The River Avon leaving the Avon Gorge for the sea

Helena went to meet Jena today in Swindon and I went to watch football with Pip in Bristol.  By the time I reached there it was nearly 2pm and we watched the England v. Wales game without much excitement. So after it finished Pip suggested a visit to the Botanical Gardens run by the local university a couple of miles away.  But by the time we arrived they were closing so we drove a little further to have a look out over the River Avon's famous gorge from Sea Walls, a renowned viewpoint at the top of the limestone cliffs.

I snapped a few pictures in the light rain that began and then headed back to the car where we found it wouldn't start. So we had to wait for a breakdown service and had a rather fine quiet interlude sitting high above the river.  The weather was matching the huge clouds around us with stormy patches and occasional showers. While Pip guided the mechanic in on his mobile, I looked out at the views and played with my camera, until it started to play up as well.

My blip was taken looking into the sun as it headed towards the west with the dark clouds and crepuscular rays sited over Portishead, with the Bristol Channel just glistening behind the cranes at Avonmouth docks.

We finally got going and then had a wonderful meal of salmon and prawns with lots of wine and chatter. I also had the chance to practice what I might say to accompany a few of my pictures of Sri Lanka, as Helena has organised for me to give a presentation to some of her associates in the WEA. I need to do a bit of sorting, I now fear, as I have rather too many pictures.