Be it ever so humble

[Tinkerbell]

I've just returned from a few weeks holiday abroad, and have been catching up on some of the forum threads and posts, together with gallery pics.

I have found the photos of South Harris posted by crisscross, to be very interesting. Travelling through the Huddersfield area - considered to be heavily industrialised, at least in the past if not the present - I was equally fascinated by the landscape. We must have members who live in a huge variety of environments of the UK and I wonder if any of them would take the time to describe it to the rest of us, who may have a pre and misconceived mental picture of your 'homeland'. Although you may live in a wild, or marshy, flat or hilly, rural or urban environment, to you it is home and I, for one, would appreciate an insight into the terrain and what is to be found locally.

[glsammy]

We live in Arnold, one of the supposedly "bad" areas of Nottingham, itself widely regarded as one of the countries least desirable cities. I've lived in the same house for over 35 years, yet so far as trouble is concerned I've never experienced any, in all that 35 years, two houses on our street have been burgled, and one of them was a disgruntled family member.
We live on the very edge of the urban area and have Sherwood Forest within a 15 minutes drive, open farm and country pathways within 5 minutes walk. Many local parks, Rufford Abbey, Thorsby Hall, all with excellent walks, restaurants and a wide variety of wildlife to see and hear.
We can "escape" to the spectacular Hills and Dales of Derbyshire, which we do often again in easy reach. I have my favourite Nature Reserve within a 30 minute drive.
I feel privileged and lucky to live where we do, with either easy access to city life or on the other hand open countryside within very easy reach.
I for one wouldn't swap where we live for any inner city life.

[Owl]

Hello to you all from the Isle of Wight,
what can I tell you about this fantastic place it is so laid back, well most of the time except when the 'Grockles' arrive!

The Island has no motor ways and hardly any straight roads either. We, I apologise to anyone born on the Island for saying we when it should be you, I am no Caulkhead but a Londoner who feel in love with this Island as a child on family holidays, are an Island mesuring 23 miles by 13 miles. We have 520 miles of footpaths, bridle ways and Byways that criss cross the Island. We have 9 Nature Reserves, 30 miles of beach and more then half the Island is an Area of outstanding beauty!

What else? Oh yes! David and I (the other half) wake up each morning to the sound of sea gulls, rooks and jackdaws, so much better then the poor little sparrows coughing! Walking around I've not seen meny other birds except just before I managed to see a flock of wagtails! I'd never seen more the one at a time in London! However romour has it that someone was lucky enough to spot a Ring Ouzel in September 2005 at Culver Down with is the closest cliff to us.

I'm lucky enough to live in Sandown which has a wonderful beach is not a great area to shop but then everything closes down here until the season startes again about the end of Feburary! Then I'll not be able to walk the fifteen minuets to the beach with out tripping over people, that's when I plan to live in the Park half a block away from here.

We have a wonderful site for the Island called Gift to Nature.co.uk where we hope to get money from the tourist and others to maintain the Island and help projects, such as in 2001 the money went to improve the habitats for the rare wall lizard in Ventnor. (By the way Ventnor has a botanical garden that is unbeleviable!)

The following year money went to help create a Red Squirrel Sufari Trail in Parkhurst Forest. Yes that Parkhurst as in Prison! I all ways see the poor little red's in uniforms with arrows on! Sorry! The Trail was completed and opened in October 2002 by David Bellamy. At the moment they are trying to build a Wetland walk just outside Sandown but I don't think it's going to happen, we've had two years of drought and talk is that we may even lose the Marshes!!

Well as I can hear people snoring after all of the above I'd best go! I am happy to answer any questions on the Island if I can!
Hope it gives you some idea of this place and that it's not just some where to come to lie on the beach, mark you that's nice as well!