Cycling, Cheese, Cider and Community – Mark

Hi I’m Mark and I will be contributing some posts on Weston-super-Mum so I’m following Laurie’s lead and introducing myself.

The Family at Brean Down Trig Point

I live in Central Ward and love it, we seem to be five minutes from anywhere, the beach, the woods, the train station and all the great cafes in town.

I have lived here, or hereabouts since 1998 when I returned to Britain after a 15 year stint in the army, during which I spent the best part of a decade living in our twin town of Hildesheim in Germany, a great little city that I would highly recommend visiting if you have the chance, or maybe of giving your children the opportunity of visiting through the youth exchange programme, but more of that in a future post.

Before joining the army I was born, and lived, in Hyde, Manchester.
Manchester feels about as far away from Somerset as it is possible to get, despite only being a few hundred miles. Back then I had no awareness of Weston-super-Mare, or of Somerset, beyond the obvious stereotypes. But you just never know where you end up though. If this is an end.

I work as an Instructional Designer and Learning Technologist, silly titles but a great job where I help teachers create, and improve, lessons and content. A far cry from playing around on tanks as I did previously.

Outside of work my interests seem to be too varied to put on paper; cycling and being outdoors in general has to be up there, close to the top. I ride most days to work, a round trip of 40 miles in winter, but longer as it gets warmer and lighter. I’ll definitely be writing about cycling, and provision for safe cycling, in our town as it is something that hits me, sometimes literally, every day.

I camp as often as is possible at weekends, but this has to be balanced with staying local to look after the fruit and vegetables growing on our allotment. Most of our camping is very comfortable, Bell Tent in a flat field kind of affair, but I’m not averse to bivouacking in Snowdonia or the Beacons when I get chance.

About four years ago I started to get more interested in food, food security, local food and how it was becoming the exception rather than the rule for most of us.
I was lucky enough to meet the founder of Incredible Edible Toddington and have dreamt about something similar for Weston ever since. I’ve already mentioned the allotment, so we grow, and we forage, and we bake and we brew, I’ll be recording successes and failures in the blog as they happen.

8 thoughts on “Cycling, Cheese, Cider and Community – Mark

  • 22/08/2015 at 12:47
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    Hi

    Have you mapped out areas for foraging in Weston or Worle?

    I have a great network for apples however looking for other fruits to collect for free if in season for preserving.

    Thanks in advance.

    Jo

    Reply
  • 22/08/2015 at 19:07
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    Hi Jo,

    Yes, I started a few years ago with a collaborative Google Map, I haven’t put much effort in to it though as nobody else was collaborating! 😉

    Hope this link works. https://goo.gl/maps/qTz4r

    We’ve eaten, and drunk from all the cherry and plum trees on that map.

    Mark

    Reply
    • 23/08/2015 at 18:06
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      Hi Mark,
      It might be me, however the google map is just showing the Weston area. Not seeing any pins of where you have found trees to forage.
      Am I missing something?

      Kind Regards
      Jo

      Reply
      • 23/08/2015 at 18:14
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        Jo,

        Probably not, I think I had it set to private.

        I’ve opened it up to anyone to view, and invited you as an editor, so you can add any locations you know of.

        M

        Reply
        • 23/08/2015 at 18:31
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          Hi Mark,
          That fixed it, thnaks.

          I think I know where a Meddlers tree is, will confirm and add.

          KR

          Jo

          Reply
        • 30/08/2015 at 12:05
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          Hi,
          Not sure how to add on map but there are two apple tree on Queensway between St. Marks and Becket that over hang on the green. Great cookers. Collected 3 kilos plums for jamming.
          Many thanks
          Jo

          Reply
        • 12/09/2015 at 10:18
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          Hi Mark

          I have found a walnut tree and an orchard by Woodspring Priory.
          Apples, pears, damson and qunice tree. Walnuts are before the orchard. I couldn’t work out how to add to the map, sorry
          KR
          Jo

          Reply
          • 09/11/2015 at 11:56
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            Jo,

            Sorry, took my eye off the ball here, I’m going to look at an alternative for mapping if Google is a pain.

            I think we are aiming to get hips, haws and Sea Buckthorn this week/weekend.

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