Blog post comments and replies on Google's Blogger

I am not sure if you have noticed a couple of changes in the email notifications of comments on Google's Blogger platform. It's a minor change, but it impacts the way the author of a blog post replies to comments.

Notifications of comments of bloggers who had provided their email ID on their profile page used to land in the Primary of tab of my Gmail. These had in the "From" field the email ID of the commenter. 

Notifications of comments of bloggers who hadn't made public their email ID used to land in the Social tab of my Gmail. In the "From" field, instead of the email ID of the commenter, it was <noreply-comment@blogger.com>.

THE FIRST CHANGE 

About a fortnight back, I sensed something was wrong when I found that all the email notifications were landing in the Social tab and none in the Primary tab. 

When I checked carefully, I noticed that Google had removed the email ID from the notification of even commenters who had made public their email ID and replaced it with <noreply-comment@blogger.com>.

The immediate consequence was I could no longer email directly my reply to the commenter. Instead, I had to post the comment on my blog.

Actually, I never knew I could email my reply directly to a commenter until I noticed it on Liz A's blog, Laws of Gravity. 

I realised it was simpler and switched to this method by providing my email ID on the profile page. Ever since I have found this quite a convenient way of interacting with the comments on my blog.

I found the change that Google had effected quite strange and wondered what could have been the trigger.

WHY THE CHANGE

When I went to the Help page, I found that one of the bloggers, Linda, had already flagged this change.

It seems Blogger is now sending my blog's comments via email notifications as no-reply via blogger.com  I used to be able to reply to my commenters through email.  Now, they are all coming in as no-reply.  They do have their email address in their Blogger profiles.

To this, a Google employee, Jonn, replied:

This was an intentional change made for privacy reasons, as there is no verification process for public contact emails on Blogger.

That's a fair observation by Google, but it didn't make sense since the commenters themselves have made public their email ID on the profile. There is no need for a verification process since no one other than the blogger can make their email ID visible on the profile page.

THE SECOND CHANGE

However, Google took note of the point made by Linda and modified the original change. Jonn's reply continued:

That being said, after hearing your feedback I am adding a new (very similar) feature which will set a "reply to" address in the email, so that when you reply to the email it will send it to the commenting user's contact email address.

Incidentally, the restoration of the option for the blogger to email the commenter directly is not easily visible.  

One has to click the drop-down arrow to see: 

from: Name <noreply-comment@blogger.com>

reply-to: Name <email ID>

BLOGGERS UNAWARE

This might have been a small change, but it did impact the way bloggers interacted with commenters. Google should have notified bloggers about these changes. 

However, I am glad that Google listened to the feedback and quickly restored the status quo, albeit with some modifications.

Right, a reality

It's difficult to imagine that the Kamala Harris team didn't see this coming. They were at no point clearly ahead in the run-up to the polls. If at all they were, it was just by a small margin in some regions.

The Trump team had the momentum right from the start. In fact, he was running for 2024 right from the time he was narrowly edged out by Joe Biden in 2020.

The Democrats bungled with the nomination. There was an initial excitement, but that gave way to real issues on the ground.

Inflation, real-estate prices, unemployment, etc., seem to have played a good part and even overridden an issue like abortion.

Kamala Harris made a faux pas when she replied, "There is nothing," when she was asked if she would do anything different from Joe Biden. She made amends subsequently, but the damage seemed to have been done.

It's not that Trump is always correct in replies to questions. But when someone who is trailing makes a mistake, the damage is greater than when someone who is leading makes a mistake.  

IT'S NO LONGER A BACKLASH

The right wing began consolidating its position, and the far right began emerging into the mainstream about 10 to 15 years ago.

It was a backlash against a social, economic and political norm that many people began to feel was unjust. We have seen that in many countries, including India.

Conservatives began to be seen as a group of pro-active, result-oriented people, compared to the liberal and progressive groups who were seen preferring the status quo and merely complaining and not doing anything.

That might be a perception, but in politics, perceptions play a huge role.

Perception or not, it began to settle down in various strata of society, and internet-aided social networks played a huge part in this transformation.

Aspects like globalisation, multilateralism, cultural inclusivity, etc, were seen as a threat to national identity and national prosperity.

Brexit and the ascent of conservatives to power in many countries, including India, was a testament to how the social mosaic was changing.

A decade and a half down the line, it's no longer a backlash. It's a reaffirmation of a reality and, for many, even an aspiration.

This is a reality that has also thrown the liberal camps into confusion and disarray. So much so that many in those groups are switching sides. Otherwise, the sort of gains that conservatives are making won't be possible.

RIGHT AND WRONG

Many years ago, probably in the mid-2000s, I was talking to a professor of physics who is good with computer technology as well. 

Those were the days we were revelling in the excitement of "connections" and "friends" we were making on social media. AI and deepfakes were just restricted to the realms of labs and academic discussions.

I still remember him saying that free access to the internet in general and social media in particular will bring huge changes in society at all levels. At one point, he said it might even "wreak havoc".

I won't get into whether there has been a havoc or not, but definitely, we have seen changes, quite drastic and dramatic.

I asked him, "Are we heading in the right direction?"

He said, "Right or wrong is debatable. What is right for one could be wrong for another. But a clearer way of looking at it is 'for anyone, what works is right and what doesn't work is wrong'."

He just left it at that and set me thinking.

That was about 20 years ago. A good point to ponder over today as well.

UK Tour 12 - Lord's Cricket Stadium and Museum

(Links to all parts of the series are at the end of this post.)

June 12, Wednesday

One of the must-sees in London for me was the Lord's, the heart of cricket. So, well before our trip, I had booked a tour of the iconic cricket ground and its museum. The "Lord's Tour" can be booked online.

It was scheduled for 3:30 p.m., and we were required to arrive at least 30 minutes in advance for mandatory security checks.

With very little time to spare, we hurried from the BBC to Lord's. The journey, although not far, took about half an hour by tube.

W.G. GRACE

We arrived at the Grace Gate, located on St. John's Wood Road. It's named after W.G. Grace, one of the earliest legends of the game. We first went to the museum and then to the Pavilion.

We were accompanied by a guide who was very knowledgeable, articulate and engaging in his description of various facets of the game and its players.

W.G. Grace's influence on cricket was immense. He was an all-rounder who played first-class cricket for an astonishing 43 years (1865–1908), participating in nearly 870 matches.

In 1873, Grace became the first player to score over 1,000 runs and take more than 100 wickets in a single season. He was also the first cricketer to score a triple century, achieving this milestone in 1876.

Beyond cricket, Grace was a qualified physician, having graduated from Bristol Medical School in 1879. He balanced dual careers and was commonly known by the nickname "The Doctor".

THOMAS LORD

Being at Lord's was surreal, a name so familiar from childhood, thanks to the Test matches we followed religiously on the radio. 

The ground is named after Thomas Lord, who established it in 1787. Lord's is home to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is also the venue for Middlesex County Cricket Club matches. 

The stadium currently holds around 31,000 spectators after multiple renovations. This capacity pales in comparison to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which seats 132,000 — making it the largest stadium in the world.

MARYLEBONE CRICKET CLUB

Lord's is owned by the MCC, founded in the same year that Lord's was established, 1787. 

The club was started by a group of cricketers led by Thomas Lord. It originally played at Dorset Fields in Marylebone, London, where they hosted their first match between Middlesex and Essex. In 1814, the club moved to its current location.

In 1788, that is one year after its founding, the MCC formulated the laws of the game. While the International Cricket Council now oversees the laws, MCC retains copyright over them.

The club is so exclusive that the waiting list to become a member is said to be around 30 years!

THE MUSEUM 

Our tour began with a visit to the Lord's Cricket Museum, one of the oldest sports museums in the world.

The museum boasts an incredible collection of memorabilia, including the original Ashes Urn and the first Men's and Women's Cricket World Cup trophies. There are detailed exhibits on the evolution of cricket and profiles of legendary players.

There is a letter written on the 22nd of February 1933 by the secretary of the MCC to England's captain Douglas Jardine. It was soon after the infamous 'Bodyline series' in which English players, on the instructions of Jardine, bowled aiming at the body of the Australian batsmen in an intimidating manner.

When a delivery struck Australian captain Bill Woodfull, there was a fear of a riot. The situation was exacerbated by Jardine's character, who was perceived as rude and supercilious.  

However, the MCC supported Jardine. The letter talks of his "wonderful captaincy" and says:

The crowds seem to have behaved abominably, and from all accounts, you have shown most wonderful restraint, and I am sure you will continue to do so until the end because, as you are reported to have said in one of your speeches, 'the least said, the soonest mended'.

The museum also displays cricket kits worn by greats such as Victor Trumper, Jack Hobbs, Don Bradman, and Shane Warne.

There are also scorebooks of some of the matches. One of them is the first match played by All India XI on the tour of England in 1911 against Oxford University from June 1 to 3. 

THE ASHES URN

I was really delighted to see the original Ashes Urn. It is the most sacred and prized exhibit.

Our guide provided a fascinating history of the Ashes, and we couldn't resist taking photos beside it.

The history of the Ashes dates back to the 1882 Test series when Australia defeated England at The Oval — the first time Australia won a Test match on English soil. 

The Sporting Times published a mock obituary stating:

In Affectionate Remembrance of English Cricket, which died at the Oval on 29th August, 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances. R.I.P. N.B.— The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.

The urn

During England's 1882–83 tour of Australia, which England won 2–1, captain Ivo Bligh was presented with an urn containing ashes — believed to be from burnt bails or other cricket-related items.

(Ivo Bligh, besides being a cricketer, was also the 8th Earl of Darnley, a British nobleman and parliamentarian.)

After Bligh died in 1927, the urn was given to the MCC, where it has been on display ever since.

On the urn, a six-line verse is pasted. This is the fourth verse of a song-lyric published in the Melbourne Punch on 1 February 1883:

When Ivo goes back with the urn, the urn;

Studds, Steel, Read and Tylecote return, return;

The welkin will ring loud,

The great crowd will feel proud,

Seeing Barlow and Bates with the urn, the urn;

And the rest coming home with the urn.

While the original urn is inside a glass case, there is a small replica that one can hold, have a close look at, and take pictures with.

STUFFED SPARROW

The stuffed sparrow

Besides the old letters, willows, jersey, of course, the urn and other cricket memorabilia, what is really most unique is a stuffed sparrow.

July 3, 1936,  a ball delivered by Jahangir Khan of Cambridge University to T.N. Pearce of MCC struck a sparrow killing it instantly. It was stuffed and mounted on the very ball that killed it.

THE PAVILION 

After visiting the museum, we moved on to the Pavilion, which houses the players' dining room, besides the Long Room, often described as "the most evocative four walls in world cricket". 

Dilip Vengsarkar

The walls are adorned with portraits of cricketing legends. Among them are  Dilip Vengsarkar, and Kapil Dev.

Kapil Dev

Vengsarkar's impressive record includes scoring centuries in three consecutive Lord's appearances. Kapil Dev made history as India's captain during their groundbreaking 1983 World Cup win, igniting a nationwide passion for cricket that endures to this day.

There is a strict dress code here. Men and women have to be formally attired.

DRESSING ROOM

The dressing rooms for the home and away teams are located above the Long Room. So the players have to walk a long and winding distance to the field and back. There are stories of players getting lost on the way to the field and back!

The ground

Each dressing room features Honours Boards that list players who have scored centuries and made five-wicket hauls. The boards were originally limited to Test matches but were updated in 2019 to include achievements from One Day Internationals (ODIs) and women's internationals as well.

The Pavilion also features separate dressing rooms for the home and away teams, each with its own balcony for players to view the match. 

The entire Lord's Tour lasted over an hour and a half.

WRAPPING UP THE DAY

After the tour, we had dinner at one of the nearby restaurants and then took the tube back to Wanstead. 

It was a long and exhausting day. The day had started with a London city tour, followed by a visit to the BBC, and then concluded with this unforgettable Lord's experience. 

A tiring but truly eventful and memorable day.

(To be continued)

Links to all the posts in the series

01 - Departure (June 05, Wednesday)

02 - Dockwray Square, Tynemouth (June 06, Thursday)

03 - Cresswell Pele Tower (June 07, Friday)

04 - Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum (June 07, Friday)

05 - Boulmer Beach, Zamorins (June 07, Friday)

06 - Beamish Museum (June 08, Saturday) 

07 - The Holy Island of Lindisfarne (June 09, Sunday)

08 - Linhope Spout Waterfall (June 10, Monday)

09 - London, Wanstead (June 11, Tuesday)

10 - London City (June 12, Tuesday)

11 - BBC (June 12, Tuesday)

12 - Lord's Cricket Stadium and Museum (June 12, Tuesday)

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UK Tour 11 - BBC

(Links to all parts of the series are at the end of this post.)

June 12, Wednesday

Around 50 years ago. Those were the days of valve radio sets. We had one at home. An HMV radio. 

Though my father was a chemistry teacher, he had a deep interest in history and current affairs, and he would regularly listen to news bulletins and other programmes.

I was in school at the time, and I was fascinated by this large device sitting on a shelf that allowed us to hear voices and music from far and wide. 

My curiosity wasn’t so much about the radio itself but about the world it brought into our home, from local happenings to global events. A few years later, the smaller transistor radios arrived.

Among all the stations I listened to, the BBC World Service stood out. It made a lasting impression on me, and even now, I still listen to it. Unlike in the past, though, when I miss a live broadcast, I can catch it later as a podcast.

My conscious decision to choose journalism as a career was in no small way shaped by the BBC, and it was a childhood dream to visit the radio station.

Today was that day.

After a morning walking tour of London, we took the tube from Green Park to Oxford Circus. Just 500 metres ahead was the iconic Broadcasting House.

I had finally made it to the BBC. While I would have loved to see Bush House, the former home of the BBC World Service until 2012, time was short. We only had an hour to spare.

This was also an occasion for me to meet a journalist who works there whom I have known for a few years. Despite having a recording scheduled for later in the afternoon, he had done his prep work ahead of time and took a break to show me around. I was so grateful for his kindness.

Even though I’ve spent 37 years in the newsroom, stepping into the BBC felt different. 

It was about reconnecting with those early days when I would listen to the World Service, an association that sparked my passion for current affairs and, ultimately, journalism.

I didn’t want to leave. But time was running out.

(To be continued)

Links to all the posts in the series

01 - Departure (June 05, Wednesday)

02 - Dockwray Square, Tynemouth (June 06, Thursday)

03 - Cresswell Pele Tower (June 07, Friday)

04 - Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum (June 07, Friday)

05 - Boulmer Beach, Zamorins (June 07, Friday)

06 - Beamish Museum (June 08, Saturday) 

07 - The Holy Island of Lindisfarne (June 09, Sunday)

08 - Linhope Spout Waterfall (June 10, Monday)

09 - London, Wanstead (June 11, Tuesday)

10 - London City (June 12, Tuesday)

11 - BBC (June 12, Tuesday)

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Harris-Trump presidential debate: Who won?

The second U.S. presidential debate yesterday (today morning in India) was significantly better than the first one between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. It felt more like a debate between equals, in stark contrast to the chaotic first encounter.

ECONOMY

Harris started off by responding to the moderator’s question: “When it comes to the economy, do you believe Americans are better off than they were four years ago?” 

However, she didn’t directly answer the question. Instead, she outlined her plans to improve the lives of Americans, which sounded more like an opposition leader challenging an incumbent rather than a leader defending their administration’s record.

This was not the strongest start for her. I wonder why she didn’t simply say, “Yes, we are better off now than four years ago,” and then provide supporting reasons.

To her credit, she quickly recovered and began a subtle offensive.

ABORTION

She was particularly passionate when discussing abortion, which was unsurprising given her track record on this contentious issue. I’m confident her ratings received a boost after that segment. In contrast, Trump’s stance on abortion did not come across as compelling as Harris’s.

RACE

On the issue of race, moderator David Muir asked:

Mr. President, you recently said of Vice President Harris, "I didn't know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black." I want to ask a bigger-picture question here tonight. Why do you believe it's appropriate to weigh in on the racial identity of your opponent?

To this, Trump cleverly replied:

I don't. And I don't care. I don't care what she is. I don't care. You make a big deal out of something. I couldn't care less. Whatever she wants to be is okay with me. ... I don't know. I don't know. All I can say is I read where she was not Black, that she put out. And, I'll say that. And then I read that she was black. And that's okay. Either one was okay with me. That's up to her. That's up to her.

Harris’s response on race was rather generic, except for mentioning a couple of instances where she accused Trump of acting in a racist manner in the past. However, she didn’t address the issue of her own racial background. 

I thought Trump handled this better.

GLOBAL ISSUES

On global issues, neither candidate managed to outdo the other. There was, as usual, NATO, Afghanistan, North Korea, Russia, and China. Their responses were all quite predictable. 

All said and done, I don't think either of them will be able to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of being elected. 

CLAIMS AND COUNTER-CLAIMS

On almost all topics, both Harris and Trump exchanged claims and counterclaims, each accusing the other of lying. Obviously, there’s plenty of fact-checking to be done.

Both Harris and Trump employed “scare tactics,” using “facts” to paint a dire picture of what would happen if the other candidate won.

Until the facts are verified, we won’t know the extent of truth in their claims and counterclaims. Also, whether Americans need to be fearful of the future if either of them is elected.

BODY LANGUAGE

On the whole, from the body language point of view, Harris came across as a more professional debater, frequently addressing Trump directly. 

I don’t recall Trump ever looking directly at Harris except for a few sideways glances. This gave the impression that Harris was in command while Trump was on the defensive.

Harris often used the word “you,” directly addressing the American people, especially when looking into the camera. Trump, on the other hand, seemed to focus more on the word “destroy,” as in “they will destroy America”.

While we don’t know the accuracy of the facts, claims, and counterclaims made by Harris and Trump, this was indeed a fiery debate, and Kamala Harris seemed to emerge as the more articulate, forceful, and stronger participant.

Here is the replay of the full debate:

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UK Tour 10 - London city

(Links to all parts of the series are at the end of this post.)

June 12, Wednesday

In the morning we went on a walking tour of London city. It was good, though a bit rushed. We saw quite a few important landmarks, which we have read and heard about a lot. 

We started from The Ritz London and walked by the side of Green Park, a very vast expanse of greenery. It's one of the eight royal parks in London. It was originally part of the hunting grounds for Henry VIII and was later opened to the public in the 19th century. This was where a man named Edward Oxford tried to assassinate Queen Victoria in 1840.

We then saw (everything from outside, of course) the Spencer House, St. James's Palace, and Lancaster House. These are historic buildings in London, each with its own unique history and significance. Each of them reflects different aspects of London's architectural and royal heritage and showcases the city's rich history.

We reached The Mall, which is a one-kilometre-long ceremonial road with Buckingham Palace on the west end and Trafalgar Square at the east end. The surface is coloured red giving it the look of a red carpet. 

It's an important driveway for royalty, ceremonial events, and visiting heads of state or government. It's also the starting or finishing point of running or cycling events. The opening ceremony of the 2019 World Cup cricket tournament was held here.

We were in time to watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. 

It is a traditional colourful event where soldiers from the Foot Guards exchange duties at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. 

This colourful event, accompanied by a military band, symbolises the close relationship between the British monarchy and the armed forces. The ceremony has been a tradition since the 17th century. While the Household Division typically performs this duty, other units from the Commonwealth and the Royal Navy have also participated in the past.

We walked beside The Mall towards the Buckingham Palace. This introductory para on the official website sums up it all:

Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of the UK’s sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch. Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The King, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors every summer. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. In measurements, the building is 108 metres long across the front, 120 metres deep (including the central quadrangle) and 24 metres high.

In front of the palace is the Victoria Memorial, a grand monument dedicated to Queen Victoria. The entire memorial weighs a staggering 2,300 tonnes and spans a diameter of 32 meters (104 feet). The place is surrounded by a lovely garden. We spent some time walking around the place, clicking photos.

It's such a high-security place. We were told that there are hundreds of cameras placed all over the place and being monitored throughout. That's nothing surprising!

We then walked around St. James's Park and reached Trafalgar Square.

The public square is named after the Battle of Trafalgar, in which the British navy defeated France and Space in the battle that took place off the Cape of Trafalgar in Spain.

We walked through Whitehall. That's the street, 0.4 miles (0.64 km) long, where a number of British government buildings are located.

This is one of the two mounted cavalry troopers of The King's Life Guard in front of the Horse Guard, which is the official ceremonial entrance to the St James's and Buckingham Palace and headquarters to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, which provides troops for The King's Life Guard.

Nearby, there is a street called "Great Scotland Yard". It was so named because that was the street where Scottish kings or their representatives stayed when they visited London. Subsequently, the headquarters of the metropolitan police was situated on the street, giving it the name Scotland Yard.

A little ahead is Downing Street, which houses the official residences and offices of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It is called so because it was built by Sir George Downing, a soldier turned politician turned diplomat, in the 1680s.

A little ahead is the famous clock, Big Ben, also called the Elizabeth Tower. Built in 1859, it has 11 floors and is 96 metres tall. To reach the clock, you have to climb 334 steps. The clock altogether weighs around 13 tons.

Nearby are the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the River Thames and the London Eye.

We headed to the BBC and later in the afternoon to Lord's Cricket Stadium.

(To be continued)

Here are the links to all parts of the series:

01 - Departure

02 -Dockwray Square, Tynemouth

03 - Cresswell Pele Tower

04 - Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum

05 - Boulmer Beach, Zamorins

06 - Beamish Museum

07 - The Holy Island of Lindisfarne

08 - Linhope Spout Waterfall

09 - London, Wanstead

10 - London city

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UK Tour 09 - London, Wanstead

(Links to all parts of the series are at the end of this post.)

June 11, Tuesday

We said goodbye to the scenic, serene northeast of England. It was a fabulous five days of seeing new places and learning new vignettes of history.

The second lap of the tour is London. Sreerekha and I had booked a train ticket on Trainline from Newcastle to King's Cross. We were sceptical about a train journey because of threats of snap strikes by unions. The alternative was a book a bus journey. That would have taken longer. 

We kept our fingers crossed, and everything was fine. 

We took a metro from Northumberland Park Station to Newcastle Central Station, from where we boarded the 10.27 am train. It was a very pleasant three-hour ride and we reached King's Cross around 1.30 pm.

PLATFORM 9 3/4

My son, a great Harry Potter fan, had told us to make sure we go to Platform 9 3/4 at the King's Cross railway station.

Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is a fictional platform at King's Cross Railway Station. It is the departure point for the Hogwarts Express, the magical train that takes students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

We alighted on platform number 11, so it wasn't difficult for us to figure out where Platform 9 3/4 is.

While the platform itself doesn't physically exist, King's Cross Station has created a popular photo opportunity with a Platform Nine and Three-Quarters sign.

Upon reaching there, we were completely taken aback by the huge crowd and the long queue of fans to take photographs with a luggage trolley. We didn't know it was so hugely popular!

We hung around there for a while, soaking in the enthusiasm of the young children.

WANSTEAD

We then got a prepaid Oyster travel card for commuting on public transport around London. It was very nice to see that at the automated ticket dispensing machines, there was an official to help out people like us who were new to the place and needed assistance. 

It's not a surprise, actually, considering the number of first-timers coming to London.

We then took a tube to Wanstead, where we will be staying for three days. It is a suburb in the east of London. It takes about 45 minutes by tube. 

We spent the rest of the day today walking around Wanstead and seeing the place. Since the sun would set only by around 9.45 pm, there was plenty of daylight time to walk around and see the place.

Though a very urban setting, the entire locality has a quiet ring around it, almost village like. We didn't see any heavy traffic. 

I am not good with architecture, but many buildings had a Victorian / Edwardian look about them. Nice to see the old retained in the midst of the new.

There were a lot of open spaces. We went to Wanstead Park. It's really a vast stretch of greenery. Some people were exercising, some others walking their dogs, some children playing, some others just relaxing reading a book.

(I thought I had taken some pictures of the park and some streets. But strangely, they are not to be found.)

The park was a part of Wanstead House, a magnificent mansion built in 1722 by Sir Richard Child, an English politician who was a member of the House of Commons from 1708 to 1734. 

Wanstead House was so magnificent that it was hailed as one of the finest houses in the whole of England! What is now the vast Wanstead Park was the garden of the Wanstead House! 

The mansion was demolished in 1825 because the owners fell into financial difficulties.

Today was all about travelling to London from the northeast of England. 

There wasn't much time to see any place, nor did we have the energy. We are conserving whatever we have for tomorrow, which is going to be quite hectic.

(To be continued)

Links to all the posts in the series

01 - Departure (June 05, Wednesday)

02 - Dockwray Square, Tynemouth (June 06, Thursday)

03 - Cresswell Pele Tower (June 07, Friday)

04 - Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum (June 07, Friday)

05 - Boulmer Beach, Zamorins (June 07, Friday)

06 - Beamish Museum (June 08, Saturday) 

07 - The Holy Island of Lindisfarne (June 09, Sunday)

08 - Linhope Spout Waterfall (June 10, Monday)

09 - London, Wanstead (June 11, Tuesday)

10 - London City (June 12, Tuesday)

11 - BBC (June 12, Tuesday)

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UK Tour 08 - Linhope Spout Waterfall

(Links to all parts of the series are at the end of this post.)

June 10, Monday

Today is the last day in the northeast of England. We came here on the 6th, Thursday.

Today, we went to Linhope Spout Waterfall, Chatton, and Wooler.

A threat of rain was a worry when we started from Newcastle around 9 a.m. But luckily, the clouds stayed away.

The trip to Linhope Spout was like a continuation of yesterday's visit to Lindisfarne. We were awash in the soothing influence of serene natural beauty.

ROLLING HILLS

Linhope is a small village in Northumberland in northeast England. It's about 50 miles / 80 km north of Newcastle, and it took us around one hour of drive to reach there.

It is in Breamish Valley, one of the valleys of Cheviots or Cheviot Hills, which is an elevated mountainous plateau along the Scottish border.

The drive through the narrow country roads treated us to some breathtaking views of the rolling hills.

The valley is also known for its clear night skies, making it ideal for stargazing. It's said that the place has the clearest night skies in England!

Other than the rolling hills, what took our breath away were the lush green fields and quaint cottages.

LINHOPE ESTATE

Extending from Ingram, up the Breamish Valley to the Cheviot Hills, is the Linhope Estate.

The 14,000-acre area encompasses a wide range of wildlife habitats, including heather moorland, native woodland, upland hay meadows, the River Breamish and its tributaries.

There are also many archaeological features, including several hillforts.

The place is home to animals like Blackface sheep, birds like Red grouse and Curlews, insects like Emperor moths, reptiles like Common lizards, and plants like Bilberries, Sphagnum moss, and Cross-leaved heath.

THE WALK

Vehicles have to be parked around 1.5 miles / 2.4 km ahead of the waterfall. 

It was a moderately easy hike. The trail meanders through serene woodlands and open moorland, offering captivating views of the surrounding hills. The path is well-marked and maintained.

As we made our walk along the trail, we occasionally heard the sound of birds chirping and the rustling of leaves in the cool breeze. The ascent was also made enjoyable by the panoramic views.

We also saw a number of Blackface sheep.

The waterfall cascades down from a height of approximately 18 metres / 60 feet, falling into a pool 6 feet / 2 metres wide and 16 feet / 5 metres deep. 

Carefully stepping over rocks, Henry and I went down to the base of the waterfall. 

The waterfall itself is not anything extraordinary. But what lends itself to some great charm is the peaceful and beautiful surroundings. It's also a perfect place for a picnic.

We spent about an hour there soaking in the ambience and having refreshments.

CHATTON

From there, we came to the village of Chatton, about 15 miles / 25 km northeast of Linhope, to meet one of Henry's friends.

We went around the neighbourhood. We saw the Chatton Gallery (below), which has a range of contemporary landscape and wildlife paintings and sculptures. The gallery is owned and run by landscape artist Robert Turnbull, who is widely recognised for his Northumbrian landscape painting.

We also saw the Chatton Village Hall (below). It was originally the school for the village until its closure in 2008. The committee and trustees took over the building as a community resource in 2010.

TANKERVILLE ARMS

All four of us went for dinner at Tankerville Arms at Wooler, which is about 5 miles / 8 km from Chatton.

Tankerville Arms has a rich history behind it. 

It was built in the 1700s by the first Earl of Tankerville, Charles Bennet, to accommodate guests when their home, Chillingham Castle, was full.

In 1827, it became the local excise office, and in 1847, it was converted into a posting house, which was a building where horses were kept and could be rented or changed. Horse carriages were used to ferry people and deliver mail.

It was turned into a cottage in 1847 when a rail line was opened.

It survived a major fire in 1863. Apparently, the fire engine took 13 hours to arrive!

In 1914, Virginia Woolf stayed at the Tankerville for a month for recuperation.

It was a long but thoroughly enjoyable day.

We got back home by 10 p.m.

Finally, it's curtains for our five-day vacation in the northeast of England -- a culturally rich and historically significant region characterised by its vibrant cities, peaceful villages, picturesque landscapes, and a strong sense of local identity.

(To be continued)

Links to all the posts in the series

01 - Departure (June 05, Wednesday)

02 - Dockwray Square, Tynemouth (June 06, Thursday)

03 - Cresswell Pele Tower (June 07, Friday)

04 - Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum (June 07, Friday)

05 - Boulmer Beach, Zamorins (June 07, Friday)

06 - Beamish Museum (June 08, Saturday) 

07 - The Holy Island of Lindisfarne (June 09, Sunday)

08 - Linhope Spout Waterfall (June 10, Monday)

09 - London, Wanstead (June 11, Tuesday)

10 - London City (June 12, Tuesday)

11 - BBC (June 12, Tuesday)

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