Warwick Castle

The day began miserably. As far as I can recall, the first time I had left home with dipped headlamps and wipers since summer began. And so it stayed that way.

In town at lunch and the parks and bandstands were pretty much deserted. Apart from the occasional pedestrian, hurrying with head down along one of the criss-crossing paths. I therefore adopted Plan B. Which was to seek out one or two of Leamington's blue plaque places and see what I could make of them. I went to the Cricketer's Arms for John Wisden, and to Lansdowne Circus for Nathaniel Hawthorne. On the way back, the Angel Hotel for Henry Tandey VC, Britain's most decorated private of WWI.

The end of the day was a different story. Leaving the office just before 6:00, I noticed a faint shadow of mine and saw colour, form and contrast breaking through the sky. A fainter bulb, glowing in a deep recess, prompted me to check TPE on my phone. Thanks dim light bulb and thanks old memory bank. The check confirmed that around 6:30 this evening, at the going down of the sun, it's alignment would coincide with the castle and the bridge over the Banbury Road at Warwick. So I drove over, parked up and got myself into position. At times like this, or when there's a fireworks display, you can expect a fair few photogs on the bridge, nudging and jostling. But I had the bridge all to myself and could help myself to the best spot. However, with so much thick cloud it wasn't going to be the most stunning of sunsets. By 6:40, the clouds had sucked what colour there was.

I still needed headlamps on the way home. But there was no need for the wipers.