High, high up in the sky

The bank holiday has passed, and down here it was lovely and sunny (if a bit breezy at times). We finally made it to St Mary’s May Fayre, so supped some real ale/ cider in the local CAMRA tent (v. popular) and went up the tower (tallest thing in Pompey until prob. just after WWII). From the tower you really appreciate how densely populated Portsmouth is (it’s the densest after London) at this level, as the church is in the middle of a largely residential area. The Spinnaker tower is so high in comparison, that you don’t really appreciate all the rows and rows of streets with terraced housing on. Every so often you’ll see some high trees which signify one of the city’s many parks (which is the main green space you see in the city). The rest of it was a bit car boot sale for my liking. Mind you I did really cringe (having been teased by my mate (and former guide) for being a DC now .. she was teasing me as I stood on the edge of the beer tent compound saying that I can’t be seen drinking like this by Brownies, Guides etc. despite being in civvies (yes I managed a totally non-guiding casual outfit)) at the Trefoil Guild table. For the TGers had a table it seemed full of knitwear in pastel shades for babies … hmmm not really forward looking movement type stuff I feel. Mind you the Naval Training Corps went one worse with one of their tables (done by their version of TG I guess) with knitted dolly loo roll covers … I wonder if any were sold?

Hmm the Church tower was good, but if you’re not a fan of falling (mind you I am a bit better following working on the Spinnaker tower … it needed conquering so it seemed a good opportunity; still not a fan of high reinforcement checking) like I am, you might not of appreciated the last bit of the ascent. Thank goodness the stair case that takes you from a level above the bells to the centre of the tower (looking like a staircase from one level up to the middle of the roof) did have a back board so you didn’t really see how high above the bells you were.

Tom took lots of pics, and I just admired the view lots, as this is about the only day of the year that you get to go up this tower.

Then it was back down all 207 steps to ground level…

Mind you Dr T & I were left with the dilemma, as to what we did last Mayday BH, ‘cos we just can’t remember … all we could come up with is that is was poor weather so we just stayed in, or just went to friends for a meal. Tom felt I would have spent it doing Guidey stuff (maybe the Sunday).