Jodrell Bank

We'd chosen today for a day out. Optimistic ? Stubborn ?

I set off in horrendous rain and spray, and this turned to snow as I got north of Stafford. My lady on the Satnav kept telling me she had changed my route, because of travel conditions and she took me off the M6 at Trentham and I headed, in mid blizzard, along the A500. She wasn't very clear at one point - and the blizzard and settling snow didn't help. I went wrong and ended up driving into a snowbound farmyard to do a U turn. North of the North Stoke wasteland, I returned to clear Cheshire rain and finally got to Jodrell Bank Visitor Centre only ten minutes late.

It was fascinating. The young Manchester Astronomy graduates who were there to answer questions were clearly living the dream. (They must be used to questions like these from people like us who remember the "space race" and old technology - Does working here make you more or less a fan of Dr Who ? - Does it make you more spiritual ?. The answer was YES to both)

We thought we would go round the big telescope while the rain paused. It did more than pause. It turned to sunshine.

The telescope moved, clanking and changing from conventional telescope shape to this drum shape. I did a video on the little camera but couldn't work out how to play it back !

The sun intensified and as I drove home, back over the desolate area parallel to Mow Cop, it was gorgeous blue sky and fresh green fields.

Whatever is happening to the world? Dr Who, and the scientists of Jodrell Bank no doubt have an answer.