Local art, Castlecliff

 We rode our bikes over to Castlecliff Beach...but the café was closed...well, everyone needs a break. 

The sand there is black, and there are heaps of driftwood of all sizes. 

One man has a garden full....he has had to reduce his stockpile as there was a fire, and that spread to a neighbour's property! Other people have been doing the same, on a smaller scale, but this is his...I am sure that I put pictures on here during a previous visit.

There were sculptures in front of the library

There were murals on the library walls...

And the bus shelter

And on the dairy walls...

It is stunning...but typical of a place where being an artist is not weird!

We avoided the main road back to our coach's house...but found the new industrial area to be. It is understandable that it should be away from Tsunami prone zones....but it is sad to see both good farmland and wetland areas disappearing.

Going Industrial

 

We looked up as advised...

A day out with my brother as he had never been round this fascinating museum.

Every sort of craft is here.... you could spend hours here and want more!

Lunch in the museum cafe...which has improved greatly!! Then a walk by the old harbour followed by a gelato...proper Italian ice-cream from Vanilla Joe's!!

Catrine again, industrial history

 Walking upriver this time, past the Voes, or header ponds for water power to the mills.

The water went from them through a tunnel to the mills and bleach works.

We walked further up from the renovated weir and fish ladder, until we could see Sorn Castle. As we turned back it began to rain lightly, and as we arrived back to the town the decorations on the street lights lit up.

Despite some places where they have silted up, there is a considerable water flow through the Voes.

Apparently these are council property apart from a single and a double flat...and there is no money to renovate them.