The Festival has been running for several years now and is gaining its place as a fixture on the Headington calendar – right up there with the open gardens (this week and next). All credit to Headington Action for being the driving force behind this.

A children’s brass ensemble performed today, to general admiration all round. They were great little performers ably lead by their conductor who wore a general, restrained air of anxiety right up to the final, warbling note. A tremendous achievement …

(iPhone video)

This cameraphone picture of a Landmark Trust peoperty passed one thousand views on Flickr recently.

Minolta X-700 with 17mm f/4 | HP5 plus @ ISO 800

I was lucky enough to have use of a fabulous 17mm Minolta f/4 MD lens while on this break: more to come.

Hallsands is a ruined coastal hamlet near Start Point on the south coast of Devon.

The village was devastated during a storm about a century ago, and a few ruins remain along with a couple of houses that are still inhabited.

First four pictures taken with a Minolta Vectis S-1 and 80-240 APO lens with rather outdated film (hence the poor image quality)

I’m a huge fan of North Devon, but this South Devon beach took my breath away.

Kingsbridge estuary, 31 January 2011

Looking east from Start Point

A month ago we had a short break in Devon, catching both coasts in a couple of days. We started in the south and on a glorious day enjoyed a walk from Hallsands to Start Point and on to Matticombe Beach.  There was a lovely light at the end of the day. I took these pictures on my iPhone, but most (in the days that follow) were on film – in black and white and colour.

Mama Rosin (Cajun/Zydeco music from Switzerland) at the Brasenose Arms, Cropredy, 28 January

Not quite Fred’s Lounge in Mamou, Louisiana, but arguably the next best thing on a January night in Oxfordshire.

And the next night we saw Richard Thompson at Warwick Arts Centre, part of the Dream Attic tour.

What a star.

I rather liked the intersection of lines in these winter trees near Swinbrook

Trees in the winter sun, north of Asthall

The Windrush at Asthall

Light on a wall in Swinbrook

Dry stone wall, north of Asthall

There’s a nice walk to be had on a sunny day that takes in the Windrush valley as it passes through Swinbrook and Asthall, west of Witney and East of Burford

(The ford at Swinbrook)

The old bridge at Asthall

Swinbrook village