#royal victoria dock

[spyroskaprinis]

“Millennium Mills Workshop” _ 03.02.2023 _ SK

“The Millennium Mills is a derelict turn of the 20th century flour mill in West Silvertown on the south side of the Royal Victoria Dock, between the Thames Barrier and the ExCeL London exhibition centre alongside the newly built Britannia village, in Newham, London, England. The Mills are currently undergoing a major renovation as part of a £3.5billion redevelopment of Silvertown.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Mills

https://www.avialogs.com/aircraft-v/vought/item/56318-vought-xf5u-1-illustrated-assembly-breakdown

[bondpix]

The Thames sailing barge "Wyvenhoe" being prepared for an explosive sequence in the pre-titles boat chase for "The World Is Not Enough"

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Williams (@bondpix007)

[hotelbooking]

Belvedere Royal Victoria Docks Apartments Welcome to Belvedere Royal Victoria Docks Apartments, a luxurious 4.5-star hotel nestled in the vibrant city of London, United Kingdom. With its prime location near the city center, this hotel offers a tranquil retreat while still being within easy reach of all the major attractions and business districts. Step into a world of sophistication and elegance as you enter the beautifully designed lobby of Belvedere Royal Victoria Docks Apartments. The hotel boasts a total of 4 spacious and well-appointed rooms, ensuring a personalized and exclusive experience for each guest. Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, you will find the perfect accommodation to suit your needs. Check-in is available from 03:00 PM, allowing you to settle in and start your London adventure at your own pace. The hotel's friendly and professional staff will be on hand to assist you with any requests or queries you may have, ensuring a seamless and hassle-free...

[tatmanblue]

Untitled by bigboysdad

[princessanneftw]

Even though he was about to set off on an 18-month sailing trip, Bill Norrie dressed up in a two-piece suit on Sunday.

Standing to attention in his sailboat docked at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club along with his wife Cathy, Norrie hoped that Princess Anne — who was visiting to present prizes at the Spring Dinghies Regatta Sunday afternoon — would give him the honour of a send-off.

Norrie would get his wish.

After touring the Canadian Navy’s Osprey sail training vessel, Princess Anne and her entourage stopped for a brief chat with the couple.

Upon learning of Norrie’s plans to head off to New Zealand, the princess joked: “You’re looking too tidy for that.”

Sir Tim Laurence, Princess Anne’s husband, untied the boat from the dock, and the princess herself gave the 28-foot-long Pixie a push before strolling back toward land to hand out the regatta prizes.

Times Colonist | 5 May 2024

[panderp123]

Cornelius Pendragon

──────── • ✿ • ────────

Name: Admiral Cornelius Edward Pendragon

Gender: Male

Born: 1799

Knighted: 1859

Death: 1869 (Scarlett Fever, aged 70)

Sexuality: Straight

🔹Species: King Cobra 🐍

🔹Height: 6ft 4”

🔹 Relations: Ellie (Wife) ,Sir Pentious (son)

🔹Personality: Stoic, Regal, Strict, Authoritarian, Chivalrous & Kind

🔹Hobbies: Building Ships in a bottle, Reading, Chess & fencing ⚔️.

🔹Likes: Tea, Cakes, Art Galleries, Park walks.

🔹 Dislikes: Disrespectful people, Laziness, Failure, dishonesty, liars, secrets (surprises don’t count)

🔹Backstory:

Born in the peek of the Pirate era, Cornelius was a very happy and energetic child. His parents were wealthy Bankers and owned many of the establishments of London. By the time he was 18 in 1817 he had enlisted in the British Royal Navy.

Cornelius didn’t want his fortune handed to him from his family. He wanted to be a man of his own making. Training with the Navy made him appreciate structure, rules and discipline. Over his years of experience in the Navy he had reached Admiral by the time he was 30.

Driven to rid of Pirates and being sent to other territories a close call during a naval battle made Cornelius take some much needed leave to visit home. Where he asked his mother to find an eligible woman to be his bride. Beatrice was more than delighted to assist!

Lo and behold he was introduced to a lovely woman called Elizabeth Hastings. She was merely 21 going on 22 at the time of their courtship but the Admiral was smitten. Elizabeth or Ellie as she preferred was so sweet, kind and a hopeless romantic for a man in uniform. However, she helped Cornelius bring down those walls to be more himself rather than the Admiral all the time.

The couple were to marry that Spring but due to Cornelius being summoned to sea he proposed they get married during their Christmas holiday with all their family. So after Christmas Mass, the pair went up and became husband and wife.

Once the festivities had died down the nerve wracking moment of their Wedding Night came to being. Cornelius knew this was a big step but he comforted Ellie and understood if she wasn’t ready they could wait. They did go through with it that night and it was very special to both of them.

Ellie saw Cornelius off at the docks, she would write to him at the Port he was stationed at. Even telling him she was expecting their first child, Cornelius was over the moon to become a father. He postponed his annual leave to have time to be there for Ellie at the end of the pregnancy.

Then on that faithful day when Ellie was whisked into the chambers to birth their first child, Cornelius was called in as Ellie had complications during birth. The doctor advised she couldn’t have more children due to risk of her life. Cornelius was understanding but he didn’t leave her side or their son’s while she recovered.

Duties were put aside for his little family as he cradled his son, Arthur. Once Ellie was better she was able to nurse and care for Arthur. Cornelius was overjoyed his little family was ok.

Over the years the trips to the Caribbean became more demanding and it caused a distance between him and Ellie. Sure they did have their marital duties to satisfy each other’s loneliness but it felt like they were becoming different people.

In 1859, Cornelius was invited to Hanover in England from none other than Queen Victoria herself. Due to his bravery and significant contribution to England he was Knighted at 60 years old. (Pen was approximately 11)

A Decade on and Cornelius had heard a rumour about his wife being unfaithful with the gardener whilst he was away. At first, he didn’t believe it yet understood…he wasn’t there but then the doubts started to creep in. Was Arthur even his? Confronting Ellie was the hardest thing he had to do because he knew his Admiral mannerisms would arise. Ellie did admit to it but as she was younger at the time she didn’t know what she wanted. Due to her indecisiveness, Cornelius wasn’t sure what Ellie wanted. So Cornelius distanced himself from both his son and wife.

Even going as far as to stop making ships in a bottle for Arthur…

By the time Arthur was a young man of science and invention both he and his father were more civil and respectful towards one another. Rather than this openly lovely relationship he had with his mother, Ellie.

Cornelius passed away from Scarlet fever in 1869 at 70 but he wished he had fixed things with his family. (Pentious approx 21)

Art by me and @gabendselarom & me

Voice sample claim: Patrick Stewart.

Alternative hood colours depending on mood

──────── • ✿ • ────────

[georgi-girl]

The Corpse Groom (Corpse Bride recast)

original meme belongs to Blaze-On-Fire. I've learned some disappointing things about Tim Burtan. But my sister tells me it's still okay to like his movie since he's not really the creative mind behind them. So with that in mind, I give you my polyamorous retelling of The Corpse Bride with characters from the Dreamworks Trolls franchise (inspired by the Tangled/Corpse Bride crossover "Live For You" on AO3) starring... Hickory in the role of Victor Van Dort. Princess Poppy in the role of Victoria Everglot. Delta Dawn in the role of Nell (she's Hickorys' sister-in-law) Cybil in the role of Maudeline (until the third movie comes out, I'm casting her as Poppy's mother) King Peppy in the role of Finis. Dickory in the role of William (Hickorys' brother, Delta's husband) Branch in the of Emily (why is the title character so far down? this is not a well-designed meme) Creek in the role of Lord Barkus. DJ Suki in the role of Hildagard (she's Poppys' lady in waiting) King Gristle Senior in the role of Pastor Galswells. Biggie in the role of Mayhew (Don't worry, he's not going to die) Grandma Rosie Puff in the role of Grandfather Everglot (she's Poppys' ancestor in this story)   King Thrash in the role of Elder Gutknecht. He and the other Rock Trolls are psychopomps (death angels) who watch over Troll souls in Purgatory. Riff in the role of the Black Widow. Chaz in the role of the flirtatious Miss Plum. Barb in the role of the Maggot (I thought about casting her as Bonejangles, but she's more like the sassy Maggot)   Conductor Trollzart in the role of the General (I wanted to us the Country Troll who SPOILER: dies onscreen, but I couldn't find any picture of him) King Trollex in the role of Bonejangles (specializing in Horrorcore Techno) And Fuzzbert in the role of Emil. 

The story is this... Princess Poppy is betrothed to Lord Creek. But she's in love with the handsome trans man Hickory Dock. They decide to elope, and while passing through the woods, they practice their wedding vows, accidently summoning Brance, a corpse who's still holding his last breath. He approaches his "beloveds" who explain that they're already an item. He tells them that he's "willing to share". He then sprits them away to Purgatory, where the dead spend their time before they're ready to move on. They're greeted by the Barb the psychopomp who shows them around, and Trollex who sings about the tragic Corpse Groom that was betrayed and murdered by his lover. The trio has a good time together, until Hickory remembers his family is still waiting for him. They go to Thrash, who gives them a haunting spell that sends them to the world of the living. They go (with Branch in disguise) to the home of Hickory's brother and in-laws. The next day, they sneak into the castle, where they overhear Creek blackmailing King Peppy for Poppys' hand. Poppy chooses to stay and help her father, while Branch and Hickory escape back to Purgatory. Poppy and Suki do some investigating and discover that Creek stole a royal family relic ~ a harp said to restore life to the freshly dead. (wink wink) Meanwhile, Branch is distraught, but Hickory comforts him with a romantic ballad. Right when they're ready to start again, Thrash reveals that the dead and the living are forbidden to marry. If they want to be a couple Hickory will have to go back to the world of the living and take his own life. Hickory agrees, and the whole dead community goes up to perform the wedding. Poppy sees the procession and joins them, thinking that her death will make her wedding to Creek null and void. But during the ceremony, Branch sees Poppy and Hickorys' families watching and can't go through with it. Poppy tries to tell him about the harp, but Creek interrupts. Branch recognizes his murderer, and a fight breaks out. Creek escapes but trips and impales himself on a thorn. And before he can use the harp on himself, he's dragged off to face judgement. Poppy and Hickory use the harp to restore Branch to life, and then destroy it. A new life is waiting for all three of them.

[geekynerfherder]

Star Wars Celebration presents an Art Exhibition showcasing the 'Star Wars' inspired art work of over 20 artists from around the globe.

Selected art by Sam Gilbey, Adam Schickling, Ksenia Zelentsova, Erik Maell and Cryssy Cheung.

Available as limited edition prints during Star Wars Celebration in London at the ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL, April 7-10 2023.

On sale or pre-order for pick-up for Attendees Only (No prints will be shipped) beginning Friday March 10 at 12pm PT (8pm UK) until Monday March 20 at 12pm PT (8pm UK) through Dark Ink Art.

[xtruss]

Ships that stopped at Whitby Harbor (Seen here circa 1880) inspired Bram Stoker as he wrote Dracula. Photograph By Frank Meadow Sutcliffe, The Royal Photographic Society Collection/Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Getty Images

The Little-Known Shipwreck That Inspired Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’

Stoker was moved by grim details from the world around him while penning his horror masterpiece. The real fate of a ship called the Dmitry played an outsized role in his imaginings.

— By Melissa Sartore | August 18, 2023

The arrival of the Demeter in Bram Stoker's Dracula serves as a fundamental part of the titular character's story: the ship brings death himself to England.

Stoker drew inspiration for his genre-defining horror novel from his time in Whitby, and the dark 1885 fate of the real ship Dmitry on the town’s shore.

The death and tragedy around Stoker ultimately shaped the story that became one of the most famous pieces of English literature and set the stage for the next century of vampire lore.

The wreck of the Dmitry from Narva, now Estonia, aground on Tate Hill Beach in 1885, Whitby, Yorkshire, UK. Photograph By Frank Meadow Sutcliffe, Colin Waters/Alamy Stock Photo

The Dmitry Becomes the Demeter

During the summer of 1890, Irish novelist Bram Stoker vacationed at the seaside town of Whitby in northeast England. Despite spending only a month in the town, Stoker was enthralled by his surroundings: Grand Mansions and Hotels lined the West Cliff while remains of the seventh century Whitby Abbey towered over the East Cliff. Nearby, the cemetery at the Parish Church also served as inspiration as the story of Dracula came to life.

Stoker was also enchanted by the many ships making harbor here. He reportedly visited the Whitby Museum to explore the history of these vessels, as well as a local library, where he came upon William Wilkinson’s book The Accounts of Principalities of Wallachia and Moldova. Stoker marked in his notes:

DRACULA in the Wallachian language means DEVIL. The Wallachians were, at that time, as they are at present, used to give this as a surname to any person who rendered himself conspicuous either by courage, cruel actions, or cunning.

Stoker reportedly asked around the shore about shipwrecks in Whitby, notably the Dmitry, a ship that had wrecked five years earlier.

The cargo vessel Dmitry had set sail from Narva in Russia (modern-day Estonia) in 1885. On October 24, the Dmitry was one of two ships run ashore at Whitby by “a storm of great violence,” according to contemporary newspaper accounts. The other vessel, the Mary and Agnes, was stranded in the raging sea and a lifeboat was sent to rescue its crew. When the crew of the Mary and Agnes was ferried to the shore, per the Leeds Mercury, “their safe landing [was] the signal for loud huzzas by the thousands of people assembled on shore.”

Those same onlookers watched on to see what would happen with the Dmitry. As reported by the North-Eastern Daily Gazette, the crew remained on board in the hopes they would be able to dock, but “the sea beat savagely against the vessel. Her masts gave way and fell with a crash over her side, and the vessel herself began to break up.”

Though unclear exactly how they were rescued, in the end, all seven members of the Dmitry’s crew were safely brought to shore.

There were several unique aspects to the last voyage of the Dmitry that appear to have stood out to Stoker. The Demeter originated in Varna (an anagram for Narva, where the Dmitry originated), and similarly carried “ballast of silver sand, with only a small amount of cargo—a number of great wooden boxes filled with mould.”

Through conversations with fishermen in Whitby, Stoker learned of an untold number of local deaths at sea. Stoker reportedly made note of some 90 names from gravestones in Whitby for future use in his story, including the surname “Swales.” Soon after the arrival of the Demeter in Dracula, he wrote “Mr. Swales was found dead… his neck being broken.”

What Inspired Dracula’s Canine Form?

In Stoker’s novel, Dracula himself took the form of a dog to make his way from the Demeter to dry land, but there was no dog reported to have been on the Dmitry. According to Mel Ni Mhaolanfaidh and Marlon McGarry in 2021, the dog in Dracula may be an homage to the wreck of the Greyhound in 1770.

The Greyhound sailed from Whitby and sank off the coast of Ireland on December 12, 1770 (120 years prior to Stoker’s arrival in the town). Stoker’s mother, Charlotte, was from Sligo, a town in close proximity to the wreck. When the storm that sank the ship surged again, a young cabin boy was left stranded. The rescue effort failed, with only one out of the some 20 men sent to save him tragically dying in the process.

Stoker made no reference to a dog in his notes until two months after he’d departed from Whitby. On October 15, 1890, Stoker wrote, “When ship ran in to Collier's Hope, big dog jumped off bow & ran over pier - up Kiln Yard & church steps & into churchyard…Local dog found ripped open & graves torn up…” It’s not clear if Stoker learned of these details from the Dmitry wreck, another Whitby wreck, or was his own creation.

In the novel, the arrival of the Demeter was paired with a similarly remarkable incident: “The very instant the shore was touched, an immense dog sprang up on deck from below, as if shot up by the concussion, and running forward, jumped from the bow on the sand.”

The dog, a disguised Dracula, wrought bloodshed and death from that point forward. This dog resembled the barghest, a mythical monster often associated with Yorkshire. Spellings and specific forms of barghest vary but the dog-like being foretold of pain, disaster, or even death to all who saw it. The barghest also elicited howling from dogs in its vicinity, something Dracula protagonist Mina Murray reported took place soon after the arrival of the Demeter.

[grandmaster-anne]

15 December 2022 The Princess Royal takes the salute during a performance by Le Régiment de Cavalerie de la Garde Républicaine during the London International Horse Show, Excel London, Royal Victoria Dock, London, United Kingdom. 📸: Garry Bowden

[spyroskaprinis]

“Millennium Mills II” _ 29.12.2022 _ SK

“The Millennium Mills is a derelict turn of the 20th century flour mill in West Silvertown on the south side of the Royal Victoria Dock, between the Thames Barrier and the ExCeL London exhibition centre alongside the newly built Britannia village, in Newham, London, England. The Mills are currently undergoing a major renovation as part of a £3.5billion redevelopment of Silvertown.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Mills

https://www.avialogs.com/aircraft-v/vought/item/56318-vought-xf5u-1-illustrated-assembly-breakdown

[stephensmithuk]

The Cardboard Box

This was originally published in 1893. It was however pulled from Memoirs apparently at Doyle's request, originally appearing in just the first US edition and did not reappear until much later in His Last Bow.

Croydon is a large town less than ten miles south of Charing Cross. Historically part of Surrey and a borough in its own right in 1889, it was incorporated in Greater London in 1965.

It would later be home to the UK's sole international airport in the interwar years, which closed in 1959. The terminal building survives and there is a museum on site.

Croydon is today a major transport hub, home to the only tram network in Southern England, which was opened in 2000 using a combination of old railway lines and new street tracks. East Croydon is the main station on the London to Brighton Line, with fast electric trains to Victoria.

It has a theatre - no Shakespeare currently on though, sadly.

Croydon was within the Metropolitan Police District, so Lestrade is within this jurisdiction.

ACD would later run for Parliament as a Liberal Unionist, parting company from the Liberal Party because of his opposition to Irish Home Rule.

Wallington is also now in London and was already its own parish at this time.

The temperance movement was pretty big across the Protestant world by this point. Britain never went as far as the US in prohibition though - despite strong support in the Liberal Party, the Conservatives were resolutely opposed and the best they could do was high taxation, along with regulated opening hours that were introduced when the First World War began.

We get Lestrade's first initial - G.

Foolscap is an 8x13-inch sized paper that was commonly used in Europe and the British Commonwealth before A4 took over.

Shadwell is an area in the East End of London, on the river and then part of the docks.

The Albert Dock is probably the Royal Albert Dock. This closed in 1981 and an attempt to turn the area into a business park in 2013 has just resulted in an area that is good for filming zombie movies: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/jul/20/empty-promise-the-fantasy-city-within-a-city-that-turned-into-a-ghost-town

[madaminamorganheadsforthearctic]

Kiel to Gotenburg

Kiel is a nice place. A former Olympic sailing centre, it still has a big sailing week which a friend of mine went to a few times. It is also where the German fleet mutinied towards the end of the 1st World War and refused to come out to fight the Royal Navy. Arguably the Kiel Mutiny was responsible for the abdication of the Kaiser Wilhelm II (Kaiser Bill, Queen Victoria’s grandson), the German civil war and the formation of the Weimar Republic and so changed Europe forever. (No doubt any historian reading this will have a different view!).

It was not always part of Germany either, as like so much of continental Europe, borders have moved around. It was administered by Denmark for a long time, the annexed by Prussia in the mid eighteen hundreds and passed to Germany a few years later. It also has the Kiel Canal which is the quickest way of getting from the Baltic to the North Sea. I had intended to look around but was a bit short of time due to the traffic snarl up round Hamburg and so went to find my ferry.

Finding my Stena Line ferry to Gothenburg was hampered by no signs other than a picture of a ferry and four docks with four large ships and four separate entrances to choose from. German efficiency was not on display, but I was a bit brainless too and it took me a couple attempts to find the right queue. Mostly freight were lined up and no other English cars in the queue- and if that was a surprise, most surprising was no Harley Davidsons either. I have spent so many ferry trips in Europe being parked with the Harleys - strange old fashioned bikes and the strange old fashioned car gets put together. I have found Harley owners as being both of the same age as me and with a similar viewpoint on travel!

My turn for loading. I started the Morgan and the loud growl it made told me I had blown a hole in the exhaust. I have got time overnight to work out ‘I have a hole in the exhaust of my Morgan car. Can you help?” in Swedish.

It was a big ferry and we reversed out of the dock and when alongside the German navel dockyards with a massive sounding of sirens it executed a perfect 180° turn with the centre of the ship never moving.

A balmy night, a flat calm and a rather nice Scandinavian buffet, but sadly not possible to escape an entertainer enthusiastically trying to persuade people to join her in a sing-along-with-Abba. I go to my cabin!

And the answer is “Jag har ett hål I mitt Morgan avgasrör”

[maireadralph]

Is the plan with MCM London still standing? And if so how many of us Entrapdaks are surely coming? Thinking about coming, but London isn't cheap, its somewhat of a trip from Germany and also I hardly ever traveled alone, so I need to know more details.

Amazing that you organize stuff like this btw, I love it.

Yes indeedy! I’m just waiting on MCM to open applications for Fan Meets their website but the MCM London May SPOP meet is still in the works!

Well currently there’s me, my hubby (the photographer for this meet), @kuurankaiho , @grot-bag and friend, with the possibility of @lisshstuff. Other than that it’s whoever feels like showing up on the day, everyone who is interested is welcome to attend…and if anyone is being an arse I WILL get venue security to throw them in the river.

The plan is:

Gather everyone

Take photos

Have fun

Oh yes London isn’t cheap I’ve lived here for over 10 years now 😅 …actually I did a write up on Cons a while ago which might be of help here. I’m not 100% certain on the pricing of flights from Germany but if it helps the most useful London airports for this event are:

London City Airport (very near the venue but expensive)

Heathrow (travel in via the Elizabeth Line)

Gatwick (lot of trains and connections but doable)

Luton (no never Luton, Luton is never useful)

I would not recommend this as a day trip, make this a weekend trip at a minimum - London is really draining when you’re not used to it.

I will admit that cheap/er hotels for MCM tend to sell out as soon as the dates are announced so please keep that in mind. MCM London is currently held twice a year in May and October. As it’s my local Con I keep returning!

As for more details currently I’m working out meeting points but it’s looking like the dry weather one is going to be this: found on Google Maps Street View (yes it still looks the same to this day) - there is a view to going up the Royal Victoria Dock Footbridge (party mobility access pending as the lifts are usually out of order) to get some epic photos with Canary Wharf in the background. The wet weather meeting point is still pending and will be dependent on what indoor space is available during the event.

I love organising stuff like this actually, it’s so much fun when it all come together!

I’ll also be looking towards running another SPOP Meet at MCM Birmingham (it’s currently TBD but usually November time)? This Con has the added benefit of having everything and I mean EVERYTHING in one handy dandy location and it’s currently becoming one of my favourite Cons. I’m not even joking the airport is genuinely on top of the NEC venue

[gvldntrbl]

Wren + Jakovan @theartofruling

Location: Private Royal Wharf, Westland

-🦈-

"C'mon, Sonce, you got it. Almost there." Jakovan instructed as he led his wife, palms covering the faerie High Priestess's eyes, towards their transportation. The sound of water against the rocky shore was heard while Wren inched forward on the familiar path of the private royal wharf used by Westland's nobles. The smell of seawater tickled their noses. Another clue for Wren as they walked. A thrum of excitement ran through the dark witch, an emotion that was consistent through him the closer that Valentine's Day drew near, at the thought of Wren's reaction to his surprise. "Alright," He exhaled, breath against Wren's left ear. "...and stop."

Jakovan pressed a kiss to the same ear before he inhaled deeply and removed his hands from over Wren's eyes. Before them, at their usual dock, was a new yacht. Romantic lighting greeted the couple along with the sight of a small, intimate table set with candles and roses on the main deck gave Wren another clue. Jakovan's arms wrapped around the faerie's waist. He hugged her from behind, squeezing her briefly because he could, and pressed another kiss to the side of his mate's neck. "She's all yours." He murmured and then pointed to the name on the stern, in cursive script, was the name 'Victoria'. The High Priest kept asking Wren, unaware of why, for names. She settled on that one. A crew member with a bottle of champagne exited the yacht, in clear offering to them. "Wanna christen your yacht, Wrennifer?" He kissed her again, that time wetly on the cheek and his palm squeezed Wren's hip bone before letting go. Seldomly, did Jakovan ever call her by the entirety of her first name. It showed his seriousness about her gift. "Come. Let's see the rest." He invited with a grin, taking Wren's hand and leading her onboard.

[bikepackinguk]

Day One Hundred and Five

It's been 15 weeks on the road!

Whilst it doesn't manifest too often, I am a sufferer of hereditary Restless Leg Sybdrome, and last night it decided to be its wonderful self and do what it could to prevent much sleep from being had.

So, may as well get up and at 'em! It's an easy start today, extricating myself from a patch of trees by Hythe Bypass and rolling down around town to the pier at Hythe, where I don't have long to wait for my first ferry of the day.

The Hythe ferry is a catamaran style vessel, and it's a short cruise over the water to land at the docks by the city centre of Southampton.

Ruah Hour is in full swing right now, so it's some careful maneuvering to navigate around town and over the bridge across the River Itchen, before heading through the streets of Woolston to get back to the waterside.

There's a nice run along the water's edge here, before heading up through the grounds of Royal Victoria Country Park and into the nice little village of Hamble-le-Rice, which is still and quiet in the early morning.

Down to the docks and it's onto ferry #2 of the day, a tiny little pink boat that I share with a few ramblers to get across the River Hamble to reach Warsash.

Around the trails I go and it's up into some rough pathways along cornfields above the sea.

The paths meander around the fields before turning down to Hill Head, before a nice long run looking over the water through Lee-on-the-Solent.

As the road turns inland a little, the busy roads have a good few cycle paths along them, so I have a good charge down the main streets to speed my way through to the town of Gosport, where awaits my third and final ferry if today's river-hopping.

It's only a short journey across the harbour to land in the historic docks of Portsmouth, beside the famous HMS Warrior.

I'm on a bit of a schedule currently so I hit the road once more, rising through Old Portsmouth and missing a turn to take me through aome of the busier urban stretches of town, before zigging down to hit the edge of the Solent once more for a ride down past Eastney Beach.

I double back for a ride up through Eastney and along the easterly edge of Portsmouth and roll up to a hearty greeting with my lovely cousin Sarah!

The last time I was in Portsmouth was for her wedding to her lovely wife Charlotte and riding through has brought back many happy memories of the occasion, so it's all the more joyful to be able to interrupt her busy schedule as I'm treated to a beer and slap-up steak lunch. Thank you so much again and look forward to seeing you again soon cuz!

Farewells said and bellies full, I'm off along the road north as the cycle route hits some major road junctions around the north of Portsmouth, but the cycle paths track around alongside a good ways yet ao I'm spared the heavy traffic as I track around the A27 past Havant.

The route drops on to the A259 here, so it's time to put that hearty lunch to good use as I stretch the legs for a long run along the busy road awhile.

The cycle pathing here is spotty at best, and I end up just staying in the road to get some miles cranked out, and as the miles and small towns drop away it feels like practically no time at all before I hitnthe edges of Chichester.

With some twisting through town, I drop on to the towpath at the Chichester Canal to follow the cycle route down the water to Hunston, where I tack on to the B2166 as it curves around the expansive farmlands.

Along the road and jostling with plenty of tractors and school-run drivers, I keep in peddling away the miles and charge my way down through the growing suburbs and push on through to arrive at the beach at Pagham.

I have a brief pause to appreciate the view up the coast, but I've energy yet in the legs and light in the day, so am eager to keep at it.

Around through the roads of Pagham, it takes a good bit of routefinding to work my way around, but eventually ride around to hook up once morenwith NCN 2 as it restarts once more at the promenade of Bognor Regis.

My eagerness hasn't done me a great deal of favours here as I had been thinking of stopping a little short of Bognor, as it's a long urban stretch ahead with little opportunity for stealthy camping.

A bit of thinking and checking of the maps has me riding up and through the seaside town to head to the northern end of town where there look to be more possibilities to hole up for the night. I'll let you know how the scouting goes in the morrow!

TTFN!