped on the site of this ancient monument.

A cow staked to the ground bars the way of an intrepid archaeologist.


No explanation.

Someone is actually proud of their flag. But are they proud enough to care about their heritage?

Weeds and overgrown wild bushes disgrace the historical asset.

Banana plants and runner beans are allowed to run along the edge of what could be part of the castle ruins.





Year by year the surrounding banana plantations get smaller and smaller and the rapidly built high rise apartment block developments get closer and closer. It's just plain criminal to leave a heritage asset like this.


It's a shame.