A Visit to an Organic Farm

I have been to plenty of farms in India and abroad but this time I got an opportunity to visit an organic farm in the Lancashire region in England.

Cows roam freely in the Gazegill Organic Farm

The world over farming is increasingly using chemical fertilizers and pesticides which are harmful for the body. Compared to this the organic farming relies on natural methods and is sustainable and good for the environment as well as the product is good for animal and human consumption. 

A stream with bridge inside the Gazegill Organic Farm

I visited the Gazegill Organic Farm situated a few kilometres from the town of Clitheroe. We were met at the farm by the owner Mr Ian O’Reilly who was kind enough to take us on a tour of his farm. 

The ownder Mr Ian O'Reilley

We put on high gum boots as several parts of the farm had muddy water which would have spoiled out city shoes! The farm is spread over several acres and the grass is probably 700 years old and has not been uprooted since then and is only sheared periodically so that it retains its true value over the years and it is this grass which the cows eat roaming freely in the open instead of tied in a cowshed producing excellent quality of milk. 

Cow with calf in a shed

Only cows with new born calves are kept under a shed. The owner explained that he does not feed anything extra to the cows to increase their milk output by artificial means. There were probably around a hundred cows. He has set up his own milking and chilling unit. Even the meat products that he sells are organic in nature.

A huge pig at the Gazegill Organic Farm

The farm is located in a beautiful undulating area with small streams flowing within the farm and the view of the Pendle Hill in the background adds to the beauty of the area. 

View of the Pendle Hill from the farm

The grass is sheared periodically and I could see bales of grass piled high wrapped in special bags which retain the moisture of the grass inside so that when they are opened to be given to the cows in the winters it is as fresh as when it was cut as it had retained their moisture.

Bales of grass stacked in special moisture retaining bags

Mr Ian O’Reilly had a good knowledge of the flowers and herbs that were growing naturally on his farm. The grass with flowers and herbs when eaten by the cows produce high quality of milk.

Also read: Clitheroe Castle, Lancashire

Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, Scotland is a treat to one's eyes. The Garden is just a couple of miles away from the city centre and can be reached either by cab or bus.

Beautifully landscaped Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

The Garden remains open from 10 Am to 6 PM in summers. There is no entry fees for the garden and only the entry to the glasshouse has a charge of 5 GBP. Within the garden one is transported from various different climates from equatorial to Scottish Highs.

The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

If one gets tired while walking within this 70 acre of beautifully maintained garden then there are plenty of benches spread all over the garden to sit and relax. Else if you want to grab a bite then there are three restaurants/coffee houses.

Flowers in the Garden

The landscaping has been done in such a manner that there is a small stream flowing within this garden with waterfalls and lakes in between. The lakes have several ducks . The garden is also host to several bird species.

A waterfall within the Botanic Garden in Edinburgh

I saw some plants whose single leaf was as big as an adult human being. There are various kind of cherry  plants as well as rhododendrons.

A Place to sit & relax? But how do you reach it?

In one of the lakes I saw this platform with a few chairs on it but I wondered how does one go there or is it only ornamental? Of course the reflection it created in the water was very pleasing. There is a big section devoted to Chinese plants with Chinese huts also built for an added effect. Within the gardens are the huge beech hedges reminding me of the Harry Potter movie.

Cherries in the Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

The Inverleith House within the gardens normally is the venue of exhibitions for the new works of artists though no exhibition was on during my visit. The Royal Botanic Garden was opened in 1670 and in the previous century three regional gardens were acquired. These are the Benmore, Dawyck and Logan gardens.

The Temperate Palm House

The tall glasshouse (about 72 feet high) contains some very tall palms. Within the glasshouse ten different climate zones have been recreated so the overall experience is not only soothing to the eyes but educational as well.

Also read:
Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh
Edinburgh's Calton Hill - Athens of the North
Old Calton Cemetery

A Walk in the LAKES – The Grasmere Walk

The Lake District in England is probably the most beautiful in the whole country for outdoor activities be it trekking, cycling, mountaineering, hiking or just walking.

St. Oswald Church & Cemetery, Grasmere - resting place of Wordsworth

While coming down from Keswick I got down at Grasmere to spend some time here walking in and around the village by the same name as well as the beautiful lake.

St. Oswald Church, Grasmere

Grasmere is not only famous for its natural beauty but also because it was also home to the famous writer and poet William Wordsworth. His grave is part of the St. Oswald Church and the adjoining cemetery. 

Grasmere Street with hotel Wordsworth

The church is small and looks quite old but has beautiful surroundings and it is just nice to sit inside as well as outside the church for some time to soak in and enjoy the tranquility of the place. There is even a hotel by the name of Wordsworth Hotel & Spa to attract the tourists! 

Rothay River Walk, Grasmere

Next to the St. Oswald Church I took the Rothay River Walk which is a small but beautiful walk one can have. After this I just followed the banks of the lake and continued walking in the general direction that will take me towards Ambleside. 

Ducks next to the Grasmere Lake

Next to the lake I saw several large ducks and I was able to go quite close to them. The lake is about 1.5 km long and more than half a km wide. 

Grasmere Lake

It is fed by the Rothay river which flows through the village before entering the lake waters. The path took me to some forested area. 

Grasmere Walk 

I came out of the forested area next to a small water channel where some persons were deeply engrossed in their hobby of angling. 

Angling in Grasmere

I ultimately came out of the woods and crossed a road and saw this small waterfall very close to the bus stop from where I took the bus reluctantly for my next destination – Ambleside.

Waterfall, Grasmere

Also Read- 

A Walk in the LAKES - The Keswick Walk
A Walk in the LAKES - The Windermere Walk

Thirsty?

In the scorching summers that are currently sweeping northern India one needs to have some water constantly specifically if one moves out of the comforts of their homes.

Drinking water outside a government office 

Now some of you may carry water bottle flasks that would have chilled water from your refrigerators (and most likely purified by the water purifiers that most Indians in metropolitan areas now install in their homes) but majority of Indian office goers in smaller towns still drink the water from the earthen pots kept outside the offices. Even to this day very few offices have water coolers to have cold water available to its staff and for general public.

No doubt the water kept in this earthen pots (called matka, ghada, surahi in local language) is much cooler as the water escaping the pot from its small pores when evaporates keep the pot and the water within cooler than its surroundings. Or maybe the local governments 'think' it would give employment to people as they have to hire someone to keep refilling the water time and again!

Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh

I was staying in the Edinburg University in Edinburgh, Scotland and I had this magnificent view of a hill nearby called Arthur’s Seat.

Arthur's Seat

It was too tantalizing for me and I therefore decided to go hill walking on it as I knew I could get spectacular 360 degree views from the top and also it would be a good small trek as well.

View of Edinburgh Castle from Arthur's Seat

Now one can make this trek an easy hill walking one or if one desires then can take a straight route up make it a moderate trek and that is what I decided. Though while coming down I took a circuitous route along this 640 acre Holyrood Park.

A Water body inside Holyrood Park , the City in the middle and the North Sea in the background

The hill is a dormant volcano and has wide range of flowers and plenty of bird life as well..

Flowers in Holyrood Park

Also I could see two fresh water bodies inside the park. The Duddingston Loch had several water birds in and around it.

Duddingston Loch

The Arthur’s Seat rises 251 meters above the city and therefore also visible from Arthur’s Seat is the North Sea as well as the Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace which is the official residence of the Queen of England and  the Scottish Parliament building.

Holyrood Palace

From the Holyrood Park I could also see clearly the the Calton Hill considered as the Athens of the North and therefore I decided to go to that volcanic hill also the next day.

Calton Hill from Arthur's Seat

If one is a rock climbing enthusiast then the Salisbury crags can throw some good challenges at you. As the rocks are loose be careful and do wear protective gear.

Salisbury Crags

It is advisable to carry your own water bottle and eatables as these are not available anywhere inside the Holyrood Park. Also do carry additional layer of clothing if you intend to stay on the top for some time as it becomes quite windy on the top.

Also Read:
Edinburgh's Calton Hill - Athens of the North
Old Calton Cemetery

Eiffel Tower in Chandigarh?

Of course we all know that the famous iconic Eiffel Tower is in Paris, France but I saw this replica in Chandigarh.

Eiffel Tower comes to Chandigarh!

It is nowhere near as grand as the Eiffel Tower but probably is very educative for the students and other younger population of the beautiful city of Chandigarh. This replica is in the Leisure Valley right in front of the Government Museum and Art Gallery in Sector 10.

Also read: The Gandhara Art in Chandigarh

A Steam Clock

There are very few steam clocks in the world and I had the opportunity to see one in Vancouver city in the British Columbia, Canada which is considered the world's first steam powered clock.

World's First Steam Clock, Vancouver 

I thought that it must have been made several centuries back by the looks of it but was surprised to find out that it has in fact  been built in 1977 by horologist Raymond Saunders. It is called Gastown Steam Clock because it is located in the Gastown district of Vancouver.

Gastown Steam Clock

Every quarter of an hour the clock sounds the Westminster chimes and a large whistle sounds every hour. It is good fun watching the clock and the steam emanating out of it.