Burnham Carnival Fireworks

December 1, 2011 in Annual Events, Free Attractions, Novelty by Chris Mulliss | No comments

Burnham carnival is held on the Monday following the Bridgwater Carnival and is preceded on the Sunday Evening with the Burnham Carnival Fireworks display.


The fireworks are launched from the slipway jetty opposite Pier Street and can be viewed from the North and South Esplanade. The display takes place with accompanying classical and modern music and provides a spectacular display of hundreds of fireworks, some never seen before; lasting about 20 minutes.

The display is sponsored by the Town Council and a number of local businesses and is free to the public, with a charity collection by the Rotary Club for Local Charities as part of the Carnival Events fund raising effort. The 2011 event was launched by the Town Mayor.

The date for the 2012 event in Sunday 4th November.

Check the date at ww.burnham-on-sea.com

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Somerset Carnival

November 27, 2011 in Annual Events, Free Attractions, Novelty by Chris Mulliss | No comments

Somerset is the home of Carnival in the UK, taking place over the week or so around 5th November. The Bridgwater Carnival is the largest illuminated event in Europe and the most famous Carnival after Rio de Janeiro, attracting visitors from across the UK and around the world. The Carnival originates from the Gun Power Plot of 1605 and was historically celebrated with homemade fireworks, sometimes with fatal consequences.


In Bridgwater in 1880, following the annual celebrations and an ensuing riot, the local authorities decided that the celebrations should be formally organised and controlled; so the first official Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival took place in 1881. 1903 saw the first electric bulbs being used and 1948 saw the last horse-drawn carnival carts.

The Bridgwater Carnival ends with the unique Bridgwater Squibbing - The ‘Bridgwater Squib’ is a giant firework originally made in homes throughout the town but now produced to a secret formula by leading firework manufacturers, especially for Bridgwater Carnival. They are strapped to a cosh (a solid block of wood which is attached to a large pole). The Squibber holds the squib at arms length above their head with the firework facing toward the sky. In the region of 150 “Squibbers” are involved, typically members of the Carnival clubs. The Squibbers line Bridgwater High Street (in a line of two wide) and all light their squibs at the same time. The effect is bright light being fired into the air along the road in one great long trail of fire. - Information from the Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival Website

Carnival takes place in various towns across Somerset each year, commencing with Bridgwater Carnival historically held on the Friday after the nearest Thursday to the 5th November – (from 2012 on the first Saturday of November for 3 year trial). The Burnham-on-Sea Carnival held on the following Monday is always preceded on the Sunday evening by a fireworks display on the beach. The Carnivals raise money for many local charities to benefit local people.


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Kilve Beach (Site of Special Scientific Interest)

October 5, 2011 in Food and Drink, Free Attractions, Geology, Industrial Archeology, Monuments, Nature Reserves by Chris Mulliss | No comments

Location: Off A39 west of Bridgwater between Nether Stowey and Williton. OS ST 14466 44301     29 miles

Part of the Blue Anchor-Lilstock Coast SSSI

Parking at the Kilve Beach Car Park is Pay and Display £1.50 for 2 hrs or £2.50 per day (at time of review). Toilets available near car park and beach.

Shale Oil Retort

Shale Oil Retort

Beach Approach

Beach Approach

Beach Rock Formation

Beach Rock Formation

Cliff Strata

Cliff Strata

Local Wildlife

Local Wildlife

Rock Pavement

Rock Pavement

Rocks

Rocks

Beach Formations

Beach Formations

Ammonite Fossil In Situ

Ammonite Fossil In Situ

Entrance to The Chantry Tea Garden

Entrance to The Chantry Tea Garden

In The Chantry Tea Garden

In The Chantry Tea Garden

Cream Tea

Cream Tea

Directions: Travel to Bridgwater and take the A39 towards Minehead. Travel past Cannington and Nether Stowey and continue for 4 miles to Kilve. Turn right at the cross roads in the centre of the village beside the Kilve Stores, into Sea Lane continue for 1 mile to the car park.

From the car park follow the remainder of Sea Lane and track to beach, passing the remains of a 1924 Shaline Co. shale-oil experimental plant, used to remove oil from the oil bearing shale in the cliffs – part of the Somerset oil boom that never was!. Also within the wooded area, the remains of a lime kiln from when Kilve was a very small port or ‘Kilve Pill’. Low quality coal was imported here for use in the lime burning process to make fertiliser.

Kilve Beach is Somerset’s answer to the ‘Jurassic Coast’. It is NOT a place for sand castles but IS an area for rock pools, when the tide goes out, to find sea anemones, crabs, limpets and many other rocky shore flora and fauna. The shoreline has been created by the geological folding that created the Quantock Hills, which has resulted in the formation of natural pavements of rock that look man made, uncovered by sea and wind. The rock layers that created the beach formations can be seen within the cliff face with the layers of soft blue lias and shale between. This is also the soft layer, originally mud, within which can be found fossils of Ammonites (snail shell-like) and the large sea dinosaur-Ichthyosaur. As the site is an SSSI, fossil hunting is NOT permitted in the cliffs and rocks but you may see fossils in the boulders on the beach. Keep away from the base of the cliffs and cliff edges

There are plenty of benches to sit and it is a great place for a picnic. The site is on the West Somerset Coast Path and there is also a circular walk to East Quantoxhead 4km (2.7miles).

Just south of the car park are the remains of a medieval chantry, which just happens to border the Chantry Tea Garden, which provides refreshments, lunches, snacks and of course and well recommended – its version of the Somerset Cream Tea, all served in the large garden.

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Willows and Wetlands Visitor Centre

October 5, 2011 in Food and Drink, Free Attractions, General by Chris Mulliss | No comments

Location: Meare Green, Stoke St Gregory OS: ST 33742 26943 Post Code: TA3 6HY     20 miles

Willows & Wetlands Centre with Wicker Cup & Saucer

Willows & Wetlands Centre with Wicker Cup & Saucer

Willow Withy Beds

Willow Withy Beds

Woodland

Woodland

Courtyard Tea Room

Courtyard Tea Room

Willow Creatures

Willow Creatures

Furniture Gallery Museum

Furniture Gallery Museum

Childrens' Area

Childrens' Area

Governess Cart with Umbrella Holder

Governess Cart with Umbrella Holder

Bath Chairs

Bath Chairs

Willow Furniture

Willow Furniture

Wicker Beehive Skeps

Wicker Beehive Skeps

Mail Delivery Cart

Mail Delivery Cart

Most of the Visitor Centre is accessible but some of the gallery and museum is upstairs. Entry to the Centre is free of charge, guided tours of the Basket Works are £3.00 per person

Opening Times: Mon-Sat 09:30-17:00 Tea Room 10:30-16:30. Check for opening over Christmas and New Year Tel: 01823 490249 email: info@englishwillowbaskets.co.uk

Directions: Take the B3151 from Wedmore towards Glastonbury. At Westhay turn right for Shapwick and continue beyond Shapwick village until reaching the A39. Turn left and then take the next right – Pedwell Hill by The Albion Inn, signposted for Langport. Continue downhill to the A361, then turn right. Continue on the A361 through Othery and round Burrow Mump. At Burrowbridge turn left at the traffic lights signposted for the Centre and follow the rosette signs. After 0.2mile turn right and follow road for 2 miles to T junction and turn right. Travel about 0.4 miles Willows and Wetland Centre is on right – look for the willow cup and saucer above the gateway.

The Willows and Wetlands Centre contains an exhibition of willow, how it is grown on the Somerset Levels and its production and use for basket making, including a video display. A museum of historical uses of willow baskets, including the Bath Chair – forerunner of the mobility scooter, GPO Post delivery carts and delivery baskets used by bakers, bicycle delivery baskets and market porters baskets and some unusual uses.  Exhibits also show how the willow withies are grown and prepared for use. There is also a shop and gallery of new willow furniture and other items such as log baskets and shopping baskets.

A short walk can be taken to see the withy beds and a further, more strenuous circular walk, can be taken along the River Tone. Guided tours of the adjacent Willow Basket Works are available Mon-Fri at 11:00 and 14:30 lasting about 1 hr at a cost of £3.00 per person.

The Courtyard Tea Room provides refreshments and light lunches and homemade cakes, with seating inside in the flagstone tea room or outside in the landscaped courtyard.

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