Chalk River Tank Tops

Chalk River - Everything I Needed to Know About Life I Learned In Chalk River

Stormy skies contrast with the bright colors of autumn along the banks of Chalk Creek near the ghost town of St. Elmo, Colorado.

A retro design of the Chalk River Hotel

Wherwell in the valley of the River Test (Hampshire, UK) is renowned for its pretty black and white timbered cottages with thatched roofs. Walk just a little out the village though and you come to this enchanted footpath crossing the clear, shallow waters of the river. It is surely one of the best kept secrets of the Test Valley. Based on a photo I took in Spring, I've painted this in oil on a 20x16 inch board.

A digital sketch of an old house by a white-railed bridge sitting next to a branch of the River Itchen in Winchester, Hampshire. Here the public footpath to St Cross passes by Winchester College, its tower in the background, following the stream through water meadows. The River Itchen is one of Britain's chalk streams - noted for their clarity and abundance of wildlife. This peaceful corner reflects the age and character of this beautiful old city - once the capital of King Alfred's Wessex.

One of the several branches of the River Itchen as it flows out of Winchester, Hampshire, towards the village of St Cross. This is one of Britain's much prized chalk streams and the Itchen is highly valued as one of the main ones for fly fishing. It starts life in mid-Hampshire and flows south to eventually meet the sea at Southampton. Chalk streams are havens for wildlife, the chalk base giving superb filtration and storage. As a result, many endangered plant and animal species thrive here. Nikon D7100 Nikkor 18-200

A quiet spot for cattle to drink on the River Pang just south of Pangbourne in West Berkshire. Here the riverside footpath leads south from Pangbourne to Tidmarsh. The Pang, one of England's ecologically valued chalk streams, starts its life on the Berkshire Downs near Compton (depending on rainfall!) and supports a wide variety of wildlife. This is a digital drawing from my original photograph.

An old house by a small arched bridge over a branch of the River Itchen in Winchester, Hampshire. Here the public footpath to St Cross passes the buildings of Winchester College following the stream through water meadows. The River Itchen is one of Britain's chalk streams - noted for their clarity and abundance of wildlife. This peaceful corner reflects the age and character of this beautiful old city - once the capital of King Alfred's Wessex and the resting place of Jane Austen. Nikon D7100 Nikkor 18-200

The River Pa.ng as it flows through Tidmarsh in West Berkshire on its way to joining the Thames at Pangbourne. This is the upstream view from the footbridge near St Laurence's church. The Pang, one of England's ecologically valued chalk streams, starts its life on the Berkshire Downs near Compton (depending on rainfall!) and supports a wide variety of wildlife. Just a little further along the footpath is the local nature reserve at Moor Copse.

A narrowboat negotiating the River Avon just upstream from its meeting with the Severn at Tewkwesbury, Gloucestershire. This has been produced as a digital painting using chalk effects. Just further upstream is the Severn-Avon lock which enables boats to join the main course of the Avon and continue up to Stratford-on-Avon. Tewkesbury grew up at this point as the meeting of the two rivers was strategically important for a town with a major abbey. Nikon D7100 Nikkor 18-200

A family of swans making its way along the River Itchen between Winchester and St Cross in Hampshire. This is one of Britain's much prized chalk streams and the Itchen is highly valued as one of the main ones for fly fishing. It starts life in mid-Hampshire and flows south to eventually meet the sea at Southampton. Chalk streams are havens for wildlife, the chalk base giving superb filtration and storage. As a result, many endangered plant and animal species thrive here.

A wooden footbridge crossing the River Pang in the woodland at Moor Copse near Tidmarsh in Berkshire. The River Pang is one of England's much valued chalk streams which are rich in wildlife. The river starts its life on the Berkshire (North Wessex) Downs near the village of Compton and winds its way through West Berkshire to finally meet the River Thames at Pangbourne.

A footbridge over the River Pang in the watermeadows adjacent to the village of Pangbourne in Berkshire. The footpath leads from Pangbourne and follws the river, crossing here, to emerge at Tidmarsh a mile or so away. The Pang is a chalk stream which rises in Compton on the Berkshire Downs (although this is dependant on rainfall) and flows through West Berkshire to join the Thames at Pangbourne. It has a wide variety of wildlife, supported by a large nature reserve at Tidmarsh.

A digital sketch of an old house by a small arched bridge crossing a branch of the River Itchen in Winchester, Hampshire. Here the public footpath to St Cross passes by Winchester College following the stream through water meadows. The River Itchen is one of Britain's chalk streams - noted for their clarity and abundance of wildlife. This peaceful corner reflects the age and character of this beautiful old city - once the capital of King Alfred's Wessex and the resting place of Jane Austen.

Looking across the River Itchen towards the buidings of prestigious Winchester College. This was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 - hence the boys there being known as Wykehamists. The Itchen is one of Britain's beautiful and precious chalk streams - famous for clear waters and an abundance of wildlife. Further along this path to the left is St Cross with its ancient church and almshouses while to the right is Winchester. The image is finished in the style of a coloured pencil drawing.

A wooden jetty on the bank of the the River Itchen at Winchester, Hampshire. In the background are the grounds and cricket pitches of the prestigious Winchester College founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 - hence the boys there being known as Wykehamists. The Itchen is one of Britain's beautiful and precious chalk streams - famous for theor clear waters and abundance of wildlife. The image is finished in the style of a coloured pencil drawing.

The old City Bridge spanning the River Itchen in the heart of Winchester, Hampshire. The bridge, also known as St Swithun's Bridge was built in 1813, replacing older ones and is now a Grade 1 listed structure. It spans the clear flowing waters of the River Itchen, one of Britain's notable chalk streams. Behind the bridge is the old City Mill, the present building dating from 1744, replacing older mills on the site. Working commercially until ihe early 1900s, it is now fully restored. Nikon D7100 Nikkor 18-200

The River Pang as it flows through the village of Tidmarsh in West Berkshire. The view here is just below historic Tidmarsh Mill, the home of Lytton Strachey and Dora Carrington between 1917 and 1924. Here the artists and writers of the Bloomsbury set would meet. The River Pang, one of England's ecologically valued chalk streams, starts its life on the Berkshire Downs near Compton (depending on rainfall!) and supports a wide variety of wildlife.

A footbridge inviting us to cross over the River Pang at Tidmarsh, West Berkshire. Once over we can pass through the gate into the meadows and walk to Sulham. To our right is historic Tidmarsh Mill, once home to Lytton Strachey and Dora Carrington. To the left the river flows on to meet the Thames at Pangbourne. The Pang, one of England's ecologically valued chalk streams, starts its life on the Berkshire Downs near Compton (depending on rainfall!) and supports a wide variety of wildlife.

A couple having an afternoon's stroll through woodland. This scene was captured at Moor Copse at Tidmarsh in West Berkshire. Here the River Pang passes under the footbidge on its way to join the Thames at Pangbourne about a mile and half further on.

Some sketches of a hippo

King Sombroner is a regular stop for me, as its one of the first places I come to when I'm out for exercise on my road bike. Its a pretty place withtraditional thatched cottages and a seasonal chalk stream that runs through it. In high summer the bed is dry and a mass of grasses, but over winter and spring it flows with fresh clear water from the surrounding hills. And its at its best when the daffodils bloom.