The stable block at Hylands House

Paper Mill Lock from the Tea Room

View looking inland from the sea wall  at Goldhanger (Joyce's Farm )

The General Arms in Little Baddow

After the Birmingham conference I went to see my parents in Essex. Although Essex gets a bad name and it certainly doesn't compare to the West Coast of Scotland, I have a great affection for its more rural parts. I love to go for a country walk with my  Mum and Dad and then visit  an ancient pub for lunch and a pint of ale. One of our favourites is  the Chequers in Goldhanger. A short walk from the village takes one to the sea wall and the marshes which are always beautiful and often very bracing.My parents like birdwatching and there are a profusion of waders and other sea birds to see. The smell of the salt and the mud,the cries of the birds , the ever present wind and the big open sky are very evocative for me.

After our walk which unusually was in warm sunshine, we had lunch in the front bar of the pub which was built in the 16th century. I then ran back to Maldon on the sea wall which is a lovely way to approach the old town. It is only at the end that you have to cross roads and endure the traffic.

On another day we went to Hylands House near Chelmsford which had an open day . There was a lot of information  on World War 1 when the house was used as a hospital. A band played war time tunes and there were people dressed in infantry uniforms. Rather chillingly they had rifles and machine guns that were actually used in the conflict. There was also some rare Suffolk Punch horses, a collection of artist studios and a second hand bookshop. I had a great time in the bookshop finding a book illustrated by Alan Lee, a book about the nature artist C. F. Tunnicliffe and one by Edith Holden similar to her famous ' Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady'.

Now we're back in Scotland and work is full on . I have had no time to sketch apart for one view yesterday whilst I was waiting for the Corran Ferry.

It was a beautiful day and it was a shame to have to rush rather than enjoy the gorgeous views.