Woodchester: Flowing Water: Football Blues

First of all a big tip of the hat to local weather forecasting. They promised that last Sunday (18/ 11 ) was   to be a bright clear sunny day. They were right.

I had wanted for some time,  to visit again Woodchester Mansion, located near Nymphsfield, which itself is about  four miles away from Dursley.

The Mansion, a Victorian Gothic Grade 1 listed building, lies in a secluded valley and was abandoned mid-construction in 1873. It will never be finished. The park grounds are a National Trust Property.

mansion

Leaving the rough stone car park one walks through the trees  onto a gravel path, which leads you downwards into the valley

  .


There was a discernible chill in the air as we rounded this corner. You will notice that the right hand side was still frosty where the sun never seems to permeate.



Rounding the corner one gets the first glimpse of the Mansion.
Why was it built here in this cold spot?
An air of mystery confronts the passerby.













It would have been a lonely, cold,  and dismal place to live.

Walking on from the Mansion the path descends downwards to meet the  Park Mill Pond.






Once again  a chill seems to emanate from the water and the nearby trees.




By the side of the lake is a boathouse, restored by the National Trust in 1998.







Walking back on the return steep, uphill journey to the car, the air of depression seemed to lift; but one was left with the impression that it could well feature in a television production, upon the lines of BBC 1's current ghost programme " The Secret Of Crickley Hill. " 




GGGgggggGGGGGgggg



The two football teams I support  Newcastle United  and  Cheltenham Town  are both experiencing somewhat of a dip in fortunes; Cheltenham and Newcastle have both lost their last two league matches; ( Chesterfield v Chelt. 1-4: I warned last week this would be a tough match and so it proved )
But when you support teams through thin and thinner,  you readily take any  positive response as a possible nugget. In Cheltenham ( Robins ) case it came midweek  from the U18 team who went to  Wimbledon in the Youth Cup and after extra time managed to win 2-5.
This means they will entertain at home, Spurs from the Premier League on December 18th. This makes it the biggest game the lads have ever played. I hope they get the crowd to mark their achievement.


Newcastle, meanwhile by drawing against Maritimo 1-1,  have made it through to the knockout stages of the Europa League, thus ensuring international football in 2013. Good show all.

Stop Press  since writing the above piece, I am pleased to report that the Robins, in a match played yesterday ( 24/11 ) beat Barnet 1-0 and are still in third place. Now I need  Newcastle to win away to Southhampton today ( Sunday 25/11 ) to really lift the gloom: 'Awa the Lads!

GGGGgggggGGGGGggggg


As you will know we have had a very wet week and as a result the waters are rising fast. Last Friday (22/ 11) D. and I  paid a visit to Tewkesbury; the confluence of two rivers the Avon and Severn.
 I don't want to comment upon other peoples' miseries, in a voyeuristic tirade. I'll let these photos  speak for themselves.
I hope things will improve in the week ahead and drier conditions will prevail. I  am prepared to take cold against wet. 
Cheerio for now,

Ck.









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