Summer Solstice 2019 sunrise as viewed from Droxford in the Meon Valley, Hampshire. Far better than mixing it with the crowds at Stonehenge!
Summer Solstice 2019 Sunrise
All posts by Barrie Webb
D Day 75 Daedalus commemorations
A family event at Solent Airport Daedalus to commemorate 75 years since the D-Day landings in Normandy on the 6th June 1944.
The high wind on Saturday proved too much for some of the displays, however the wind relented on Sunday allowing the planned flying programme to go ahead.
Many missions were flown over Normandy in support of Operation Overlord from the Daedalus airfield.
The airfield continued to be a Royal Navy establishment until it was de-commissioned in 1996.
The thumbnails below show some of the images I took over the weekend, please click on any thumbnail to view the images in a gallery.
D Day 75 Daedalus. Douglas Dakota “Drag ‘em Oot” at Solent Airport Daedalus to mark the 75 anniversary of the D-Day landings by allied forces in Normandy 1944
D Day 75 Daedalus. “Tall in The Saddle” P-51 Mustang at Solent Airport Daedalus to mark the 75 anniversary of the D-Day landings by allied forces in Normandy 1944
Drag em Oot parachute display team
D Day 75 Daedalus. Boultbee Spitfire SM520 (G-ILDA) at Solent Airport Daedalus to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings by allied forces in Normandy 1944
Auster TW536 being held in a straight line while taxing in the wind
D Day 75 Daedalus. Agusta Bell Sioux AH Mk1 at Solent Airport Daedalus to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings by allied forces in Normandy 1944
D Day 75 Daedalus. The Red Arrows fly past at Solent Airport Daedalus to mark the 75 anniversary of the D-Day landings by allied forces in Normandy 1944
For more information and pictures follow the link to D_Day 75 Daedalus Commemorations and the BBC News
Eclipse Busway, Rowner Road, Gosport.
Eclipse Busway. Common sense prevails!! Hampshire County Council have voted to retain the Rowner Road Bridge and route the Eclipse Busway extension via a ramp to the east of the present shared pedestrian/cycle path. This good news is due in no small part to Cycle Gosport
The previous plan was to demolish the bridge and replace it with a signal controlled junction
Daedalus Common Men at Work
Daedalus Common Solent Airport Daedalus
The setting sun silhouetting diggers and operatives working on Daedalus Common.
The Common is one of a number of community facilities provided to help soften the blow of having a large building housing high voltage transformers and associated cables on an active airfield.
More planned community facilities related to IFA2 include a heritage facility, play area and a gate guardian.
The setting sun silhouetting diggers and operatives working on Daedalus Common.
The setting sun silhouetting diggers and operatives working on Daedalus Common
Meon Shore at Titchfield Haven
Titchfield Haven and the Meon Shore
A small self set project to photograph the Meon Shore for a week.
I initially planned to capture the sunrises but aided by some unseasonably warm temperatures I stayed longer and watched the birds visiting the nature reserve
Click on any thumbnail below to view the photographs in a carousel.
For more information on the Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve
Canada Geese in formation with Fawley Power station as a back drop
The Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve is a national nature reserve in Hampshire .
It encompasses the lower floodplain of the River Meon, near to the point where it flows into the Solent near Hill Head.
Until late in the 16th century, the River Meon was navigable as far as Titchfield.
The Titchfield Canal opened in 1611 and was only the second canal existing in Britain at the time. [source wikipedia}
Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse
The total lunar eclipse, or super blood moon, took place on the morning of 21st January 2019, starting just after 2:30am, peaking from 4:40am for about an hour, and finishing at just after 7:45am.
A blood Moon is another name given to a total lunar eclipse, which happens when the Earth moves in between the Sun and the Moon. Our planet casts its shadow on the Moon, blocking out the Sun’s light.
The gallery below shows the moon from late Sunday evening to early Monday morning.
Evening photograph of the super moon taken at 22:51 20/01/2019
Photograph taken at 03:30 just before the eclipse started. The prospect of a clear sky was low.
Photograph taken at 04:08, fortunatley the cloud had cleared!
Photograph of the blood moon taken at 04:44, some 30 minutes before total eclipse
Photograph of the super wolf blood moon taken at 05:10, clear sky and just about at total eclipse
The Moon does not have a light source of its own, it shines because its surface reflects sunlight. However, during a total lunar eclipse, the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon and cuts off the Moon’s light supply. When this happens, the surface of the Moon takes on a reddish glow instead of going completely dark.
Meon Views 2019 Calendar – Studio 6
Meon Views 2019 Calendar
One of my photographs featured as the December picture in the 2019 Meon Views calendar published by Studio 6, design and print, Wallops Wood Farm, Sheardley Lane, Droxford
Picture caption ‘Abbey House, Warnford, among winter fields’ by nwcopywriting
Abbey House, Warnford, among winter fields
Studio 6 Meon Views 2019 Calendar
All proceeds from the sale of this calendar go to Naomi House & Jacksplace.
If you are passing or just out enjoying the Meon Valley, pop in and buy one or two and help support this wothy cause!
Cycle Gosport Community Group
Cycle Gosport Cycle Gosport is a brand new local community group which aims to promote 
and protect the amazing cycle routes we already have and work to improve the network to make it easier for everyone to get about by bike.
I Ride in Gosport A new Facebook page for those that want to improve the cycling infrastructure and facilities in Gosport (and the surrounding area)
Visit and like the I Ride in Gosport Facebook page, share your experiences of cycling in the Gosport area – the good, the bad and the could be better!
Tell us about the kind of cycle facilities you’d like to see and highlight places and people we could learn from.
Fed up with the daily slog along the A32? Its quicker to cycle from Gosport Ferry to Fareham railway station by bike, costs less and will help improve your fitness. Here is a screen shot of the journey by car and bike
Explore Gosport and the attractions on your doorstep without having to find or pay for a parking space!
The Meon Valley Trail. Within 40 minutes of cycling from Gosport is the start of an off road trail from Wickham to West Meon. Just imagine exploring the Meon Valley in a traffic free enviroment, stopping when and where you like and enjoying the countryside!
Solent Airport Daedalus Boultbee Spitfire
Solent Airport Daedalus
We are lucky in the Stubbington area to have the Boultbee Flight Acadamy Spitfires flying from Solent Airport Daedalus
It has been great to see and hear the Spitfire flying from the airfield, particularly after the loss of the Portsmouth Naval Gliding Centre.
While I cannot match the quality of the photographs on their website it has been great fun trying!
There has even been TV presenter James Martin thrown in for good measure.
The thumbnails below are some of the photographs I have taken over the past week. Please click on any thumbnail to view the images in a carousel.
James Martin
Have a look at my gallery of aviation photographs or browse the other galleries on Out To Grass Photography.
Eclipse Busway BRT extension madness
Update 26/04/2019: Bridge to remain with a revised junction
The 1km Eclipse busway extension to the existing route will be from the Tichborne Way / Hutfield Link south to form a new junction with Rowner Road, maintaining the existing shared use footway / cycleway from Hutfield Link to Rowner Road.
While this sounds good news, the downside is that the excellent existing shared pedestrain and cycle path (also designated a safe route to school) from the Hutfield Link to Rowner road will be squeezed in with the bus route.
The bridge at the new junction will be demolished with the loss of the underpass and the perfect seperation arrangement of pedestrains and cyclists from traffic on the B3334
Pedestrains and cyclists (whom the Govement is championing under the guise of Active Travel) will be will be pushed down the pecking order, at odds with The Manual for Streets
According to the Active Travel briefing The Manual for Streets changed the government’s approach to the design and provision of residential and other streets.
This includes a hierarchy of provision that puts walking and cycling at the top, and following its principles can help design places that encourage active travel.
The Eclipse Busway has gone as far as possible.