#holiday village Mid Wales

[blade-ranger-301]

Piston Peak

So, as mentioned previously in the character sheet, any of my works, art, fanfics, etc will all be based in the UK 🇬🇧

This is just a headcanon that I have. There's not much logic or evidence to back this up or support it as canon. It's just a fun little headcanon of mine. Blade, to me, would make such a good Brit. He's got that morning grumpiness, the intense stoicism, the bad habit of saying "alright" even though he might not be, and he would definitely swear like a brit too. But also, he's hardworking and down to earth.

So, with that, Piston Peak is going to be set in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 I've not yet decided if the park will have it's own geographical location or if it's going to replace an already existing one.

Here is the official map for Pistion Peak:

Piston Peak will still have all the features from the movie; V6 Valley, Whitewall Falls, the small basin where the PPAA team is located, etc, but outside of V6 Valley and around the outskirts will be the rest of the park. It will contain features such as lakes, rivers, reservoirs, mountains, hills, forests, and moorlands.

There will also be some camping grounds/camping resorts. And small, cute villages.

Think of this aesthetic:

These geographical features, and the appearance of these features, have taken inspiration from three irl National Parks: The Lake District, Peak District, and Snowdonia National Park.

These three parks hold a special place in my heart. They're my favourite parks and are also the three parks that I've visited most.

The Lake District

The Lake District is located in the north-west of England. It's famously known for its 16 lakes, given it's name. It's also known for the highest mountain in England - Scarfell Pike. It's also the location where Graphite was first discovered before they mass produced Graphite pencils in Europe.

The terrain here is much greener than the Peak District, and is a wide mixture of farmers fields, mountains, hills, moorland, forests, rivers and lakes.

The Peak District

The Peak District is located in the northern-central part of England, sitting directly beside the city of Manchester on it's Eastern side.

This park is mostly full of hills and sloped mountains, covered in moorland grass. There's also more reservoirs here, the most famous being Derwent Dam, known for being a popular training ground for Lancaster bombers when they were testing out the bouncing bomb.

It also has one of the most beautiful drives through the park too. Snake Pass, on the west side of the park coming from Manchester is a well-known road, known for its winding and "snake-like" appearance as you wrap around mountains. You actually follow a river upstream in a valley and arrive at 2 dams. It's also known for its high number of road accidents too.

Snowdonia

Snowdonia National Park, better known as "Eryri" (Er-ru-ree), is located on the north-western side of Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. It's also the biggest National Park in Wales, and the 3rd biggest in the UK. It's also home to Wales' biggest mountain, Mount Snowdon. Around half of the park homes about 9 mountain ranges.

I tend to visit this park the most often, and I also just spent a week-long holiday here within the National park, but towards the far West where the borders of the park meets the sea.

So for this headcanon to work, we're gonna need some fires 🔥🔥🔥 otherwise there'd be absolutely no point in this.

Now don't get me wrong, we're nothing like the US. US temperatures can be between at least 30 to 40°c in the summer, we often have summers around the low to mid 20's. We may even get as much as the late 20's to 30°C during a heatwave.

We don't get quite as hot as other countries but we have insanely high humidity which prevents things from cooling down, even in the shade or at night, due to the amount of warm moisture in the air - so it actually feels hotter than it is.

The UK has a wet, windy and cooler climate BUT we do have our fair share of wildfires.

The UK Forestry Commision released a report that covers a period between 2009/10 to 2021/22 of wildfires recorded in the UK.

Between this 12 year period, around 360,000 individual wildfires were recorded, and 79,000 acres of land had been impacted.

The majority of individual fires were classed as being "small", but there was 12,000 classed as "primary" big fires.

4,700 fires affected National Parks, and 11,000 impacted "Sites of Special Scientific Interest".

The most affected areas of land were agricultural land, woodland, and residential areas.

Throughout the report, there seemed to be a steady increase in fire incidents throughout the 12 years.

I even had my own first hand experience with a wildfire. In August 2023, there was a wildfire on a field which backs onto my back garden fence at the rear of the house. The grass fire initially started down by the brook right beside my house, very likely started by teenagers, either by a lit cigarette or a vape. Had the wind blown in a different direction, it would've reached us in a few minutes.

Luckily for me, the fire was blown East and it travelled away from my house and along the side of the field. The farmer at the time was growing straw that had since been harvested, so all the tiny straw spikes in the ground were dry and helped to fuel this fire and it spread quickly.

There were flames that did reach at least 8ft in places, but it was the heat and speed of the fire that was the most concerning. It took multiple fire engines and two tractors with flattening equipment behind them to eventually smother the fire, just as it reached the back garden fence of someone's house.

Just witnessing this made me realise how quick these grass fires can spread and just how scary it was if the wind had simply blown the other way.

And with that, comes my conclusion. With the facts and figures I've discussed in this post, I do have a little bit of logic to go with this headcanon of mine. It won't quite sit right with the film but it's not complete nonsense at least XD

Hope you enjoyed reading it :)

[aberystwythcaravanholidays]

Discover idyllic holiday homes in Mid Wales, offering serene escapes amid breathtaking landscapes, perfect for a relaxing and rejuvenating getaway. For more information read the article.

[mudkissphotography]

ANDREW LOGANS SCULPTURE MUSEUM

Whilst on holiday in Mid Wales for a week, I was searching for places to visit and low and behold not too far away was the magnificent sculpture museum of Andrew Logans. I had promised myself I would visit sometime when I was in the area, but had completely forgotten.

I've met Andrew on two previous occasions he is a delightful eccentric gentleman - I love eccentricity.

The museum is packed with such colourful and glorious works of art, and the man himself was in the museum too, so I got to say hello again and a quick photo before he went to organise his event for the following event with Rocky Horror Show's Little Nell. Sadly we were leaving the following morning, rather gutted about that. Expect glitter, glamour, weirdness, Divine, costumes from the Miss Alternative World competitions and more.

The museum is well worth a visit if you are in Wales, it is tucked away in a little street in a quiet village, with a stream running alongside it, he also had a little hotel too which is decked out with Andrews designs. If you are lucky like we were you will get a 1-1 tour and a chance to try on one of Andrews bespoke crowns.

The use of these images in any form without permission is illegal. If you wish to use or license any images please contact mel@mudkissphotography.co.uk

All work copyright Melanie Smith/ Mudkiss Photography All Rights Reserved

[maraudingmoon]

Lupin Family

Hope Lupin (née Howell) - Catherine Keener

Hope was born in Wales and works in insurance. One day, when walking through a dense forest, she encountered a boggart which took the form of a very large and vicious-looking man. Lyall Lupin, a wizard, heard her frightened scream and rushed to her aid, turning the Boggart into a field mushroom with a wave of his wand. He escorted her home afterward to ensure her safety.

A few months later, Lyall confessed to Hope that the Boggart had never posed any real danger to her, but this did not diminish her fondness of him — the pair had fallen in love with each other by this point. When Lyall proposed marriage, Hope accepted, and eagerly dedicated herself to planning their nuptials. The wedding took place in early 1959, the cake featuring a boggart-shaped topper, a whimsical touch on Hope's part. A year later, Remus was born.

Lyall Lupin- David Weham 

By the age of thirty Lyall had become a world-renowned expert on Non-Human Spirituous Apparitions, which included poltergeists and Boggarts. On an expedition to a remote Welsh woodland to investigate reports of a very fierce Boggart, he met his future wife.

By the mid-1960s, Lord Voldemort's power was growing, and his followers were recruiting a wide variety of Dark creatures to further his cause. The Ministry of Magic called upon experts on Dark creatures in the hope of better understanding the threat and keeping it in check. Lyall was asked to join the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and did so happily.

In early 1965, Fenrir Greyback was brought in for questioning at the Ministry of Magic following the deaths of two Muggle children. Although he was apparently caught with a werewolf pack, the Ministry was not aware that Greyback was himself a werewolf because the existing Werewolf Registry was not well-maintained. Lyall, however, recognized characteristic signs of lycanthropy in Greyback's appearance and behavior and voiced his concerns to the committee, recommending that Greyback be detained until the next full moon, which was only twenty-four hours away.

Regardless, the other committee members ridiculed Lyall and he lost his temper, declaring werewolves to be "soulless, evil, deserving nothing but death." Consequently, he was expelled from the room, and Greyback was released.

Soon after, Greyback hatched a plan to get revenge on Lyall for his derogatory remark.Shortly before his son Remus's fifth birthday, Greyback forced open the boy's bedroom window and attacked him. Lyall reached his son in time to save his life, repelling Greyback with powerful curses, but Remus from then on had become a werewolf.

Remus Lupin -Luke Newberry

Thus, the couple was forced to take drastic measures to conceal Remus's condition, moving to a new village or town whenever their neighbors began to take notice of the boy's strange behavior. They forbade Remus from playing with other children, and consequently, despite having the love of both his parents, his early childhood was marked by loneliness.

Initially, Lyall was able to keep Remus under control during the full moon by placing him in a locked room and casting several Silencing Charms, but as the child grew, he became more difficult to contain. By the time he was ten, Remus was capable of knocking down doors and breaking windows during his monthly transformation, requiring Lyall to use ever more powerful spells.

Family Headcanons

-While Welsh is considered a dying language, the Lupins still dip into their mother tongue for doling out advice and obscuring their frustration.

-Remus and his mother love to bake together, especially for the holidays.

-His paternal grandparents were already deceased by the time he was born. He didn't see his maternal grandparents again after he was bitten.

He was homeschooled in Muggle lessons until he was 11.

-Lyall’s father used to read Ministry briefs to him as bedtime stories.

[umichenginabroad]

Level 5: Adventure of a Lifetime

Curious about where this stunning view is? You are about to find out.

Hello and welcome to one of the most thrilling levels of my journey (yeah, I lied in Level 4 that this one won’t be demanding). I am sorry I have been AWOL for a while and the game has been on hold but here we are, back again with more action than ever. 

So after the summer term at UNSW ended and I successfully survived my Circuit Theory final exam, we had a week off before T1 (the first trimester) starts. This is the only major break exchange students, who are here for the tailored term, get so everyone takes the opportunity to travel and explore different parts of Australia (or the world). Some students had their parents visiting them so they went on a trip with them. Most exchange students headed off to New Zealand, and some do the East Coast trip in Australia which includes visiting the world famous Great Barrier Reef and the Gold Coast. I decided to visit Tasmania with my friends. 

Tasmania, or Tassie as the locals call it here, is a small island only about an hour and a half away from Sydney via air. Before we start the level, let me introduce you to the key players we will encounter a lot in this post. 

Firstly, Tin Ray Liou a.k.a Bruno, our new friend who we met through Facebook to plan a trip in Tasmania. There are many Facebook groups dedicated to travelling and backpacking throughout Australia as camping and driving around with new people is a popular method of travel here. Secondly, Nolan, a fellow Wolverine. And last but not the least, me. That’s 3 main characters but lots of special appearances will be seen throughout this level.

Let’s begin!

Sneak Peek: Nolan on the left, Bruno in the middle, and me on the right.

We took an early morning flight from Sydney to Hobart (capital of Tassie) on the 9th of February. After meeting up with Bruno at the airport in Hobart and discussing an exciting itinerary for the 8 days, we drove towards the city centre. First thing we did in the city was pick up camping gear from Kmart as we planned to camp for all 8 days in Tassie. Gear consisted of: tents, sleeping bags, camp stove, hiking kits, plastic kitchenware, and insect repellent. After that we explored Salamanca Place, a vibrant cultural town in the city center dazzling with vintage architecture, shopping markets and aesthetic sights. We also strolled along the wharf near Salamanca Place for some fresh views of the harbor and to enjoy local fish and chips.

Scenes from Salamanca Place..

There is a famous Saturday market in Salamanca Place but we missed it by a day. However, on a Sunday, there is the Farm Gate Market, where you can try homegrown Tasmanian delicacies ranging from apples, olive oil, peanut butter to bacon, gin, and cheese. We made sure to indulge in the Sunday Farm market.

Glimpse of Farm Gate Market..

Next up was visiting Battery Point, an old maritime village featuring colonial architecture. After stepping back in time and walking through the fascinating precinct of Battery Point, we set out to find some isolated lookouts with stunning views. 

Views from Battery Point..

Found a beautiful secluded beach..

But maybe, we were not alone. Where do these lead us?

In just a few hours in Tasmania, we were in love with this island. We found a camping ground near this beach and set up our tents before sunset and then cooked dinner. It was going to be an interesting experience because the last time I camped was 4 years ago. The next morning, we set out to hike the kunanyi/Mount Wellington - the summit of the Wellington Range in Hobart. It was one of the first major hikes for me and I was pumped! It took us 4 hours and 45 minutes to make the return journey around the summit of 4163 ft. I was awestruck at some stunning mid-way views. The fact that we had network service, almost throughout our hike was also impressive. Although, it was a very cloudy day so we couldn’t see the whole city from the top, but it’s not every day you have got your head in the clouds...literally!

Our first steps into the Summit walk..

Head in the Clouds at 4163 ft..successful summit of kunanyi/Mt.Wellington..

Our next camping site, Eldee, was super fun and we met a lot of people from all around the world - either visiting Tasmania on vacation or fulfilling some requirements of the Working Holiday visa. 

Luxury Accommodation out in the wild..

Definitely recommend a game of UNO with new friends in the camping lounge...

Now, we have talked about Tasmania a lot already but maybe we are missing something significant. The Tasmanian Devil. People, how could we forget about this infamous animal? Well, we didn’t. My friends and I had the opportunity to pay a visit to the devil in an UnZoo. UnZoo is a very interesting concept of..umm...I will have you read it for yourself.

The UnZoo Philosophy..

Presenting you the greatest jaw strength on the planet: Tasmanian Devil.

Yes, the Tasmanian Devil has the greatest jaw strength of all animals. And trust me, I could feel it when I saw it feed on a piece of meat. One can hear the bones from the meat..crunching ever so loudly. I am glad I could witness the devil in his element up close. 

Before heading eastwards to begin our travel for the Great Eastern Drive, we also checked out a few more sites and breathtaking views. To get a better picture of what I mean, here:

Enjoy this spectacular view from Tasman National Park..

The beautiful Tasman Arch..

A panoramic of Tessellated Pavement - heaven for the eyes. 

Alright..breathing break. Every single view on this island beats the previous one. It’s just a fantastic place to be in. It’s a small island yet it has so much to offer. 

We also visited Port Arthur, a historic site which is one of the most haunted places in Australia. Now, obviously, we signed up for the special Ghost Tour of Port Arthur which took you around famous landmarks at night time - extra thrill! It was a very spooky experience hearing about the tales and torture of convicts at Port Arthur and the personal haunted experiences of the site staff.

View of the Church in Port Arthur against the grim night sky..

Not gonna lie, I slept a little scared that night in my tent. Poof, some more hikes then,

A 3-hr return journey to Cape Raoul..

Special Character: Echidna - spotted on downhill journey from Cape Raoul

In the Great Eastern Drive, we hit up the most popular tourist spots in Tasmania: Freycinet National Park, Wineglass Bay and the Bay of Fires. In Freycinet, we hiked up to Mt. Amos. It was a rough hike with a lot of boulder scrambling and damp weather also made it slippery. But, the greater the risk the greater the reward.

Peep the fascinating sight from the top of Mt. Amos..

..and the white sandy stretch of Wineglass Bay behind us. 

Apologies in advance. But, we may need to take a detour to Mars.

I found Mars, it’s at Bay of Fires.

Orange rocks and a green beach paired with white sand - Bay of Fires seems more like a fairy tale. But it’s real. 

Proof.

We concluded the Great Eastern Drive with Bay of Fires and started driving towards the Great Western Tiers. Great Western Tiers was a mix and match of mountains, lakes, and..caves. 

Little Blue Lake - the bluest water I have ever witnessed upfront.

This blue colour is actually due to tin mining and sedimentation in this area, many years ago.

the 450 million years old Marakoopa Caves in Mole Creek..

Whatever you see in the caves is mostly calcite. Phew. We saved the best hike for the last. Cradle Mountain Summit - the 5th highest peak in Tasmania and one of the most popular hikes among avid campers in Tassie. There are multiple ways you could hike up to the top, including the Overland Track which is a 9 day overnight trek. We did the full day hike, however we did not summit due to time constraints. We still got pretty sweet views from our 5 hour return journey from Marion’s lookout - the highest trek after the Summit. 

The beginning..

midway...

At the top - Marion’s Lookout. 

Now is a good time to piece together the picture I started off with. That shows me looking at the peak of Cradle Mountain, and hopefully you are feeling some sort of adrenaline after reading through all this. 

WOW. That was a lot of hiking and running around to explore. With only one day left, we decided to check out some local festivals in Mole Creek and explore the city of Launceston. We saw a vintage vehicle display, equestrians practicing, and a wood-chopping contest! A chill vibe at the end to complement all the adventure. By this time, we had started missing sleeping on actual beds. 

Bless the sun that day for making the view 10x better..

Satisfied, amazed, and grateful are some of the feelings I can attempt to describe for the conclusion of the trip. Not a single day went by where we were not in awe of this lovely place. Every view beat the previous one and just brought us so close to nature and wildlife. For the most part, camping was nice and cool, except for one night when we had visiting guests in the form of possums. Not one, not two...but three! Right outside my tent by the bushes. They were nice enough to not bother us in sleep..phew. Mountains, lakes, beaches, history, mystery, caves..this island has it all. Just step out and explore, you will not be disappointed.

Alas, it seems like we are finishing the most adventurous level there has been. As I reminisce the last time we set up tents and our last sunset in Tasmania, I hope you enjoyed the ride and thank you for coming this far with me!

Cheers,

…

Nikhil Punshi

Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan

University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia - Winter 2020

[seatosomert]

A weekend of little adventures.

With the Bank Holiday weekend that was upon us, the Wife and I rushed out, bought a new tent (our old one needs a new door zip), grabbed some goodies and essentials from the supermarket and the next morning we headed off Mid Wales for some last minute camping.

The drive was pretty Meh as it was all motorway until we got close to the Welsh Border. Then the rolling, lushly green hills and valleys of Wales began to greet us.

We arrived shortly before tea time and set up our new home for the next few days, a cheap and cheerful (yet surprisingly well made, cleverly thought out and easy to pitch) Vango 4 berth tent.

We took my wild camping bits and bobs with a few larger (proper camping) items for a few minimal creature comforts.

The site looked fairly basic upon arrival. It consisted of a fenced off large farmers field which housed a new looking, wooden cabin that was home to the showers and wash up facilities.

The great things about the place were (we learned on arrival) you could have a fire in a fire pit off the ground a foot or two. The showers were awesome, providing red hot, powerful jets, which I found were amazing after a day's hike in the Shropshire Hills lumping some heavy camera kit about.

The hot power shower just washed away many if the aches and pains accumulated from a day of hiking around the Stiperstones.

The other pleasant surprise came later that night. Virtually no light pollution made for dark, starry skies. I couldn't resist a night shoot, I mean I had all my kit with me for it so why not?!

Bank holiday Monday consisted of our packing for home but then making a snap decision to head the 85 miles to Anglesey to a beach near the Village of Newborough, which is an old favourite of ours. The drive from Shropshire across mid Wales and North West up through the Snowdonian National Park was absolutely stunning. With steep, mountain sided evergreen forests, aged wooden and slate and stone huts appearing now and then, it rivalled the scenery of the likes of Norway and Sweden.

We arrived at the beach around tea time, changed into our swim gear and headed through the super sand dunes and onto the stunning beach, which was the gorgeous backdrop to the emerald sea. A stunning sight.

I'd checked sunset times which was tracking that evening for 1951hrs. So we settled in and grabbed some rays and I had a wade out into sea to de stress and unwind. We started to approach 'Golden Hour', so at around 6.45pm I started using the gorgeously soft, warm sunlight to grab some seascape and wifey shots. The light was just gorgeous.

We stayed and shot for about and hour, only leaving the beach as the light started to fade and with it, so did the warm temperatures we'd enjoyed a few hours before.

We headed back to the car and cleaned up then set off back home.

On our way back we noticed a sunflower field. The light was super low and we were into Blue Hour lighting wise, but I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity.

The shots I took were with my phone as I'd packed all my camera gear away with all kinds of camping kit in the way.

We'd squeezed every last minute from our weekend and it was just amazing.

Wales is an underrated and not often talked about gem of the British Isles. Absolutely beautiful and unspoiled in so many areas.

Thank you Montgomery (Wales), Shropshire, Anglesey and Snowdonia for a truly stunning weekend. We will be back.

Guys if you enjoyed this article, please give it a like and please do ask any questions about the areas mentioned if you have any.

All the best and see you soon.

Regards.

Neil.

[midwalescaravanholidays]

Why is a Holiday Village in Mid Wales Perfect for a Friends Getaway?

Are you ready for a vacation that blends the charm of a holiday village with the joy of shared experiences? Gather your pals, and explore why a friends' trip to a holiday village in Mid Wales might be the most memorable adventure you'll ever embark upon. Read this article for more details!

[bigyack-com]

Hilton to Open Garden Inn Hotel at Adventure Parc Snowdonia, North Wales

Thousands of people visit the mountainous region of Snowdonia in north west Wales every year. The air is fresh, the scenery picture perfect, and there are some lovely little hamlets and villages where you can stay without breaking the bank. Containing the highest peaks in the United Kingdom, outside of Scotland, Snowdonia is a magnet for climbers, hikers, nature lovers, photographers and increasingly, surfers and other thrill seekers. That's right, you don't need to travel to the other side of the world to surf, experience thrilling bike rides down a mountain, go bungee jumping or feel the adrenaline rush that a zipline provides, all that is just 90 minutes from Manchester Airport and slightly over 4-hours from London Heathrow.

It all started in 2008, when an aluminum works with over 100 years of history was purchased and turned into the world's first inland surf lagoon with a handful of glamping pods for people who wanted to stay. Since then, the site has expanded enormously and will soon be home to Hilton's second hotel in Wales, with the other Hilton being in the capital, Cardiff. With so much happening, Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com travelled to Adventure Parc Snowdonia to speak with Justin Everley the Commercial Director. In the interview, filmed on 8 February 2020, Justin tells us how Surf Snowdonia, as it was then called, was born. We discuss where guests are coming from, how much of the business is coming in from overseas, where the top markets are, and how Justin expects these demographics to change. Justin tells us about the surfing, what level of surfers it is aimed at, who it attracts, and whether you can surf year-round. We also discuss the glamping pods and you will learn more about the brand new 106-room Hilton Garden Inn hotel that is currently being built on-site, and why. We discuss filling the venue mid-week and outside of holidays, how important the MICE, spa and staycation markets are about to become and what role GDS currently plays in the success of the business. Justin explains why the location between Conwy, with one of the oldest, largest and most visited castles in Wales, and Betws y-Coed, the gateway to Snowdonia, is going to be crucial to Adventure Parc Snowdonia's success. And he tells us how they have used technology to enhance the guest experience, what challenges they face with recruitment and what further expansion plans they have. All that and much, much more in the FHD video and podcast below.

Hilton to Open Garden Inn Hotel at Adventure Parc Snowdonia, North Wales

PODCAST Your browser does not support this audio element. See also: Hilton to Open Garden Inn Hotel at Adventure Parc Snowdonia, North Wales, Sustainable Inspiration from Farmer Gareth Wyn Jones in North Wales, The Quay Hotel & Spa in Deganwy, North Wales - Interview with GM, Brid Collins, MICE in North Wales - Interview with Richard Jones of venue cymru, Llandudno, What Does Tourism Mean to Conwy, North Wales? Interview with Mayor and Welsh Wine from Gwinllan Conwy Vineyard - Interview with Colin Bennett. Many more exclusive interviews from North Wales to be uploaded over the coming days/week. See latest Travel News, Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: Snowdonia, Surf, Wales, North Wales. Headlines: AirAsia to Resume Manila - Saigon Flights; Launch Clark - Tagbilaran  COVID19: Qantas and Jetstar Make Major Changes to Network  Air Astana Changes Ticket Rules for Travellers from HK, JP, MO, SG, KR and TH  Hong Kong Int. 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[allbestnet]

Man Booker Prize by Man Booker Prize

1. Something to Answer For by P. H. Newby                Something to Answer For (1969) is a novel by the English author P. H. Newby. Its chief claim to fame is that it was the winner of the inaugural Booker Prize, which would go on to become one of the ...                - 2. The Elected Member by Bernice Rubens                The Elected Member is a Booker Prize-winning novel by Welsh author Bernice Rubens. The novel's main character is Norman Zweck, who is addicted to amphetamines and is convinced that he sees silve...                - 3. In a Free State by V. S. Naipaul                In a Free State is a short story by V. S. Naipaul. It was published in 1971 as one of three short stories within a book of the same name, but is by far the longest. Surrounding them is the narrator...                - 4. G. by John Berger                G. is a 1972 novel by John Berger. The novel's setting is pre-First World War Europe, and its protagonist, named "G.", is a Don Juan or Casanova-like lover of women who gradually comes to political...                - 5. The Siege of Krishnapur by J. G. Farrell                The Siege of Krishnapur is a novel by the author J. G. Farrell, published in 1973. Inspired by events such as the sieges of Cawnpore and Lucknow, the book details the siege of a fictional Indian t...                - 6. Holiday by Stanley Middleton                Holiday is a Booker Prize-winning novel by English author Stanley Middleton. The novel revolves around Edwin Fisher, a lecturer who takes a holiday at a seaside resort. The work takes place enti...                - 7. The Conservationist by Nadine Gordimer                The Conservationist is a 1974 novel by 1991 Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer. The book was a joint winner of the Man Booker Prize for fiction.                - 8. Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala                Heat and Dust (1975) is a novel by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala which won the Booker Prize in 1975. The events of the story take place in India, during the periods of the British Raj in the 1920s and th...                - 9. Saville by David Storey                Saville is a Booker Prize-winning novel by English author David Storey. The novel centers around Colin, a young boy growing up in the fictional Yorkshire mining village of Saxton during WWII and...                - 10. Staying On by Paul Scott                Staying On is a novel by Paul Scott, which was published in 1977 and won the Booker Prize.                - 11. The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch                The Sea, the Sea is the 19th novel by Iris Murdoch. It won the Booker Prize in 1978. The Sea, the Sea is a tale of the strange obsessions that haunt a self-satisfied playwright and director as h...                - 12. Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald                Offshore (1979) is a novel by Penelope Fitzgerald. It won the Booker Prize for that year. It recalls her time spent on boats in Battersea by the Thames. The novel centralizes around the idea of lim...                - 13. Rites of Passage by William Golding                To the Ends of the Earth is a trilogy of novels by William Golding, consisting of Rites of Passage (1980), Close Quarters (1987), and Fire down Below (1989).                - 14. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie                Midnight's Children is a loose allegory for events in India both before and, primarily, after the independence and partition of India, which took place at midnight on 15 August 1947. The protagonis...                - 15. Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally                The book tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a Nazi Party member, who turns into the unlikely hero. By the end of the war, Schindler has saved 1,200 Jews from concentration camps all over Poland an...                - 16. Life & Times of Michael K by J. M. Coetzee                Life & Times of Michael K is a 1983 novel by South African-born author J. M. Coetzee, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature for the year 2003. The book itself won the Booker Prize for 1983. The n...                - 17. The Bone People by Keri Hulme                The Bone People is a 1984 novel by New Zealand author Keri Hulme.                - 18. Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner                Romantic novelist Edith Hope is staying in a hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva, where her friends have advised her to retreat following an unfortunate incident. There she meets other English visit...                - 19. The Old Devils by Kingsley Amis                The Old Devils is a novel by Kingsley Amis, first published in 1986. The novel won the Booker Prize. Alun Weaver, a notable but obnoxious author, returns to his native Wales with his wife Rhianno...                - 20. Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively                Moon Tiger is a 1987 novel by Penelope Lively which spans the time before, during and after World War II. The novel won the 1987 Booker Prize. It is written from multiple points of view and moves b...                - 21. Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey                It tells the story of Oscar Hopkins, the Cornish son of a Plymouth Brethren minister who becomes an Anglican priest, and Lucinda Leplastrier, a young Australian heiress who buys a glass factory. Th...                - 22. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro                The Remains of the Day (1989) is the third published novel by Japanese-British author Kazuo Ishiguro. The Remains of The Day is one of the most highly-regarded post-war British novels. It won the B...                - 23. Possession by A.S. Byatt                Part historical as well as contemporary fiction, the title Possession refers to issues of ownership and independence between lovers, the practice of collecting historically significant cultural art...                - 24. The Famished Road by Ben Okri                The Famished Road is the Booker Prize-winning novel written by Nigerian author Ben Okri. The novel, published in 1991, follows Azaro, an abiku or spirit child, living in an unnamed most likely Nige...                - 25. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje                The English Patient is a 1992 novel by Sri Lankan-Canadian novelist Michael Ondaatje. The story deals with the gradually revealed histories of a critically burned English man, his Canadian nurse, a...                - 26. Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth                Sacred Hunger is a historical novel by Barry Unsworth first published in 1992. It was joint winner of the Booker Prize that year, sharing the position with Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient. ...                - 27. Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle                Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha (1993) is a novel by Irish writer Roddy Doyle. It won the Booker Prize in 1993. The story is about a 10 year old boy and events that happen within his age group. He also has t...                - 28. How Late It Was, How Late by James Kelman                How late it was, how late is a 1994 stream of consciousness novel written by Scottish writer James Kelman. The Glasgow-centred work is written in a working class Scottish dialect, and follows Sammy...                - 29. The Ghost Road by Pat Barker                The Ghost Road is a novel by Pat Barker, first published in 1995 and winner of the Booker Prize. It is the third volume of a trilogy that follows the fortunes of shell-shocked British army officers...                - 30. Last Orders by Graham Swift                Last Orders is a 1996 Booker Prize-winning novel by British author Graham Swift. The story makes much use of flashbacks to tell the convoluted story of the relationships between a group of war v...                - 31. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy                The God of Small Things is a politically charged novel by Indian author Arundhati Roy. It is a story about the childhood experiences of a pair of fraternal twins who become victims of circumstance....                - 32. Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee                Disgrace is a 1999 novel by South African-born author J. M. Coetzee, winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature; the book itself won the Booker Prize in 1999, the year in which it was published. ...                - 33. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood                The Blind Assassin is an award winning, bestselling novel by the Canadian author Margaret Atwood. It was first published by McClelland and Stewart in 2000. Set in Canada, it is narrated from the pr...                - 34. True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey                True History of the Kelly Gang is a historical novel by Australian writer Peter Carey. It was first published in Brisbane by the University of Queensland Press in 2000. It won the 2001 Man Booker P...                - 35. Life of Pi by Yann Martel                Life of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel written by Canadian author Yann Martel. In the story, the protagonist Piscine "Pi" Molitor Patel, an Indian boy from Pondicherry, explores issues of spiritua...                - 36. Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre                Vernon God Little is the Booker Prize winning debut novel of Australian-born author DBC Pierre, the pseudonym used by Peter Warren Finlay. The title character is a fifteen-year-old boy who lives...                - 37. The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst                The Line of Beauty is a 2004 Booker Prize-winning novel by Alan Hollinghurst. Set in the United Kingdom in the early to mid-1980s, the story surrounds the post-Oxford life of the young gay prota...                - 38. The Sea by John Banville                The Sea (2005) is the eighteenth novel by Irish author John Banville. The story is told by Max Morden, a self-aware, retired art historian attempting to reconcile himself to the deaths of those ...                - 39. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai                Set in the 1980s, the book tells the story of Jemubhai Popatlal Patel, a judge living out a disenchanted retirement in Kalimpong, a hill station in the Himalayan foothills, and his relationship wit...                - 40. The Gathering by Anne Enright                The Gathering is the fourth novel by Irish author Anne Enright. It won the 2007 Man Booker Prize. The novel traces the narrator's inner journey, setting out to derive meaning from past and prese...                - 41. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga                The White Tiger is the debut novel by Indian author Aravind Adiga. It was first published in 2008 and won the Man Booker Prize for the same year. The novel studies the contrast between India's rise...                - 42. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel                Wolf Hall (2009) is a Man Booker Prize-winning novel by English author Hilary Mantel, published by Fourth Estate. Set in the 1520s, it is about Thomas Cromwell's rise to power in the Tudor court of...                - 43. The Finkler Question: A Novel by Howard Jacobson                Julian Treslove, a professionally unspectacular and disappointed BBC worker, and Sam Finkler, a popular Jewish philosopher, writer and television personality, are old school friends. Despite a pric...                - 44. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes                Winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize By an acclaimed writer at the height of his powers, The Sense of an Ending extends a streak of extraordinary books that began with the best-selling Arthur & Geor...                - 45. Bring Up the Bodies: A Novel by Hilary Mantel                Winner of the 2012 Man Booker Prize Winner of the 2012 Costa Book of the Year Award The sequel to Hilary Mantel's 2009 Man Booker Prize winner and New York Times bestseller, Wolf Hall delves into t...                - 46. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton                Winner of the 2013 Man Booker Prize and Governor General’s Award for Fiction, and set during the heady days of New Zealand’s Gold Rush, The Luminaries is a magnificent novel of love, lust, murder, ...                -

[ne-nsw-stargrazing-festival]

StarGrazing Astronomy Annual Event Proposal and Invitation

To Amateur Astronomers All - SE Qld, NE NSW. __________________________________________________________________

The short quick version:

Our village is proposing hosting a NE NSW StarGrazing Festival - Annually.

Test run, evaluation this year, Ben Lomond Village, NSW, April 22 to 25, 2017.

We are seeking interested and supportive members from the astronomical community to visit in this time to check out our site, conditions, the proposal, give feedback, suggestions, recommendations.

If you consider attending to help us in this exercise, please fill out the questionnaire so we know approx numbers etc.

The questionnaire is at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/StargrazingFeedback_2017_1_Who_is_coming

The detailed version:

We think north-eastern New South Wales needs an annual gathering point for amateur astronomers. Essentially, a star party. And we think we have the best place to host it. What follows is the full story of how we have come to this proposal. It will leave you with a fairly informed picture of this rural village, the seriousness of our commitment and intentions, and what is proposed. Soon in separate information, we will provide additional information on accommodation options, food, costs, what we can provide this year, as things become clear.

An idea and invitation.

We would like yourself, or some of your other members, to consider visiting us between 22nd to 25th April this year. Check out our observing conditions and our local assets, with a view to us hosting such an event annually for this region.

The location is Ben Lomond village. [ 30 ̊ 01’ S, 151 ̊ 39’ E. ]

Ben Lomond is a small rural village nestled at the top of the Great Dividing Range on the Northern Tablelands of NSW. At an elevation of 1370 m, the village and local oval is a little higher than the Siding Springs Observatory site. 15% or so of the atmosphere is below. Even though it is only about two hours drive from the NSW - Queensland border, the village typically gets a few falls of snow each winter. You may well have heard of our village on the news. How much difference this makes for viewing conditions, is well.... we are hoping you can help us form a view.

We can not claim we have the best darkest night skies of any place in Australia. If you are seeking rare near perfect dark atmospheric conditions for deep long exposure photography, Central Australia, middle of the Indian Ocean, and Antarctica would be better. Our skies, due to our location, are pretty good though. A lot better than in cities or even near rural towns.

In counter balance to some compromise in top observing conditions, we think we have a unique combination of assets in the one place to make us an excellent venue overall for hosting an annual astronomy festival or star party.

First, there are not very many rural villages left like ours, and even fewer that don't have a major road or highway running through the middle of them.

Our village is situated such that we have a range of hills sheltering us on our east side from the New England Highway, which itself is about 10 km to the east of us. Our location not far from a major inland highway means we are easy to get to from Sydney, the Hunter Valley, Clarence Valley, Southern mid west Queensland, Brisbane and Southeast Queensland (all within 8 hours), while still with fair buffer from highway headlights. We are less than three hours drive inland from Coffs Harbour on the mid-north coast. That is far enough to be away from coastal urban light pollution. We also have a regional airport down the road less than an hour away, and a Sydney rail-bus link bus stop 15 minutes down the road. Meanwhile with a little research (actually quite a bit see map below) we note we are located centrally to a wide range of astronomy groups.

In this regard, we seem to have a pretty unique combination of deep rural skies, easy accessibility, and central location to most astronomy groups in this part of the world.

There is more though that leads us to be putting up our hand up and reaching out to the amateur astronomical community to consider our proposal.

Dark skies can be found elsewhere, but usually not with access to other practical amenities “ready to go” for holding a star party. It is easy to overlook how important these are on a practical level in enjoying an event.

Ben Lomond village has been a proactive rural community that's worked hard over the last few decades to improve and develop its local village assets. Nothing like multimillion dollar venues of course, but sound practical usable assets.

Consequently, we have all in one place; a wide country oval with excellent sky coverage, with adjacent tent camping and campervan space. Adjacent to the oval, a restored weather shed, barbecue facilities, and public loo. (Note, no public shower facility yet.) We then have a village hall within five minutes walk from the oval. The village hall hosts a commercial style kitchen (they host weddings here), an enclosed dining area, and a light projector and audio visual system, and more loos. I should mention at this point that our local CWA provide some pretty down to earth and excellent country cooking when they cater.

We think it is the combination of night sky conditions, and amenities, that stands this location out as a venue for a regional annual star party for this region. Not only do we have an excellent flat observing area with good night sky conditions, but also a venue for food, eating, socialising, wet weather, and facilities for talks, forums, and lectures, all ready to go. It took us awhile to recognise just how unique this is.

Upon investigation, we have support from our electricity provider and the village community to turn off the dozen streetlights in the village for as many nights as we would like. (For a connection and disconnection fee.) We also have support from the village community it would seem to work cooperatively with such an event in terms of any external lights they may have. We have less than 30 residents here.

We have looked at the annual astronomy calendar of events (and our weather) and set our star party date for last weekend of the Easter School Holidays, and the 3 or 4 nights following. There are some good reasons for this choice.

April is in our dry time of the year. Like most places, there can still be unseasonal rain events and clouds. While it does get chilly at night at this time of the year (we will likely have had our first frosts) it is not the dead of winter with overnight ground temperatures dropping below -6°C to -12 ̊C. Further, the way Easter and the school holidays are set to the full moon, this last weekend of the school holidays will always be such that the moon will not rise until after midnight at the earliest.

As for a program, we intend the first night, Saturday night (this year the 22nd of April) to be a public open night. A night to promote astronomy as a science, and as a hobby to young people, and indeed everyone. Being the end of the school holidays it will be something for families to do before the kids go back to school.

Then following the public night, a further three or four nights is reserved and dedicated to amateur astronomy. That is, lights remain off for observing (night time), hall available for talks workshops chat (afternoons), practical support like catering and food for those who wish it. Essentially, the village puts itself into "host mode" for amateur astronomy.

For the public Saturday night, we would like also to encourage anyone with a telescope in other centres on the Northern Tablelands to offer some stargazing to the public at their rural town or village oval as well. In this way we would hope to extend the public night across the Northern Tablelands as an annual event each year promoting astronomy. We do appreciate our access to dark night skies and the wonder they bring, so we are quite passionate about promoting the enjoyment of what is there for all to enjoy.

Amateur astronomers as a group of people are diverse. In developing this event, we would like to pay some focus to the social side as a festival. For example, some keen astronomers have family with partner and or kids. In such instances interest in astronomy may be embraced by the whole family, or “tolerated”. For those single, its great to connect with others with a common intellectual interest. Being centrally located on the Northern Tablelands, there is the option of dropping off ones family astronomer for a few days, while the rest tour other sites in the region, national parks, horse riding, gem prospecting, etc. Alternatively, if all are on board, make it a cheap family camping holiday, with access to local country roads for bike riding, and time in a rural quiet location. Hence we would be looking at afternoon activities added on that do not conflict with the astronomy. So it seems the bonfire and fireworks are out.

So here you have our current vision. We think it is doable.

We think it is not only an excellent opportunity for our village community to have an event we can come together for, but an excellent opportunity for the amateur astronomical community in this region of Australia to take up and benefit from.

What sort of community are we? How long have we been thinking about this?

How did we come to this?

To be clear, we are not writing this letter of invitation to you as a kind of one off thought bubble. This is not a letter where in we just hope some of you will turn up, bring telescopes and make it happen. We have been working on the viability of this idea for about 3 years now. All has been very carefully considered, and in offering ourselves as hosts for such an annual event, we are doing so with a mindset for the long haul into the future.

In gauging if it is worth your while supporting this particular proposal, I think it helps to know our history and momentum as a village community that leads us to be suggesting we host such an event.

We did not start developing our village over 20 years ago with such an event in mind. Rather then it was simply about our survival. Most small rural villages have disappeared over the latter half of the last century. Maintaining a sense of community in rural areas is very important, and so several people in this community decided that we did not want to go the way of so many other communities. Consequently our local Land Care Group also became our local progress association. First some trees were planted in the village, someone started mowing some of the roadside verges to tidy things up, and things grew from there.

Over the last decade, as a small organised rural community we have developed a very good relationship with our local council. Indeed, they were so impressed they offered an annual allocation of $10,000 for us to keep work on improving our community and continuing in large part to manage ourselves. We are right at the remote boundary of three local government areas, so it makes sense to support us to meet most of our own needs. Saves council money.

We have since built quite a reputation of being a progressive, competent, accountable with funding, inventive community. Hence, we have had our local council fully behind us in this star party, astronomy festival initiative. With a phone call and an appointment for example, we have enjoyed ‘walk in’ access to our local council to sit down with our General Manager, Council Engineer, Planning Officer, Councillors, Mayor, whoever is relevant, to discuss any issue or problem and develop possible solutions. That is a pretty good relationship to have with hosting such an event.

So when did the Star Party idea come about?

That happened only about 3 years ago. It helps to know that your writer here has had a lifelong interest in astronomy. Built my first telescope with support from others in my late teens, have a general science background, and spent time as a young person at CSIRO Division of Radio Physics where in I can boast that I have actually ridden “The Dish” to the ground like in the movies.

I mentioned the idea of hosting a star party in one of our community meetings, and was surprised to see with how much enthusiasm the idea was taken up. While it was initially a casual thought suggestion, since that time, I and the rest of us involved here have come to see that this really is a very good idea. One that we think can work both for this rural village community, and equally for the amateur astronomy community in this region - if there is an interest to take the offer up.

Provided our location, skies, and assets prove workable, the astronomical community gets an organised rural community that looks forward to hosting them every year. That has to be worth something.

Even looking ahead, the village is landlocked so it is not about to grow significantly, so the environment here for such an event should be good for decades to come.

It all just lines up.

All the same, things always move on, so it is an opportunity that needs to be taken up in some measure fairly promptly or it may be lost.

All is not perfect (per usual).

Unfortunately the local winery up the road burnt down. The Red Lion Pub and Motel remains 15 mins drive away for an evening sit down meal and a social drink. So not all is lost.

This year, our local rural Council was forcibly amalgamated into a larger regional City Council. We are uncertain as to our annual $10,000 allocation to our community. We are in progress as I write to determine what that situation may be.  We were hoping to offer catering, some afternoon child friendly activities on the public day afternoon, and other things. We may yet gain some funding but the uncertainty has left us limited at this point of what we can offer. These uncertainties delayed our progress in writing to groups as we had originally intended.

(Update: 23.03.17 No funding this year due to unfortunate circumstances, however next 5 years being considered, part of which can be used to develop this event.)

We are going ahead regardless, looking for other sources today.

So where to from here?

Despite this setback, none of these uncertainties remove that we are, from all our reviews, an excellent place to host an annual star party for north-eastern New South Wales, and possibly for those interested in SE Queensland. We think this region needs one. An annual gathering point to share the interest, and promote astronomy. Also simply provide a different dark night sky location for several nights for those stuck in more urban areas. If an event were established we note we are also well situated to bringing interstate astronomy groups and their members together for some trading (or competition) of skills, knowledge, second hand astronomy gear, etc.

This year we are taking it quietly. We are not trying to overly promote the event. Rather we invite and seek members of your group to assess our value as venue for a star party for our region. Check out our village, venues, and sky conditions. We seek your feedback, thoughts, and suggestions of how we can make this work with a view to a more promoted event next year, April, 2018.

We seek your arrival here in time for the Sat night, 22nd April. That is the public night. If we have sufficient interest and telescopes (we have two so far we think) it will be a chance to do a little promotion to gauge public interest for such an event.

If you want to stay a few nights after to do so some astronomy, we would be delighted. We have booked the Hall and the village oval for 4 nights with the local groups responsible for managing these facilities.

At this stage, given we have no idea what sort of response we may get, if you have thoughts of attending we would ask you to fill out the online questionnaire at the top and bottom of this post. 

This questionnaire will give us an idea of how many people might be coming, if we will have enough astronomers with telescopes to warrant promotion of the public night. We also ask for a contact email address so that we can update you on what is happening. We will need to organise ourselves according to the level of response. At this point, if we attract a dozen amateurs, some with telescopes, we will be delighted. Naturally if you bring a telescope we are hoping that you will offer time to share objects of interest with those that come to the Sat night as public night.

So there you have the situation and opportunity. We hope you will discuss this opportunity with others in your local astronomy circles.

For a name, we have adopted StarGrazing Festival, or NE NSW StarGrazing Festival, depending on the context. Agriculturally we are grazing country. A rather obvious play on words.

Please consider. Ben Lomond Village StarGrazing team. Email: stargrazingteam@gmail.com

On Line Survey for those considering attending:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/StargrazingFeedback_2017_1_Who_is_coming

[thetruthseekerway]

The Pagan Origins of Halloween

New Post has been published on https://www.truth-seeker.info/oasis-of-faith/the-pagan-origins-of-halloween/

The Pagan Origins of Halloween

By Truth Seeker Staff

The Pagan Origins of Halloween

All Saints’ Day, Nov. 1, the feast of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, the day God is glorified for all his saints known and unknown. Roman Catholics are obliged to hear Mass on this day. In medieval England it was called All Hallows; hence the name Halloween (Hallows’ eve) for the preceding day (Oct. 31).

From the Compton’s Family Encyclopedia, 1991 Edition: Customs and superstitions gathered through the ages go into the celebration of Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, on October 31, the Christian festival of All Saints. It has its origins, however, in the autumn festivals of earlier times.

The ancient Druids had a three-day celebration at the beginning of November. They believed that on the last night of October, spirits of the dead roamed abroad, and they lighted bonfires to drive them away. In ancient Rome, the festival of Pomona, goddess of fruits and gardens, occurred at about this time of the year. It was an occasion of rejoicing associated with the harvest; and nuts and apples, as symbols of the winter store of fruit, were roasted before huge bonfires. Nevertheless, these agricultural and pastoral celebrations also had a sinister aspect, with ghosts and witches thought to be on the prowl.

Even after November 1 became a Christian feast day honouring all saints, many people clung to the old pagan beliefs and customs that had grown up about Halloween.

Some tried to foretell the future on that night by performing such rites as jumping over lighted candles. In the British Isles, great bonfires blazed for the Celtic festival of Sambain. Laughing bands of guisers, young people disguised in grotesque masks, carved lanterns from turnips and carried them through the villages.

In the United States, children carved faces on hollowed-out pumpkins and put lighted candles inside to make jack-o’-lanterns. Halloween celebrations today reflect many of these early customs. Stores and homes display orange and black figures of witches, bats, black cats, and pumpkins. People dressed in fanciful outfits go to costume parties, where old-fashioned games like bobbing for apples in tubs of water may be a part of the festivities. Children put on costumes and masks and go from house to house demanding “trick or treat.”

The treat, usually candy, is generally given and the trick rarely played. Some parents feel this custom is dangerous. There have been numerous instances in which sharp objects or poisons have been found in candy bars and apples. To provide an alternative to begging for candy from strangers, many communities schedule special, supervised parties and events at Halloween. The United Nations has used the Halloween observance to collect money for its children’s fund.

The Celtic festival of Samhain is probably the source of the present-day Halloween celebration. The Celts lived more than 2000 years ago in what is now Great Britain, Ireland and Northern France. Their new year began November 1; a festival that began the previous evening honoured Samhain, the Celtic lord of death. The celebration marked the beginning of the season of cold, darkness, and decay. It naturally became associated with human death. Celts believed that Samhain allowed the souls of the dead to return to their earthly homes for this evening.

On the evening of that festival, the Druids, who were the priests and teachers of the Celts, had a three-day festival and ordered the people to put out their hearth fires. They believed that on the last night of October spirits of the dead roamed abroad, and they lighted bonfires to drive them away. They built a huge new year bonfire of oak branches, which they considered sacred. They burned animals, crops and possibly even human beings as sacrifices. Then, each family relit its hearth fires from the new year’s fire. During the celebration, people sometimes wore costumes made of animal heads and skins. They told fortunes about the coming year by examining the remains of the animals that were sacrificed.

Halloween customs

Most of the Halloween activities participated in today can be traced to occult symbolism. For example:

Regional Halloween Customs developed among various groups of Celts:

In Ireland, for example, people begged for food in a parade that honoured Muck Olla, believed by them as a god. The leader of the parade wore a white robe and a mask made from the head of an animal. In Scotland, people paraded through fields and villages carrying torches. They lit huge bonfires on hillsides to drive away witches and other evil spirits. In Wales, every person marked a stone and put it into a bonfire. The people believed that if a person’s stone was missing the next morning he or she would die within a year.

In England, Halloween was sometimes called Nutcracker Night or Snap Apple Night. Families sat by the fire and told stories while eating apples and nuts. On All Soul’s Day, poor people went a-souling (begging). They receive pastries called soul cakes in exchange for promising to say prayers for the dead.

Jack-O’-Lanterns are hollowed out pumpkins with a face cut into one side. Most jack-o’-lanterns contain a candle or some other light. People in England and Ireland once carved out beets, potatoes, and turnips to use as lanterns on Halloween. After this custom reached America, pumpkins began to be used. According to an Irish legend, jack-o’-lanterns were named after a man called Jack who could not enter heaven because he was a miser. He could not enter hell either because he had played jokes on the devil. As a result, Jack had to walk the earth with his lantern until Judgment Day.

Fortune telling:

Certain fortune-telling methods began in Europe hundreds of years ago and became an important part of Halloween. For example, such objects as a coin, ring, and a thimble were baked into a cake or other food. It was believed that a person who found the coin would become wealthy. The one who found the ring would marry soon and the one who got the thimble would never marry. Today, techniques such as card readers and palmistry have been added to the traditional Halloween methods of fortune-telling.

Dressing up in costumes:

This was done so that the spirits of the dead would not recognize people. The Druids would actually sacrifice animals and sometimes humans and dress in these animal skins. Wearing these clothes, they would engage in fortune-telling. Another explanation is that today, kids who dress represent these spirits.

Trick or Treating:

The Druids would go from house to house on October 31 and demand specific types of food. If their demands were not met, it was believed the people and their homes would be cursed with trouble, sickness, and death. Prosperity was promised to those who generously donated. Today, when kids are offered treats by neighbours, this goes back to the time people would offer food to appease the spirits.

Halloween in the USA:

Many early American settlers came from England and other Celtic regions and they brought various customs with them. However, because of the strict religious beliefs of other settlers, Halloween celebrations did not become popular until the 1800s. During that period, large numbers of immigrants arrived from Ireland and Scotland and introduced their Halloween customs.

During the mid-1900s trick-or-treating became less popular in large cities where many neighbours did not know each other. Halloween pranks, which had once been harmless, sometimes became rowdy and destructive. Traffic accidents also became a problem on Halloween. As a result, family parties, large community celebrations gained popularity. Today many communities sponsor bonfires, costume parades, dances, skits, and other forms of entertainment to celebrate Halloween.

Understanding with knowledge:

“Mankind has been blessed with intellect and natural inclination to the truth. In addition to these great blessings and this great eminence which Allah has given to mankind, He also gave them the blessing of intellect which raises them to the level of taking on responsibilities given by Allah, and it also enables them to achieve and comprehend them. He All-Mighty also provided them with a natural inclination to the truth which agrees with that which the Messengers of Allah salallaahu alayhi wa sallam came with: the noble revelation and the true religion which Allah prescribed, and laid down as the way to be followed for mankind upon the tongues of his noble Messengers.” (The Methodology of the Prophets in Calling to Allah, that is the way of wisdom and intelligence)

So with this intellect that Allah has blessed us with, let us not forget the truth of Halloween. Everything about Halloween involves some kind of associating partners with Allah. Halloween must be seen as it really is:

Reverence and fear of the so-called “dead spirits.” (Associating, worshiping other than Allah The Most High)

Reenacting Pagan holidays (Imitation of disbelievers)

Fortune-telling (Belief that others have the power to know the future and the unseen)

——–

Adapted with editorial modifications from www.islamweb.net.

  Read Also:

Trick or Treat? The Origin of Halloween

[cynthiabryanuk]

11 Exciting Destinations for Horse Riding in the UK

If enjoying the countryside on horseback is your idea of a perfect getaway, this one’s for you. Below we’ve picked out our top destinations for horse riding in the UK.

HORSE RIDING GETAWAYS IN THE UK

Saddle up! Seasoned rider or absolute beginner, there’s a riding getaway out there for you. Riding breaks are great fun for animal-loving folk, and even families with very young children can get involved.

We’ve picked out 11 great bases for horse riding in the UK, all with riding centres within easy reach. These destinations have plenty of other attractions too, from ancient hilltop castles and exciting cities to rolling hills and picturesque beaches – there are even a couple of locations TV fans might recognise. Whether you’re looking for beginner lessons with a riding school to learn the basics, or want to join some longer rides requiring more expertise, there’s something in the list below to suit. Some centres even allow you to bring your own trusty steed along.

When you’ve chosen where you’d like to ride, you’ll need to choose where to stay. We can’t think of anything better than a welcoming home to return to at the end of a long day trotting through the countryside – preferably with a tub to sink into, a log fire and a hot, home-cooked meal (or quick jaunt to the local pub if you’re too weary). There are lots of comfortable rural rentals in these areas, close to riding terrain and handy for those early starts when you just can’t wait to get back in the saddle.

From the Scottish Highlands to South West England, here are 11 destinations for epic horse riding holidays in the UK.

NEW FOREST – HAMPSHIRE

The New Forest’s unique terrain, a mix of heathland and forest inhabited by wild ponies and skittering rabbits, is a much-loved UK holiday spot. But even at popular times, you can still wander out and find a peaceful stretch of it for yourself. It’s also a wonderful place for riding.

Located on the northwestern edge of the national park is Arniss Equestrian, catering for all skill levels. Here you can saddle up and get straight onto those New Forest trails without taking your horse out into road traffic. Arniss offers horse riding lessons, hacks and special activities for children over the summer.

Southeast of Arniss there’s also Brockenhurst Riding Stables, another excellent New Forest choice giving direct access to the New Forest trails on scenic one or two-hour guided rides.

Top Horse Riding Facilities

Arniss Equestrian

Location: Godskill nr Fordingbridge

Age: 4+

Skill level: All

Prices: From £35 for a private 30-minute lesson

www.arnissequestrian.co.uk

Brockenhurst Riding Stables

Location: Brockenhurst

Age: 2+

Skill level: All

Prices: Forest ride £37 per person for one hour

http://www.brockenhurstridingstables.co.uk/

Choose a holiday rental in Hampshire

WEST SUSSEX

There’s a lot to see in West Sussex, from Arundel Castle to the beautiful South Downs National Park, which has over 1600 square kilometres of farmland and woodland scattered with quaint villages. It’s well worth an explore – particularly on horseback.

Chestnuts Riding School in Pyecombe has indoor riding facilities and its own private bridle path leading out into the spectacular South Downs. You can choose from long and short hacks, pony rides and treks.

Top Horse Riding Facility

Chestnuts Riding School

Location: Pyecombe

Age: 4+

Skill level: All

Prices: From £35 per child + £40 per adult for a private 30-minute lesson

http://www.chestnutsridingschool.co.uk

Find a riding rental in West Sussex

EAST SUSSEX

East Sussex is blessed with some lovely seaside hubs – check out the boating lakes of Eastbourne, the museums and nightlife of buzzing Brighton, and the beach at Camber Sands which is perfect for kite-flying and wind surfing. There’s also the High Weald Area of Natural Beauty, combining wooded hills, ancient roads and farmsteads – a landscape that’s begging to be discovered on a riding holiday.

At Ashdown Forest Riding Centre, you can take lessons in the outdoor arena or discover acre upon acre of heathland on an escorted trek. The centre also runs rides to special destinations, such as the beach at Camber Sands, and there are kids’ pony days twice a week over the summer holidays.

Top Horse Riding Facility

Ashdown Forest Riding Centre

Location: Crowborough

Age: 5+

Skill level: All

Prices: From £30 for a private 30-minute lesson

http://www.ashdownforestriding.co.uk/

Book a stay in East Sussex

DEVON

Devon’s got the pretty university city of Exeter, the beach resort of Torquay, and gorgeous stretches of coastline to the north and south. It’s also home to Dartmoor National Park, where semi-wild ponies roam over a rugged landscape of rock, wetland and forest – and it’s horse riding heaven.

Adventure Clydesdale, based in Dartmeet, has a series of trail-riding options around Dartmoor on stunning Clydesdale horses, a larger breed historically used for farming. You’ll need to have some riding experience to participate.

Top Horse Riding Facility

Adventure Clydesdale

Location: Dartmeet

Age: 12+ pony club trained or equivalent

Skill level: Novice to experienced (not beginners)

Prices: Two-hour ‘heritage ride’ on Dartmoor £70

http://www.adventureclydesdale.com

Find a home from home in Devon

NORTHUMBERLAND

Postcard-pretty Berwick-Upon-Tweed, the Holy Island (also known as Lindisfarne) with its castle and ruined medieval priory, and the UNESCO-rated Hadrian’s Wall are just a few of the attractions on offer in Northumberland, another rider-friendly holiday destination.

At Kimmerston Riding Centre there are 30 horses and ponies waiting to take you out through the heather to appreciate the glorious views of the Cheviot Hills. There are also supervised rides along the coast, with more challenging versions available for advanced riders. You can even purchase antique riding gear and apparel here.

Top Horse Riding Facility

Kimmerston Riding Centre

Location: Wooler

Age: 5+

Skill level: All

Prices: From £20 per child + £25 per adult for a one-hour ride

http://www.kimmerston.com/

See all holiday rentals in Northumberland

CARMARTHENSHIRE

Here’s another beautiful county with plenty to see and do. The National Botanic Garden of Wales makes a lovely day out, with its tropical butterfly house and walled garden. Then there’s the striking Carreg Cennen Castle, with its impressive elevated position in the Brecon Beacons, and the WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre, where you can hand feed the resident birds.

In Pendine, the Marros Riding Centre has over 40 horses and ponies and 140 acres to discover. You can book lessons and rides through private woodland and experienced riders can sign up for a guided beach ride.

Top Horse Riding Facility

Marros Riding Centre

Location: Pendine

Age: All

Skill level: All

Prices: From £27 for a private 30-minute lesson

http://www.marros-farm.co.uk/

Browse homes in Carmarthenshire

POWYS

Powys makes a great base for exploring the mid-Wales countryside and the magnificent Brecon Beacons National Park at its southern reaches. You can tackle the park on horseback, but you can also abseil, rock climb and bike your way around it.

To the north in Llanidloes, the Bradnant Equestrian Centre has a 25-acre countryside plot, and a range of ponies and horses. There’s a large indoor arena and a field arena for practising jumps, plus free tea and coffee for visitors in the lounge.

Top Horse Riding Facility

Bradnant Equestrian Centre

Location: Llanidloes

Age: All

Skill level: All

Prices: From £20 for a private 30-minute lesson

http://www.bradnant.com/

Find somewhere to stay in Powys

NORFOLK

The charming city of Norwich, the famous waterways of the Broads National Park, the stunning north Norfolk coast and the seaside resort of Great Yarmouth. With scenery like this, it’s no wonder this place is favoured by horsey folk.

Seek out the Eden Meadows Riding Centre near Thetford Forest, set in a 30-acre site inhabited by 25 horses and ponies. Riding lessons of all levels are held in the floodlit indoor arena. More experienced riders can go hacking around the quiet surrounding lanes, and there’s a longer two-hour hack into Thetford Forest itself.

Top Horse Riding Facility

Eden Meadows Riding Centre

Location: Rocklands, Nr. Attleborough

Age: 5+

Skill level: All

Prices: From £32.50 for a private 30-minute lesson

http://www.eden-meadows.co.uk/

See all holiday rentals in Norfolk

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

This is a lovely area to visit any time of year, with the beautiful university buildings and museums of Cambridge, peaceful rural villages and the Fens, famous for wildlife, winding waterways and cycle paths.

On the edge of Nene Park in Peterborough, a popular place for dog walking, duck feeding and bird watching, is Lynch Farm Riding. This is a good facility for people returning to riding after a break, but beginners are also welcome. There are children’s activity days over the school holidays, multi-day riding courses and treks through Nene Park for the more experienced.

Top Horse Riding Facility

Lynch Farm Riding

Location: Peterborough

Age: 4+

Skill level: All

Prices: From £14 per child + £33 per adult for a private 30-minute lesson

https://www.lynchfarmriding.co.uk/

Find a Cambridgeshire rental

BADENOCH AND STRATHSPEY

Pick a holiday home here and you’ll be truly bowled over by the spectacular Highland scenery, made up of mountain, forest and heather-covered hillsides crowned with the occasional curious stag. This is a stunning corner of the UK for a riding getaway.

Highland Horse Fun is located near the village of Newtonmore, which you may recognise from the Monarch of the Glen TV series. The centre has an indoor training arena, large outdoor menage and plenty of jumping equipment, and staff offer everything from one-off lessons to trail-riding experiences over several days.

Top Horse Riding Facility

Highland Horse Fun

Location: Kingussie

Age: All

Skill level: All

Prices: From £45 for a 45-minute lesson

http://www.highlandhorsefun.com/

See all holiday lettings in Badenoch and Strathspey

COUNTY ANTRIM

Our last pick provides yet more dramatic landscapes, particularly along the north coast around the Giant’s Causeway. Game of Thrones fans will want to witness the ‘Dark Hedges’ for themselves – a line of crooked beech trees bordering the Bregagh Road up to Gracehill House in Ballymoney.

Just down the road from here is Sheans Horse Farm, a family-friendly farm and riding centre with access to fantastic off-road riding. There are guided treks for beginners and novices and hacks for experienced riders. There’s even a Game of Thrones package, starting with an exhilarating ride, and finishing in a GoT costumed photo at the Dark Hedges to remind you of your adventure.

Top Horse Riding Facility

Sheans Horse Farm

Location: Ballymoney

Age: All

Skill level: All

Prices: From £20 for a private 30-minute lesson

https://www.sheanshorsefarm.com/

See County Antrim holiday homes

  The post 11 Exciting Destinations for Horse Riding in the UK appeared first on Holiday Lettings Blog.

from News And Tips For Traveling https://blog.holidaylettings.co.uk/top-horse-riding-destinations-uk/

[peter-horrocks]

Football in France

As football mania hit fever pitch in France last week I was on a TGV fast train heading from Paris to Aix-en-Provence somewhat relieved it was actually running and amused to be getting the excited updates of the progress of the world cup final game over the intercom system whilst the carriage staff painted passenger’s cheeks with the tricolour of red white and blue. I had plenty of time to reflect on football in France.

In fact, I am truly grateful to the French amateur football system as I am sure it saved me from the potential health pitfalls of one of the most pervasive bad habits in France and the UK for that matter, smoking. Yes, it was football which made me give up smoking when I was young, nipping it in the bud forever and it introduced me to eating seafood too.

From a very early age I played football both outdoor at school, in the street, the park and for my hometown Middleton near Manchester on some of the muddiest windswept cold pitches in the UK. I experienced the sparse facilities at boundary park where I played for Oldham Athletic as a junior and even more rudimentary set up at Rochdale FC’s home Spotland where my youth club team won the regional final.

At Lancaster University the only thing I did of which I can still feel proud was winning the college cup with Grizedale for the first time in their history and to this day I can remember slumping in the shower still in my full kit as the water washed the mud off my multiple cuts and bruises.

I did give up for a period of ten years as a kind of personal protest at the wave of hooliganism which for some weird reason took root in the eighties. Then started again playing for Gargrave village team in Yorkshire where the sloping pitches matched the contours of the dales, finally settling for indoor 5 a side in Skipton where I was swiftly hacked down for “showboating”, a brutal reminder of UK sporting values whatever your age.

Which brings me on to France where I first played for the town team of St Foy la Grande (which is about a one hour drive from Bordeaux) whilst on my gap year working on a vineyard. It was the farmer himself who suggested I give it a try and he organised everything.

The first step was to pass the medical. Yes before you can join a club and play at any level you need to produce a medical certificate and that applies to numerous activities, I had to do the same here more recently when I joined the local climbing wall.

Like many a miss-guided youngster I had started smoking when I went to high school and by the age of eighteen, I was merrily working my way through packets of Gauloise and Gitanes during my days trudging up and down the vineyards with secateurs in hand. I was suddenly concerned that smoking might become an issue at my medical. So I stopped three days before my appointment with the doctor.

The doctor had me do a number of strenuous exercises then proceeded to check my pulse, take my tension level and listen with a stethoscope to my chest. “Vous fumer?” he asked. “No no” I gasped desperately. “Oui vous fumer” he replied and proceeded to fill out and sign off my certificate. That was it for me. I never touched a cigarette ever again and am forever grateful.

Mid-week I set off on my old Peugeot “mobylette” on the ten kilometres of unlit country road to training. Training!!! I had never ever done a days training. All we ever did back home was play matches. Not even a stretch beforehand as it was generally freezing outside and you would have been called all the names under the sun if you did anything more than lace your boots. Yes, training on a beautiful flat green pitch under the glare of floodlights. Floodlights!!! I couldn’t believe it. I was used to having to weave my way around numerous muddy pitches with a backdrop of cotton mill chimneys not a  pitch with a stand on one side and blooming floodlights on a warm balmy evening. 

We trained and practised, and I rode home after with a big grin on my face, I didn’t even care when my ride broke down and I had to walk the last few kilometres in the dark wondering occasionally into the drainage ditch which invariably runs each side of a French country road. I played a season for Ste Foy and enjoyed being known as “le grand anglais” and they made the most of my height and ability to head the ball as I was way bigger than anyone else. 

After the games came the “troisieme mi-temps” or third half which was spent with the whole team, manager and the few supporters and relatives in a local restaurant. After significant victories it sometimes got raucous and on one occasion I was faced with a forfeit of standing on the table and eating an oyster.They don’t have oysters where I used to holiday in North Wales, just fish and chips. So the sight of this thing which not only looked disgusting but was still actually alive and moving was not good. Normally I would have declined but in these circumstances,  there was too much honour at stake. I gulped it down and followed it swiftly with a glass of wine. It was actually rather good, a nice taste of the sea. Surprising, like French football.

In the dressing room at Old Trafford enjoying the French connection

My team which I have always followed is Manchester United as you were born a red or a blue where I came from in those days, you didn’t choose fancifully. The club has a strong connection with French players and none more so than Eric Cantona (the King) and I always enjoyed this aspect. Nowadays it is Paul Pogba who is flying the red’s flag and causing as much controversy in his own way as Eric “le roi” did.

I found this poster of King Eric on the wall of a restaurant in Bandol.

I have been to a number of French matches in France over the years, starting in Bordeaux, again in my gap year. There I was astonished when a chap in the crowd tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I had a knife so he could cut his “saucisson” which is a kind of dried salami type sausage. No way that would happen in the UK. It reflected the French people's attitude to football then as it was before they won the World Cup for the first time and interest was low key, food far more important. 

More recently I went to see Marseille for whom Didier Deschamps was the manager and I actually once saw the crowd go on strike, which made me laugh. His fortunes have certainly risen since then and the stadium has been expanded and developed as have many in France to reflect the sports growing status.

Watching Didier Deschamps Marseille before the days of the roof

So, I have followed football and played back in the UK and over here and it was wonderful to see France deservedly crowned world champions and a relief to see the celebrations completed without serious incident and the country briefly united and happy after what has been a number of difficult years for the French. I think few will begrudge them the trophy and in my mind, there is little surprise that they are so technically gifted and dominant.

On Wednesday evening I played as usual in a mountain village near Grasse with the Saint-Cezaire-Sur-Siagne veterans, finding myself still thankful to the French football system for helping me quit smoking so I can still play well despite rapidly approaching 60. I played in my Marseille kit bought for me by my French family one Christmas and on the pitch they called me Waddle after Chris who was one of the few English players to play in France, for OM too. 

The standard was as good as ever, we were joined by numerous local youngsters who like to play with us because of the “bon ambience”. We played on the superb three-quarter size all weather astroturf pitch with big goals and as usual, the floodlights were on and it was a warm balmy evening. Is football coming home after all? Maybe it is, it depends where home is.

Something quite unique I have come across here is a concept called Urban Soccer which allows individuals or groups to sign in and join up with others to form five-a-side teams and play at centres such as the one at Villeneuve Loubet where they have converted a tennis club into a complex of over twenty floodlit all weather pitches. It is a great way to participate in five a side, there is a clubhouse with a bar and you can even arrange to have your match filmed. There are regular tournaments with referees and everything. I've tried it with family and friends here, its good fun. One French friend told me he signs up and plays when he goes to New York with work as there is one at Central Park.

It is just a game though for some reason football attracts millions of peoples interest throughout the world, whether playing or watching or just criticising anything and everything from overpaid players to lack of facilities. In the UK it is still played with passion and grit which I love and in France with technical ability and speed which is wonderful to experience. I personally treasure every moment I am still able to play. Enjoy!

Best wishes

Peter Horrocks

Peter H. Copyright © 2018 Peter Horrocks, all rights reserved

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