Corfe Castle, Dorset. UK (Page 2): I'm glad you said that. 40+ years ago when I had my first proper motorbike I visited here and was convinced I didn't pay to go in. Even the staff...

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

MtnMan wrote:

I lived in a nearby town (Wool) for a year a long time ago but don't have any images like that. On return some years ago we found you now have to pay to visit. :cry:

I'm glad you said that. 40+ years ago when I had my first proper motorbike I visited here and was convinced I didn't pay to go in. Even the staff there didn't believe me.

merrytexan Loc: georgia

Jolly Roger wrote:

Corfe Castle underwent major structural changes in... (show quote)

beautiful lighting and composition and very interesting info. you must have been on a mountain top when you took it. :-D :-D

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

Treepusher wrote:

Nice one, Roger. The perspective really gives a good idea as to the size, and lets you imagine the besieging army at the walls. Excellent effort on this one!

Hi Randy. Thanks for looking and your comments.
Sadly the eventual fall of the castle to the Parliamentarians was brought about by a subterfuge. The garrison was very small at the time. The Parliamentarians had a group of men dress up as Royalists. They gained entry into the castle and allowed the rest in, pretty much as the Trojan Horse tactic occured.

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

donrent wrote:

Got a question :

Has anyone restored an old castle in England ? What a magnificent job that would be...

Yes, many British castles have been restored but I doubt any as badly damaged as Corfe. Some have been taken over by "The National Trust" and are now open to the public.

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

rlaugh wrote:

What a fine shot!

Thanks for looking and the comment Bob.

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

merrytexan wrote:

beautiful lighting and composition and very interesting info. you must have been on a mountain top when you took it. :-D :-D

Thanks for looking and your comments MT.
No, I was on top of an adjacent hill, car parked a few yards away.

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

MtnMan wrote:

Nice image and great information.

How did you get that view? Drone?

I lived in a nearby town (Wool) for a year a long time ago but don't have any images like that. On return some years ago we found you now have to pay to visit. :cry:

Did my army basic training at Bovington, lo, those many years ago. Travelled through Wool many times in the back of old green 3-ton trucks...

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

Bloke wrote:

Did my army basic training at Bovington, lo, those many years ago. Travelled through Wool many times in the back of old green 3-ton trucks...

Were you in a Tank Regiment?

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

Jolly Roger wrote:

Were you in a Tank Regiment?

Yep. I was at the Junior Leader's Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps, at Bovington back in 72-73. Spent a year studying at Kneller Hall, the Royal Military School of Music, at Twickenham, before being posted to Germany to my chosen regiment, 1st the Queen's Dragoon Guards.

This was the regiment of Capt. Mark Phillips, and I got to play at his wedding to Princess Anne (although I hasten to add I had nothing to do with their divorce!)

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

Bloke wrote:

Yep. I was at the Junior Leader's Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps, at Bovington back in 72-73. Spent a year studying at Kneller Hall, the Royal Military School of Music, at Twickenham, before being posted to Germany to my chosen regiment, 1st the Queen's Dragoon Guards.

This was the regiment of Capt. Mark Phillips, and I got to play at his wedding to Princess Anne (although I hasten to add I had nothing to do with their divorce!)

That's interesting.
How long have you lived in the States?

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

Jolly Roger wrote:

That's interesting.
How long have you lived in the States?

Been over here for 25 years now... Wow! After I left the army, I went to college to study computers. Worked a few years programming, in London and just outside Bristol, then I was headhunted to come across here as a programmer. Did that for a few years, until a big truck decided to try and drive over my car while I was driving it. That had me out of the workforce for several years while I was undergoing a series of spinal surgeries. After that gap, nobody would hire me to program, so I started my third career. Now, I drive a school bus for my sins - I must have been really evil in an earlier life!

I love the wide open spaces here... Sometimes in the Summer, I will go off on a road trip, and cover 3500 miles or so over a week or thereabouts. I just drive until I am tired, then find a motel for the night. A few years ago, I decided to visit Niagara Falls (again). This time, I went the long way around, heading west to Fargo, North Dakota, then crossing over into Canada and basically driving round the Great Lakes. Have to admit, I do love to drive!

B Hall Loc: Eugene, OR

Very nice photo. I was recently doing some family history and I have many ancestors from the Dorset area. Nice to see a photo of what this looks like.

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

Bloke wrote:

Been over here for 25 years now... Wow! After I... (show quote)

I always try to think on the positive side of issues. Sorry to hear about the sustained injuries but look at it this way, without that and the following turns of events it's possible you wouldn't have the present opportunities to drive recreationally as much as you obviously are doing. Although I think Canada at this time of year would be too cold for me having worked the last twenty odd years in West Africa, retiring last year.

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

B Hall wrote:

Very nice photo. I was recently doing some family history and I have many ancestors from the Dorset area. Nice to see a photo of what this looks like.

Thanks for looking and kind comment.
As they call it now we are all in a global village. :wink:

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

Jolly Roger wrote:

I always try to think on the positive side of issues. Sorry to hear about the sustained injuries but look at it this way, without that and the following turns of events it's possible you wouldn't have the present opportunities to drive recreationally as much as you obviously are doing. Although I think Canada at this time of year would be too cold for me having worked the last twenty odd years in West Africa, retiring last year.

Yeah, some things suck, but I can't really complain. I had a lot more money back then, but no real time to go off and do anything with it. Actually, thinking about it, I was usually up to my ears in debt, so all that money came in and went straight out the door! These days I have enough to get by, and I don't buy anything I don't have the money for.

My trips to Canada have all been during the Summer months. I was actually up in British Columbia, little town called Fernie, on the morning of 9/11. I had to dash to get back down, as they were talking about closing the border! I was on a green card back then.

I finally took the plunge and became a US citizen, after the price of a UK passport went from $80 to $350 in 10 years. Plus, I had to pay for the green card renewals every 10 years, but staggered. Talk about a captive audience!

I finally found some places where I can get my good beer - Newcastle Brown, of course. Would still kill for some decent fish & chips, though...