rural landscapes

White rainbow spotted close to M5 motorway near Bristol

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I love the landscape around the “near South West” Bristol, Bath, Somerset and Wiltshire. I wonder amongst all the other magical places and things there is a white rabbit might be sitting under this white rainbow…

A rare white rainbow has been photographed close to the M5 motorway near Bristol.

The meteorological phenomenon was spotted by Kieran Argo while out walking in fields near Pill, early on Saturday morning.

Also known as a fogbow, cloud bow or ghost of a rainbow, the arc is formed when sunlight interacts with small water droplets in fog, mist or cloud.

A classical rainbow is created when sunlight interacts with raindrops.

Mr Argo said: “It just appeared. It was a very distinct white arc and looked just like a white rainbow and was similar in size.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen one.”

Britain’s countryside will be transformed by policies to combat climate change, the government’s former chief environment scientist says.

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Interesting controversy arising here….

Professor Sir Ian Boyd said climate policies after Brexit will alter the landscape more than most people expect.

There will be many more trees and hedges but far fewer grazing animals as people eat less red meat, he said.

The farmers’ union, the NFU, rejected his analysis and forecast that there may be more grazing animals, not fewer.

It said the UK’s well-watered pastures are ideal for producing low-carbon livestock and exporting it to places where growing conditions are less favourable.

This is the first public eruption of a long-running conflict between Professor Boyd, the former adviser to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the body that represents Britain’s farmers.

Sir Ian thinks the NFU has wielded far too much influence over departmental policy. The NFU believes he is out of touch with the reality of farming. 

The antipathy reflects deeper technical, ethical and political debates over the future of the production and consumption of animals for food.

5G: Rural areas could see bigger and taller masts

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I was completely unaware of this issue until I stumbled onto this article. Not quite in the category of wind turbines but very large masts, in low lying areas particularly, could start to blight the landscape. Lets hope we don’t end up with the cheapest and ugliest solution when this all kicks in. This article tells us:

Bigger and taller mobile phone masts could be built without councils’ permission across the countryside, under a proposed overhaul of planning rules in England.

It is part of government plans to speed up the roll out of 5G networks and improve mobile coverage in rural areas.

Currently masts on public land must be no more than 25m (82ft) high but ministers want to relax these rules.

Labour says “bolder” plans are needed to boost the UK digital infrastructure.

5G, which uses higher frequency waves than earlier mobile networks, would allow more devices to have access to the internet at the same time and at faster speeds.

However, 5G networks require more transmitter masts than previous technologies.

Digital Secretary Nicky Morgan, who has launched a consultation on the plans, said “slightly taller” masts would mean they could carry more equipment and “potentially stop the proliferation of other masts – or even take away some”.

Asked if new masts could double in height, she said “Let’s ask the question and see what it is people need.”

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme there has to be a balance struck between the landscape and better connectivity.

Eastbourne Pier fire: Blaze at Victorian attraction believed to have started in games arcade paneling

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My LEADER (EU funding) work at the moment, helping one or two places prepare bids, has thrown up some significant enthusiasm for vernacular buildings. I think when we conceive rural places we all too often miss this important aspect of their character until we reflect a bit more deeply. This is perhaps, albeit Eastbourne is no small town, why this story pulled at the heart strings as soon as I read it. It tells us

A fire broke out at the 144-year-old pier in the East Sussex seaside town of Eastbourne on Wednesday afternoon – gutting its largest dome.

Thick black smoke was seen rising from the roof of the two-storey dome on Eastbourne Pier on Wednesday evening, which the leader of the council said was “badly damaged”.

At around 7pm on Wednesday, leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, David Tutt, added that the pier was still alight, but “contained”. He added it did not look as though it would spread further down the pier, following fears that the stiff sea breeze would fan the flames.

“That is good news, and the really good news is that it doesn’t look as if there’s been any injury at all.

“The building which has been affected is the largest dome on the pier, and it has been badly damaged – but further down it looks as it’s always looked.”

Around 60 firefighters – including personnel from neighbouring towns – had tackled the blaze from around 3pm, but the severity of the situation saw the number rise to 80 at around 6:30pm. Firefighters would remain on the shoreline for “several hours”, according to fire officials.