The Old Match Factory

We had a Grand Day Out today, in the holiday heatwave, because for once we both had the same day off. Today's work at the local college had been cancelled, but for once I wasn't bothered at all.

CleanSteve and I drove down to the the Ship Inn, beside the Stroudwater Navigation (canal) at the tiny village of Framilode, in the heart of an isolated stretch of farmland between the canal and the river Severn. The sun was beating down, the rowan trees were in berry, and the pub garden, rescued from dereliction only a few months ago, was a cheerful sight. All the parasols were up, and an authentically distressed life ring was mounted on the wall beside the pub door, with the pub's name on it.

CleanSteve has already written up our exploits here, with some history of the canal as well. I was struggling with my enormous PDF camera manual, but did manage to find the macro lens and use it. Though I was pleased with my images of clouds and reeds by the banks of the river Severn, and the spooky looking old mill opposite our pub seats, I've ended up choosing a more urban image from our trip to Gloucester.

My time of working in Gloucester has come to an end. I can't say I am sorry, because the bus journeys were exhausting, and the city centre is not in any way lovely, apart from the Cathedral and the arts centre. Now, though, it strikes me that I will have all the time in the world for shooting bucolic/pastoral scenes in Stroud and its environs, but the gritty shots may be harder to find.

After our visit(s) to the pub, we drove on to Gloucester to the cheap supermarket, followed by the Chinese wholesaler's on the Morelands trading estate, which is known by locals as The Old Match Factory. To get there, one drives through a Dickensian tunnel of brick with small business premises on either side, offering pieces of foam cut to order, bevelled glass, and cricketing gear, amongst other things. The tunnel emerges on to a yard with parking spaces, and further businesses dotted around. While CleanSteve was in the Yip Shing, I waited outside and noticed a pile of blue pallets outside a warehouse building. Initially, I didn't really want the car or the forklift truck in shot, but I am glad they have ended up there, because of the lines and angles reflected in the car window, and the sense conveyed of this being a working environment, not just a pile of old pallets.