The New Spymaster

For more than 60 years Silverstone has carved its mark as one of the leading motor sport venues, and is Internationally renowned as the host of world class events,

The Silverstone Racing Track is built on the site of a World War II Royal Air Force bomber station, RAF Silverstone which opened in 1943.

The Stations runways were first used for motorsport by an group of friends who set up an impromptu race in September 1947. One of their number, Maurice Geoghegan, lived in nearby Silverstone village and was aware that the airfield was deserted. He and eleven other drivers raced over a two mile circuit, during the course of which Geoghegan himself ran over a sheep that had wandered onto the airfield. The sheep was killed and the car written off, and in the aftermath of this event the informal race became known as the Mutton Grand Prix.

The next year the Royal Automobile Association took a lease on the airfield and set out a more formal racing circuit. Their first two races were held on the runways themselves, with long straights separated by tight hairpin corners, the track demarcated by hay bales.

Over the next few years the track and racing continued to develop and the 1949 Trophy Meeting soon became known as the Grand Prix.

'Himself' has been going to Silverstone for most of his life, off and on. In this youth he use to fly down from Spalding with his Father and Fathers friend Jim in their Auster plane. In those days if you had driven to the Circuit you could drive your own car around the Circuit after the Meeting.

In the 70's and 80's 'Himself' and his friend David use to acquire free tickets from Davids sister who worked for one of the Racing Teams. It's been several years now since he's been to the circuit. Tickets nowadays for the Silverstone race meetings are prohibitive expensive, so he contents himself with watching all the world wide Grand Prix on the television.

When the retirement present of an Aston Martin Thrill was presented to him the choice of which track to experience it on was a 'no brainer'. It had to be Silverstone.

Thank you Nancy, Nancy and John. Our lovely Canadian Friends.

So on a warm sunny day, May Day in fact, were set off to drive the 53 miles towards Towcester The drive should have taken about 90 minutes. The roads were not too busy and we made good time. UNTILL.

'Himself' had an unexplained senior moment. As we approached the M1. I had the Sat Nav. on for the last few miles of the journey to get us on the right road for the new approach to Silverstone. The Sat Nav. said, continue on the A45. I said, continue over the M1, keeping on the A45. So, 'Himself' turn down the slip road onto the M1. I shout, but too late, we had no option but to continue. 15 miles to the next junction with 'Himself' chuntering to himself that he couldn't believe he done that. 15 miles back. We almost reached the turning we needed when we hit backed up traffic. Then signs notifying us that the M1 was closed after the next Junction due to an accident. No option now, we had to crawl with the traffic and exit at the junction. I then had to backtrack and navigate back to the A45 to get back on the road we needed. Luckily I had built in extra time in our schedule for road holdups.

We eventually found the entrance to the Race track and navigated rather rough, narrow roadway system to the Silverstone Experience Centre. Silverstone was not at all what I was expecting. Having seen all the swish new tracks and facilities on tracks around the world courtesy of the Television, I was shocked to see how basic and unglamorous most of Silverstone was. Basic elevated seating was being erected ready for the British Grand Prix. It was all supported by a complicated frame of scafolding. Not what I would have expected at all. 'Himself' commented on how it had all changed and improved since the debacle of Bernie Ecclestone removing the British Grand Prix from the circuit. The race to improve the track and facilities to get it back. The gleaming new Hospitality Building and the Team garages were nowhere near we needed to be.

About a half a mile into the site along narrow roads and over a strange dark high sided wooden bridge we found the Experience Centre. We parked up and went in. Whooo... it was busy and noisy and warm.

'Himself' signed in and got his instructions. He would be called along with the other drivers for a half hour briefing, mean while we had a short wait. Plenty to look around and he had some leaflets to read up.

This was the Circuit he would be driving on and below the briefing notes to read . All looked straight forward.

During his briefing I settled down in one of the comfy sofas with a cup of coffee and my Kindle. Shutting out all the loud music and chattering I got lost in my book.

Out side the sun shone but the cool wind kept the temperatures to a reasonable 20 degrees.

This two seater racing car was kept busy with a professional driver taking people out around the circuit at G Force speeds. When himself signed in I was asked if I would like to take a turn around the track in it. The cost today was a reduced £30. I gracefully declined. Well, I might get in the car but I'd never get myself out of it!

Parked to one side were some of the cars that are used in the Silverstone Experience The track was just beyond the bank behind.

Briefing over we all had to get our cars and drive to another building along the circuit where he was kitted out with a helmet and assigned a car and an instructer. His car was to be 009. I scampered along with other drivers families up to the roof of the building where we were told we would have a far better view.

Scanning the drivers being called to their cars I luckily saw 'Himself' being taken to car 007 not 009.

I did get some reasonable photos but I would have done better with a camera with a long lens. It was a work of art trying to access when he would appear along the track then to pan around with the car until the right place to get the shot. At those speeds not easy at all. The track camera came to the rescue and took much better pictures than mine.

Aston Martin Thrill:
Blast the iconic Aston Martin V8 Vantage around Silverstone for three sensational laps.

Well that's what it said on the 'tin'. I'm not sure blast was the appropriate word here. It was a little more complicated than that, but with a few more laps I'm sure it could be achieved! Getting in the right position for the bends, the time to brake and the right time to accelerate all took around the three laps to master. But then it was all over.

Back on solid ground your given a certificate and a chance to buy the official track photos. All three on a CD with a glossy A4 size photo of your choice was almost the same price as the photo on it's own.

Outside 007 was parked up waiting for fuel. Had to have a photo along side it of course.

The back to the Experience Centre for coffee, cake and a debrief before heading home. With no diversions! An enjoyable expirence and day well apart from the M1 diversion!

Me, well I went along for the ride!

The Sunday Garden Trail. April 10th

The weather in April has been unusually warm. It seemed a shame not to take advantage and go out for a ride. Another Sunday, so poking two fingers up to the horrendous Gas station prices we set off.
I'm not sure why we keep going out on Sundays as we could go out on any day of the week and miss the weekend crowds. Habit I guess. We'll change in time!
Anyhow this Sunday we headed for Baytree Nurseries near Holbeach. I know how predictable for us. It's spring what do you expect!


Baytree must be the largest Garden center in the UK. You need your hiking boots on to go around it. We haven't been this way for a couple of years and its changed once more.
The fragrant perfume of the flowers in the warm sunshine was delicious. Pots and Planters of Spring blulbs and flowers were all over the the site.

The sky couldn't have been any bluer and the newly emerged leaves on the trees are so fresh and bright..
We headed for the restaurant first and had a Baytree Sunday roast dinner. Very filling. Then wandered over the plant center, tool center, craft center, furniture center. Furniture? That new.
The clothes range has expanded too and there's Hotter Shoes as well. None in my size of course!
Bamboos, Planters, Pet store, garden machinery. Oh gosh, time to head back to the restaurant for a tea break and rest the tootsies.

This place is wacky. Always has been. The owners always adding excentric bits from Parades and exhibitions. Or from antiques and junk shops.

.......like an old 1940's mangle. My Mam had one like that, before a washing machine was installed!


Did we purchase anything. Of course, but strangely not plants. Just a metal ring frame support for my paeony growing in our garden.
Couldn't resist this shot!
Back in the car we decide we had time for a visit to some old friends. We hadn't seen them for 10 years. Too long. We sat and had a good long chat with several cups of tea before we headed home across the fens.

The previos Sunday

Barnsdale. April 17th

I just can't believe I haven't written a blog since the incident of the strange tomatoes! Time passes just too rapidly nowadays.
Anyway back in April when I was feeling too lazy to cook the Sunday roast we decided to go out for lunch. We went to the Millstone at Barnack as we hadn't been there for such a long time. The meal was adequate but not as good as it was then Aubrey owned the place. Post lunch 'Himself' suggested a trip to Barnsdale Gardens. Another place we haven't been too for a long time.
The gardens were the inspiration of the Television Gardener Geoff Hamilton. A hugely popular BBC Gardener. After graduating from Agricultural Collage he became a Nurseryman and a Self Employed landscape Gardener. He started writing for Garden News magazine, then presented Gardening Diary for Anglia Television. He join the popular BBC's 'Gardeners World' team in 1976 as an occasional presenter. By 1979 he had joined the team full time . Around 1983 Geoff and his family moved into a large Victorian farmhouse with 5 acres of land and Barnsdale Gardens were conceived. Geoff was now fronting the program from his own garden.
Over the years Geoff presented the show from this stony clay plot. Transforming the poor farm land into a series of small delightful Gardens. His popularity as a presenter never wained. He fronted the Garden Shows from Chelsea and Hampton Court and presented spin off series like 'The Paradise Garden'.


In 1996 whilst on a charity bike ride he suffered a massive Heart attack and died. The nation was stunned.
We last visited the Gardens a short time after Geoff had died and his son Nick and the family had taken over the running of the gardens.

Today the site has matured and is spread over 8 acres. All Geoff television gardens have matured and developed. The whole site is now a connected sereis of garden rooms with new gardens having been designed to connect the Television gardens into a cohesive pleasant walk around.

A new Tearoom has been added were light snacks and refreshments are served The old plant nursery has been enlarged and the small shop redesigned with space for the courses they run from the gardens. The car park had also been added to allow parking for the continued stream of Geoff fans that continue to visit the gardens.


This bronze bust of Geoff was sculpted by one of his sons and sits on a great reclaimed garden plinth.
I'm sure we won't leave it so long before we visit these delightful gardens again.

A Strange Phenomenon

I've been around tomatoes all of my life. My Dad use to grow glasshouses full for sale I've grown then in the garden and I've eaten them all my life.........BUT.... I've never ever seem such an odd sight as the seeds sprouting inside an uncut tomato.........

I know researchers were doing trials on radiating fruit and vegetables to make them have a greater shelf life but I'm fairly sure radiated produce hasn't been allowed in this country. Or even that it would produce such a strange phenomenon.

I cut another tomato for a salad yesterday and found yet another on with just a few seed beginning to sprout. Not as advanced as this one though.

March 14th. A Gardeners Delight.

Monday has turned out to have been the best day of the week. On arriving home from my morning swim 'Himself' suggested a trip to Angelsey Abbey. It's a National Trust property we had been meaning to visit for some time now. I knew we had missed their renown snowdrop display so I wasn't sure if I really wanted to go out. We'd also seen Carol Kline visit the Winter Garden on Television's 'Gardeners World' program on the previous Friday. Then, having remembered seeing photographs of the magnificent Himalayan Silver Birch grove in the gardens I decided I wanted to go.

The journey wasn't a long one as the Abbey is just a little north east of Cambridge but we were disappointed that the lovely sunny day had turned overcast. Arriving at around lunch time we were surprised by how busy the car park was. We had thought Monday wouldn't be a busy day especially as we knew the Mill and the Abbey wouldn't be opened! Quite a few people were coming aways from the Gardens as we walked in. 'Himself' soon sussed out why. Prince Charles had been for an official visit and and was now having lunch in the closed Abbey restaurant. The up side of his visit was the Mill was opened to visitors.

As we had a nice light lunch in the modern light airy restaurant the cloud layer dispersed and the sun made a welcome appearance once more. We set off in the sunshine to walk around some of the the gardens. The grounds of the Abbey are essentially divided in to four main gardens, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter garden

The winter garden didn't disappoint despite the snowdrops and the fragrant Virburnum Bodnantence Dawn being over. The Hellebore's were still all out in flower and daffodils were making their splendid sunny appearance.

The main appeal of the Winter Garden though is the colourful stems of the shrubbery and the wonderful tactile tree barks.

Such vibrant colours made more so by the sunshine.......

....and then round a corner you stumble on this plantation of young Himalayan Silver Birch. It truly is a beautiful sight. Their brilliant white trunks gleam in the sunlight.

Out of the winter garden and round another twist in the path you come across the mill. This is a water powered flour mill. It shouldn't have been open but for the Royal visit, so we took the opportunity to pay it a visit as well. 'Himself' climbed the steep ladder to the top but I elected to stay at ground level. The volunteer guides were most informative and actual started the hugh mill wheel turning to grind fresh flour. I had to buy some, so now I have a kilo of freshly ground wholewheat flour sitting on the shelf in my kitchen.

The body of water that runs the mill is called a Lode. It's clear, clean water that sparkles in the sunlight. The leaves of the emerging water lilies are clearly to be seen sprouting towards the surface.

The present mill dates from the 18th century but there are records of a mill on this site in the Doomsday Book of 1068. The cogs and wheels of this machinery are a work of art. Some of the cog wheels are made from wood and interlock so perfectly. The main upright beam that turns all the machinery is one massive tree trunk of a sweet chestnut tree.

Pressing on along the winding paths we came across various sculptures all around the gardens. This guy must have felt a little chilly this winter!

The original Abbey on this site was an Augustinian priory and was built in 1236. Religious life of the Priory came to an end in 1536 when it was dissolved by Henry VIIIth. The Priory then became a private house with various owners. In 1928 it was bought by Lord Fairhaven who renovated and restored it. He eventually left it to the National Trust.

After we had covered about half the grounds I decided that was enough for my dodgy joints. A sit down in the restaurant with a cup of tea was definitely called for. We'll save the rest for another time of the year and on a day when the Abbey is opened to view.

Most definitely a place to be placed on the list for further visits, a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

Feb 25th A Cathedral Flog it

Friday and another fine sunny if somewhat cooler day. A morning swim was the first order of the day followed by coffee at 'Sundays' in town. 'Himself' was coming in by bus and we were meeting up for coffee.

After coffee we strolled over the brand new revamped Cathedral Square, remarking of the bland emptiness of it and the numerous disgusting blobs of chewing gum trodden in the new expensive sandstone paving blocks. Twelve million pounds and two years of work for a very unimposing monument to modernness.

Anyway rant over. We were heading to the Cathedral to have a nose at the filming of a popular BBC2 television program called 'Flog It'. Members of the public take in their antiques for valuation and appraised by experts and if their item is deemed interesting enough they get to be filmed with the 'Television antiques experts' and their item is then sold at an upcoming auction.

There were queues of people. They got longer and never seemed to reduce. Inside rows of patient people clutching their precious goods sat patiently waiting their turn with the experts.

The television crews waited for their next victim with the Antiques celebrity expert Philip Serrell.

The shows presenter Paul Martin wandered about and talked to the waiting punters.

We bypassed the waiting queues and went straight in. Its a few years since our last visit and I always find churches and Cathedrals fascinating places. It's their history and architecture that interests me. Despite the vast size and height of the building it was kept warm by these hugh ancient heating stoves.

We wandered around past the Cathedrals two notable memorial edifices, namely Katharine of Aragon and Mary Queen of Scots, looked again at the ancient silver ware and marvelled at the stone carving. Always finding bits that we'd missed on previous visits.

Since the building was cleaned and restored after the disastrous arson attack of a few years ago, the pale Barnack sandstone of building gleams and radiates light around from the magnificent stain glass windows.

Our Cathedral always attracts lots of visitor because of its history and architecture but today there was understandably extra milling around, along with us, watching the proceedings in the central aisle.