A-Z Challenge 2018 - British Rivers; 'D' Dee, Derwent

Why I chose the Dee and Derwent to write about I'm not sure. Now I find that there are four rivers for each of these names.

The Welsh Dee rises in Snowdonia and passes from North Wales into Cheshire, through the Roman town of Chester and enters the sea at the estuary between Wales and the Wirral.

In Scotland one River Dee is in Galloway, but it's the River Dee in Aberdeenshire with which I used to be familiar, driving up the A90 and over - 

Bridge of Dee

Uisge Dhè is its name in Gaelic; the Dee is one of the most famous salmon rivers in the world. In Royal Deesside it passes between Braemar and Banchory. It's this connection with the Royal Family, Queen Victoria and Balmoral that is known to so many visitors.

River Dee at Potarch (between Aboyne and Banchory)

The Cumbrian River Derwent runs through two of the district's major Lakes - Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite Lake. It empties into the Irish Sea.

The time I spent with British Rail at Derby in the 1990s gave me many closeups on Derbyshire's River Derwent. I missed out on its mainly rural route and its entry into the River Trent south of the city.

The River Derwent, River Gardens & The Council House, Derby

Despite my years in both Aberdeen and Derby I had no chance to take photos of the rivers. I regret that now - all work and no play!

Photo attributions:

• Bridge of Dee: 19 April 2009, ex geograph.org.uk by Anne Burgess - CC BY-SA licence
• River Dee at Potarch: April 1995, ex geograph.org.uk by Colin Smith - CC BY-SA 2.0
• River Derwent etc, Derby: c2004 by Eamon Curry - CC BY 2.0 licence

Places to live - Sunday Stamps II

I wondered why stamps showing cottages warranted a set of their own in 1970. To me a cottage has always been a place to live.

I have two of that 1970 set.

Great Britain - Architecture (Cottages) 1970

I discovered that the architectural feature of this cottage is not its size or where it is located; it's all about its weatherproof coating. Lime harling is a thrown or cast-on finish consisting of a slaked lime and coarse aggregate mortar usually with a rough-textured surface. A number of Scottish castles (also places to live) are finished in this way.

Great Britain - Architecture (Cottages) 1970

Thatching was introduced into Ireland in the 17th century, and subsequently became associated with poverty and despair. Modern building methods have led to its demise.

!975 was the European Architectural Heritage Year. The five commemorative stamps issued included two impressive places..

Great Britain - European Architectural Heritage Year - 1973

Charlotte Square is part of Edinburgh's New Town which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Bute House in the square houses the HQ of the SNP.

The Rows at Chester are continuous half-timbered galleries forming a second row of shops above those at street level. The Rows are unique and no-one is sure why they were built this way.

Do Charlotte Square and The Rows qualify as places to live?

Check out what others have found at Sunday-Stamps-ii-24.