Aberdare Park, Sunday, 26th July, 2014.

For more years than we can recall with any accuracy folk (mainly Welsh folk, it has to be said) have told us that we must visit Aberdare Park. There must have been valid reasons why we haven't made it until now, but we can't recall them. It's a mystery. Any road up, we're here now, albeit a day later than planned thanks to the ridiculously high temperatures and even higher humidity that we have been experiencing so far this summer. Today it shouldn't get any hotter than 23 degrees and there's an ever-so-slight breeze: hope we can cope!

OK, that's enough preamble, let's get on with it.

We're in the middle of a Victorian Park in the middle of a small Welsh town
just to the west of Merthyr Tydfil.
It's just gone eleven-thirty and nowt's happening as it's the 'Church Break'. 

Everything is spookily quiet. 

There's a nice lake in the Park and something tells us that we should have brought some bread.

Yep. We definitely should have brought some bread.

Having had a cuppa tea, we've strolled 'round The Paddock and are now waiting for the action to commence. The trick today is to find a shady spot like this from which to view things. These marshals and photographers have got it just right it seems (as long as the sun doesn't move that is).

Things get going at about 12:15 with a Parade of road 'bikes. This is the only part of the track where spectators can watch from the outside (between The Esses and Buckley's Bend) and is the only spot where one can get a shot of a 'bike moving from left to right. But there's no shade here.

Competitors in the Welsh Classic/Bob Price Memorial race flash past the bandstand 

and into Buckley's Bend.

Vicky's left hand and forearm watch the Formula 400 race at the exit of Buckley's Bend.

Splendid meadow flowers at Garden's Bend. 

This could be Bill Swallow - it certainly looks like him - but as there is no number 86 listed in the programme it might not be. Curses on riders who get their entries in late!

Another rider not listed in the programme - he's on a 50cc of some sort - exiting Garden's Bend.

The lead battle for the Super Moto race enters the start-finish 'straight'.

Golden Era race gets under way.

Either Howard's taken this photo or it's a selfie. You decide.

Richard Piers-Jones, on his Yamaha 347 TZ at The Rosaries, won the Jack Evans Memorial Race for 125cc/400cc 'bikes.

Why can't we sit on that bench Vic?

No time to smell the roses for Dan Cooper who won the main race of the day, The Welsh Open. 

It's gone 4 o'clock now and we've gone right 'round the just-under-one-mile circuit and we're back at The Esses again in time for the second race of the day for The Classic Karts. This is Marc Beeley and his 1979 Phoenix YZ 250 G.

Last race of the day is for the Classic Bikes. 

Two of 'em are thundering into Garden's Bend. There's a of 'thundering' at these sort of things.

Just gone 4:30 and we join the queue to cross back over the track at the end of the racing.

All-in-all, well worth the just-over-two-hour drive (each way). Good job there was plenty of shade tho'.

Chillin', Sunday, 20th July, 2014.

Lazy Sunday afternoon

Got no mind to worry

Close my eyes and drift away

(Marriott/Lane).

Burford, Saturday, 20th July, 2014.

Got any bread, mate?

Nope.

Well, keep out of our village then!

Mrs Mallard is not impressed. She's got four ducklings to feed.

Capitalist consumerism hits the Cotswolds.

Paula and Vicky are appalled.

Paula's hot-off-the-internet new shoes light up Burford.

Something wicked this way comes.

Time to take shelter.

Of course, there are always some folk (i.e. David and Tony) who are daft enough to stay outside in order to capture an image of any lightning. 

Needless to say, they didn't (but they did get wet).

Putting a brave face on the lemon drizzle cake in Huffkins.

Vicky's verdict: distinctly average - not enough drizzle.

Vicky, Tony and Paula outside the most photographed pub in Burford.

Now then children, remember, always look right, left, then right again before crossing the road. 

After a lovely time of too much food, tea, and lemon drizzle cake, but not enough lightning, it's time to wander back to the car park and the drive back home.

Evesham Cats Protection, Sunday, 13th July, 2014.

There is one crucial difference from the last time we were here a month ago.

The centre is no longer on 'lock down'. This is a good thing, obviously, but it does mean we are back to working much harder and can, therefore, only take a few photos. Just 4 to be precise - and here they are!

The family in the first photo is a mother with 6 kittens (one's off causing mischief and is missing from this shot). So, there's no point in putting the food in seven bowls on a tray, then taking the bowls off one by one: rather, simply put all the food on a tray, take it out to them, place it down, and step back. Simples! Saves on washing up an' all.

This newcomer is trying to get used to things and so is still off the wet food but, thankfully, it's happy to scoff down some biscuits.

There seems to be more resident cats than ever. This is Dinky who's just had several breakfasts and doesn't want to be disturbed 'til lunch if it's all the same to you.

It's been a busy morning and, now Lucy's arrived, it's time to go home.

Have you seen Dave's coat, Katie?

No. Now leave me alone, I'm trying to get some kip.

We live in testing times (pt II), Donington Park, July, 2014.

We arrive at the circuit just before midday to find that the morning session is about to end in about 2.5 minutes! So it's a swift jog (puff-pant) through the paddock to The Melbourne Hairpin just in time to see Sebastien Buemi whine past in his e.dams car.

We're using the wrong camera with the wrong lens in the wrong part of the circuit but, hey, it's a record of our first sighting of a FIA Formula E car in action (as opposed to one in a static display) so what the hell.

We'll come back here later on to see if we can do a better job through the safety fencing. Well, we like a challenge.

The Pit Lane Walk isn't until 1:30 so, in the meantime, it's off to the Paddock Cafe for lunch.

It's 12:30-ish and there's already a queue for The Pit Lane Walk. Not as long as the one at Silverstone the other day but pretty long all the same. Given how many folk have turned up to watch the test The Pit lane Walk opens up at 1 rather than 1:30 and so we get a much longer Pit Walk. Nice one.

It's another busy Pit Lane Walk. Always a winner with the fans.

Michela Cerruti of the Trulli Team is interviewed by a giant-sized media-person.

On a crowded Pit Lane Walk the young, fit, agile, and generally supple, have a distinct advantage. Unfortunately, David is none of these things. He does have a height advantage tho', so fingers crossed.

Technicians (can we call them mechanics?) work on one of the Andretti cars.

Scott Speed and Frank Montagny of the Andretti Team posing for somebody else.

Team Mahindra garage.

Vicky meets Karun Chandhok and explains to him who the random fella with the camera is.

No eye contact between Jarno Trulli and his race technician. Hmmmm.

Craner Curves and The Old Hairpin.

If it was either 1984 or 1994 we would have been stood about here for the Monsters Of Rawk. 

But as it isn't, we're not.

It's just gone 2 o'clock and the afternoon session has begun.

Karun Chandhok whines and whistles his way down The Craner Curves in the Mahindra.

Nick Heidfeld in his Venturi Team car at Hollywood.

Just gone 3:15 and we're back at The Melbourne Hairpin prior to a fairly early departure in order to beat the inevitable rush hour traffic on the M42 south of Birmingham.

This is Katherine Legge in her Acuri, by the way.

An example of the noisiest things at Donington Park today.

What on earth are the residents of Castle Donington going to complain about now?

We live in testing times (pt I): Silverstone, July, 2014.

Off to Silverstone for the F1 Test Day today so, as always, the first port of call is the local petrol station where a mini-me 'Bob 'owler' lurks within the nozzle-holster-thingy and watches the world with it's several eyes. Ooo-er.

Thank goodness it wasn't a full-sizer!

No rush to get here today. We don't arrive until midday-ish. Very relaxing.

This is Jules Bianchi in the Marussia at Club Corner.

All today's action shots are from around Club Corner as that is the only section of track open to the public. So no cars going left to right! 

Something tells us that it must have been quite windy during the GP.

The view from the Club Corner Grandstand.

Everybody's (well, he's ours) all-time favourite Red Bull driver, Daniel Ricciardo. Apart from Mark Webber, that is. Who's even more favourite!

Plenty of stuff from the GP to be dismantled and taken away yet.

Sergio Perez with one of those funny things on the top of the Force India wot tells you he is definitely testing something or other which will definitely/undoubtedly/possibly/hopefully/with a bit of luck make his car go much quicker in the next race (oh yes).

Stoffel Vandoorne burbles past The Wing in the McLaren.

It's 4:15pm now and the Pit Lane Walk starts at 5 (and finishes at 6). Better go and join the queue immediately if not sooner. We Brits love to queue y'know.

The queue is……um………fairly long so every British person in it is well-happy. It goes all the way up the straight, around and across Abbey and then back down into The Wing. We don't get into the actual pit lane until 5:20. Having said that, the Pit Walk stays open well-past 6 o'clock so nobody leaves disappointed.

Some pit lane walkers doing the Pit Lane Walk.

Nico Rosberg's Office.

Mercedes Power Unit. 

No way must we call this an engine. No way.

Red Bull Racing welcomes the fans to The Pit Lane Walk.

Pit lane walkers on The Pit Lane Walk gawping at a Ferrari.

Howard exploring the track limits…………

……………….and making a new friend on the Finish Line just before that Ray Steward-fella tells 'em to 'c'mon, move on, nothing to see 'ere'.

This is what awaits those who can't respect the limit of the track limits.

Quarter-to-seven and time to go home. The forecast said to expect rain between 4 and 6 but it was lovely all day. It looks like it might rain now tho' (it didn't).