A M Ward

Rome 2011

2011-11-26T18:09:00.010Z

For some Autumn sun this year we went back to Rome, and had a great time.

Apartment well placed and equipped: Rent it here

Rome botanic garden located in Trastevere area well worth a visit.Web link

Andrew

Late summer in and around Ilfracombe.

2011-10-05T19:05:00.003+01:00

Late summer in and around Ilfracombe.

We decided on another long weekend in Ilfracombe staying at Gabriel House (staying in

Apartment

View from the window book it here http://www.harbour-cottages.co.uk

Ilfracombe

Lee

Sue at Lee

Ilfracombe

For a good restaurant try the Olive Branch

Ilfracombe tunnels

Ilfracombe

Lee

Ilfracombe tunnels beach

Ilfracombe

AMW

Ardeche 2011

2011-07-03T10:59:00.009+01:00

Ardeche ,Lyon and the North June 2011

Click on any picture for a larger version.

A long long straight road :-)

The view from the Ardeche house kitchen window.

Base

Bears on the water

Dinner with Me,Sue,Maud and Chris

Three pictures above are the route to the Baume de la Chabannes a long walk in 38C heat.

Pictures above on the springs walk near Chadouillet.In the above I look hot because I was it was 39C.

Goule de Sauvas

some were near the Baume du Pêcher above and below

Grotte de Font Vive

Cycling above and below.

Chris
Chris (eldest son) and me

My Ranger I think of it as long range gear transporter, Sue tells me it is a toy as I bought it just for caving and cycling trips :-)

Péronne

World War one museum below.

Sue

Shots above of Péronne the museum is well worth visiting http://www.greatwar.co.uk/somme/museum-historial-peronne.htm

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 men who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. A visit we felt we needed to make it was a warm sunny day but so sad seeing all the names of those who died so young all the children left never knowing their fathers.In another cemetery we visited near by the graves of some as young 18 ....

Until the next time

Iceland

2011-05-29T22:29:00.010+01:00

Iceland 2011

Sue birthday trip and she said Iceland would be good. So of we went we had a good trip to Iceland lots to see and even an erupting volcano that closed the airport for a while although we were not affected by this.

Living room of the apartment

Hall way

Hallgrímskirkja,

Sue and friend

Reykjavik sky line

Reykjavik at midnight

Hydrothermal power plant

Snow tyres at the ready

The train waiting at Reykjavik platform one has been delayed for the last fifty years :-)

Sue at the Kerið crater

Kerið

Geysers :-)

Gullfoss

Silfra crack, Thingvellir Lake, National Park Thingvellir, Iceland

pictures below

Reykjavik skyline

Whales out there some where?

Me Whale watching

Andrew

Tucks Rift

2011-04-25T09:56:00.002+01:00

A warm day in Wales and a visit to Tucks rift. Vis was not great at around 0.2M to 1.5M. The lines was in a very poor condition and needs replacing (this we will do soon). Unfortunately the new line will be replaced via Glan Hepste (another entrance to the system) as the land owner for Tucks has withdrawn access permission due to liability concerns.

Gary and Keri getting ready

Gary in the entrance rift

Gary kitting up

Me in the sump pool

All over bags stacked ready to go back up the hill to the cars (and my Ranger :-)

Keri taking it easy

Gary and Keri at the entrance

Ilfracombe March 2011

2011-03-16T16:34:00.004Z

We decided to stay in England for a late winter break this year, so (Sue :-) decided Ilfracombe would be nice my last visit was as a child in 1968. It was very pleasant weather and a nice cottage to stay in.Very quite with out the holiday crowds we had a very good stay .

Base rent it here. click link

Life boat station just in front of the cottage

Tide out

Tide still out

Tide in :-)

Ilfracome aquarium is worth a visit click link

Ilfracombe from the park

Coastal path (below)

Sue

AMW March 2011

A cold walk to Gents

2010-11-30T19:37:00.003Z

A winters trip to Gents cave South Wales.

The night time temperature had been down to -15C although it was a warmer -5C when we walked up to the cave :-) Once inside the cave it was a warm 10C the dig was checked and a few bits moved around.

Gary on the walk up

Near the dig

In the rifts to the T junction.

AMW

Malta November 2010

2010-11-20T17:39:00.018Z

Malta November 2010

Once again a trip to get some autumn sun and Malta the choice again. We wanted to visit a few areas we did not see last time.
It was sunny around 23C in the day and a great trip.

Click on a picture for a larger image.

we were on the second floor, this is a non tourist bit of Malta so away from the hotels :-)

Base Misda, the owner David could not be more helpful we arrived to a driver from the airport and a welcome basket of food in the apartment.
Rent it here

Valletta

Me

Valletta

Armistice day Valletta

Top of Malta

Sue

Gozo

Sue

AMW 2010

Silt screw

2010-10-23T09:54:00.007+01:00

My take on the silt screw.

I required a means of Belaying the line in a in a twisting passage without much in the way of rocks or wall projections. it did have a floor of deep ish mud/silt (geologists please feel free to wince at this description) so a silt screw was the way to go. I could have purchased a length of plastic pipe but found I had a good collection of old solar garden lights (broken).

So I fabricated this ,well OK I drilled a hole glued the two parts together and fitted a bit of string :-)

My lawn taking the part of a sump floor :-) they can be driven in as far as you are able.

You can add some weight to it (hollow) if you want (cement). So far they seem very successful although winter floods will be the true test.

Just my take on it make of it what you will as I know there are many ways of doing this.

You can buy new solar lights for a £1 although that maybe wasteful?

AMW

Ardèche 2010

2010-07-01T19:12:00.034+01:00

A good trip to the Ardèche ,well one week in the Ardèche a few days in Lyon and three days driving back to the ferry port via hotel stops . This year was just us as after twenty plus years of multi person trips we fancied a laid back trip :-) And it was both fun and laid back :-)

In 2011 we will return with a few others.

Click on any picture for a larger image.

Base

River 5M from the house.

A good cycling area.

Bourg St Andéol

Goul du Pont
French diving team

Goul de la Tannerie

Goul de la Tannerie

Near the Font Mejanes
Sue

Font Mejanes

Bears on the water.

Font Vive
The Ranger getting me near the sites (I am getting old so I need the help). the Ranger is an indulgence as I only use it for caving trips.

Sue Vallon Pont d'Arc et les Gorges de l'Ardèche
Me Vallon Pont d'Arc

Grottes de St-Marcel d'Ardèche caving Museum free and well worth visiting

A few days in Lyon on the way home visiting Chris.

Eldest son Chris (lives in Lyon) and girl friend (Maud)

Sue and Maud in Lyon

Mont Gerbier de Jonc

Fosse Dionne

Tonnerre

Roman amphitheatre
in Bourges France

Andrew
http://www.lot46.com

Cromhall

2010-04-01T20:46:00.003+01:00

A training dive at Cromhall

Click on the pictures for a larger version.

My new toy I needed some thing for caving trips (spends most of the rest of its time parked up)..

Vis was not great and water temperature around 8C

AMW

Ogof Ffynnon Taff , Taffs Wells, South Wales

2010-01-04T21:00:00.012Z

I put these photographs on line as I recently transferred them from slides.
A cave found by myself, John Adams, Philip Jayne in the mid 1980,s after a six month of digging. These photographs were taken by John Adams within the week of the break through. The formation are now gone due to the linking of the cave to lesser Garth cave making access easy.The original route in was from the active quarry and involved a very tight awkward squeeze.

Click on the photographs for a larger image.

AMW

A cold day in the Forest of Dean

2010-01-03T16:47:00.006Z

We decided to spend Sunday cycling around the tracks at Beechenhurst Lodge in the Forest of Dean Gloucestershire.

Very cold day with blue sky's and sun some of the tracks had been covered in snow this had compacted and had become ice.

Sue

AMW 03/01/10

Malta

2009-11-20T17:41:00.009Z

A trip to enjoy some late autumn sun (November 2009). Sunny and 26C in the day.

Local bus 47 cents takes you just about anywhere.

Valletta

Valletta
Valletta city gates

Valletta city walls

Apartment

View from the apartment.
Msida harbour side 50M from the apartment.

rent it here:
Apartment in Msida

Sue

The blue grotto
Village were you get the boat to the blue grotto.
Near the blue grotto

Snorkelling, clear water and lots of fish.

The siege bell Valletta

Sue on the way into Valletta

Hagar Qim Neolithic Temple

Me plus simple green bag :-)
Cleaning chemicals (good for diving gear)
http://www.simplegreen.co.uk/haushalt_02.php.htm

AMW

Porth-Yr-Ogof

2009-09-27T16:55:00.007+01:00

Due to an operation on my knee I was not up to caving trips or wetsuit caving (for a few weeks). So I decided to get wet in a cave wearing a dry suit (keeps the wounds clear of cave water) and it was just diving. So myself and Marcus decided on a quick dive in Port-yr-ogof. The vis was good although the flow high. It also gave me the opportunity to try out a new underwater camera (still/video).

Marcus (site car park)

Main Entrance

Marcus getting ready to dive

Marcus sorting out a jump line.

AMW

Lot 2009

2009-06-29T09:27:00.010+01:00

Another Lot trip and very good one it was with lots of cave diving and other fun.

On the way down

When not cave diving :-) AMW and Sue.

AMW Marchepied

Diving into the Source de Marchepied.

Toby and AMW at the Source de Saint Sauveur parking area.

Thomas at the St George
AMW and Colin at the Ressel
Steve having fun canoeing :-)
Toby
Steve
Thomas in the L'Oeil de la Doue
Rocamadour
Base

Marchepied
Toby and Thomas in Gramats best restaurant

Getting ready to head home :-(

But we will be back very soon :-)

Dan-Yr-Ogof Corbels chamber.

2009-04-30T22:10:00.004+01:00

Dan-Yr-Ogof
Corbels chamber.

April 2009

Back to BOB (Dan-Yr-Ogof)

2009-03-22T15:26:00.002Z

Back to BOB (Dan-Yr-Ogof)

The dry weather gave us good conditions to vist the Battle of Britain series. We have now started a dig in the series.

A sunny day and an empty car park as the show cave is still shut for the winter, it opens at Easter.

Colin on the climb up from the sump.

A few nice formations.

AMW

Amelie-les-bains

2009-03-03T17:33:00.007Z

We spend a good week in St Cyprien Plage while visiting are eldest son who lives in Amelie-les-Bains

A view from the great apartment we stayed in.You can rent it here

Hire car

Résurgence de Font Estramar

Amelie-les-Bains , Chris (eldest son) and Sue (mum)

Carnival

Carnival (Me Chris and friend)

Canigou (Catalan Canigo)

Me
Cycling to Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste from Amelie-les-Bains
25Km all up hill and 25Km back.

Chris

My Bike was curtsey of sancture-sportifs a great place for accommodation and Tri/cycling training

Kite flying at St Cyprien Plage

snow in Gloucestershire

2009-02-06T18:58:00.009Z

Lots of snow in Gloucestershire, we have not had much snow for the last twenty years in the last six weeks we have had freezing conditions (down to -8C) and lots of snow a 100mm in one day. Pictures taken in the woods and hills directly behind my house.

Andrew

Tintern Abbey

2009-01-18T16:43:00.005Z

Tintern Abbey visit

On a cold but dry and sunny day we made the short drive from home to visit Tintern Abbey.
Tintern Abbey is a Cistercian abbey and is one of the great monastic ruins of the English and Welsh border area. It was only the second Cistercian foundation in Britain

Sue

Viewed from pulpit rock.

Pony's in the woods above the abbey.

Dan-Yr-Ogof Battle of Britain Series

2009-01-18T15:51:00.006Z

Dan-Yr-Ogof Battle of Britain Series

The cold weather -6C at night had reduced the water level to allow us a nice easy dive into the Battle of Britain Series. We had a good look around and found enough to come back again.

Icicles and crocodiles at the entrance

AMW de kitting beyond the sump

Colin in the Battle of Britain series.

More Colin in the Battle of Britain series.

The mist in the photographs is caused by heat coming of the divers.

AMW

Goodrich Castle December 2008

2009-01-05T17:02:00.007Z

This is a site worth a visit near Ross-on-Wye,there is a very good English heritage shop and cafe at the site car park. This is 800M from the castle it costs a £1 to park and £4.90 per person to get into the castle.

Dan Yr Ogof Jan 2009

2009-01-04T14:49:00.003Z

A dive from the Resurgence to the battle of Britain series.

Pictures of Colin in action.

Lisbon November 2008

2009-01-04T14:29:00.006Z

Lisbon November 2008

This is a trip we make every November (the last eight years). A great city to visit very friendly people.

Belem

Sue

View for the St George Castle

Christmas lights

Cromhall Quarry

2008-09-02T11:08:00.005+01:00

A dive at Cromhall Quarry to check out a new dry suit. The vis was OK at 8M ish and 14C temperature.

Video of Colin swimming around the camera :-)

Cromhall is a good site £10 to get in and 15M depth with parking next to the water.

For a link to the Cromhall dive centre look at:
http://www.cromhall.com/community/cromhall_diving_centre.php

Dan-yr-Ogof

2008-09-01T15:46:00.006+01:00

The foam on the water from the recent flood.

Colin in the cascade between the lakes.

A wet day at DYO we had hoped to dive Pot sump and take pictures of the new cable for the show cave and to look at a sump that had some potential. In the end the cave proved far to wet so a quick look at Pot sump via the dry route was all we archived.

Lot, France Cave diving 2008

2008-07-10T11:21:00.008+01:00

On the way down

This was a trip by six of us, although only three divers/cavers. The base was to be Miers 10Km north of Gramat.

Base (Sue out side).

The house was great lots of room for us and the gear.

Me preparing the RB

Gear sorting with Colin.

BBQ

Marcus gear sorting.

Igue hunting

Inside an Igue :-)

Air bell

Me in the Oiel de la Doue.

Sue who looks after the out of water issues :-)

Me of for a swim.

Cycling was also good.

Parc Animalier Gramat well worth a visit.

Rocamadour

A very good trip we will be back very soon.

AMW