Abbey House, Cambridge

This area of Barnwell had once been the site of a pagan holy well and was later occupied by the hermit ‘Godesone’. Abbey House was built in 1578 on land previously occupied by Augustinian canons, whose large priory (almost on the scale of King’s College Chapel) was founded in 1112 and dissolved in 1538, with much of its stone removed to build the chapel of Corpus Christi. The house is said to be haunted. It is currently occupied by Cambridge Buddhists who hold occasional open days. The peaceful garden includes a 6 seater communal outdoor privy!

Cambridge Beer Festival Champion Beers

36th Cambridge Beer Festival 2009

According to the Cambridge Camra Branch Newsletter (ale 340),
the 2009 Cambridge Beer Festival Beers of the Festival are:

The beer I enjoyed most at this 36th Cambridge Beer Festival was a zesty Woodfordes Wherry.

I’m surprised at the winner of the best name, even considering the 800th anniversary of Cambridge University, better names included Drunk by Degree, Summathat, Spooky Moon, Lost in the Woods, Mad Monk, Yogi Beer, Whapweasel, Mutts Nuts, Wruff Night and Old Stoatwobbler.

I didn’t get around to trying any foreign beers, but will look out for a ‘well blended Gueuze such as Cantillion or Drie Fonteinen’ , described in the festival programme as ‘probably one of the most complex, beautiful drinks in the world’.

Previous winners:

The above information is not necessarily correct!
More information can be found at Cambridge and District CAMRA

Eden Street Squirrel returns

Exactly a year to the day since first seen, the Grey Squirrel returned early this morning to finish the job started last year.
(see Eden Street Squirrel).

Strawberry Fair Parade 2009

The Parade begins on Christ’s Pieces…

Fair drinking

Title tells a different story.

Cambridge Beer Festival 2009 – Green Beer

Cambridge Beer Festival 2009

36th Cambridge Beer Festival

This is Stonehenge Ales Sign Of Spring, an award winning seasonal beer from Wiltshire.

I hadn’t intended trying it until I saw someone handed a glass as I waited for another beer. I’ve blamed many a hangover on green beer, but this is the first I’ve knowingly bought.

It doesn’t taste quite as green as it looks (Nethergate’s coriander Umbel Ale should look like this!) but is a smooth, pleasant enough bitter that raised a smile.

Blackbird fledgling

RSPB Blackbird Breeding says Blackbirds usually fledge after 13-14 days and can then take a week to learn how to fly.

In my experience, for 2-3 weeks after fledging they are almost entirely dependent on their parents for food and still in the early stages of mastering flight.

14th April – The first fledglings of the year, 2 Blackbirds in the yard,

Eden Street Blackcap

Yesterday I happened to see a Blackcap in the backyard. I can’t recall ever seeing an overwintering Blackcap before, only seeing them during summer, and more unusually, it was hanging on the peanut feeder (it eats insects and berries). Typically, as I fumbled with a camera, it flew and hasn’t returned.

According to the BTO, there has recently been a rapid increase in the numbers of Blackcaps wintering in Britain, deciding not to travel south across the Sahara Desert. With luck, it might reappear for the Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend.

Blackcap illustration by Mike Langman (RSPB)

Remembrance Sunday – Parkers Piece

…the beginning of the 2 minutes silence…

Eden Street Sparrow Hawk

20th September 2008
A sparrowhawk came crashing into the back yard today, obviously in pursuit of prey, landing ungracefully on the roof of our car, before moving to the wall and eventually up into the cover of the small trees. It rested for a few minutes and I managed to grab a camera and take a few shots of it peering out from behind the clothesline before it flew out of sight along the back yards of Eden Street Backway.