After Market Harborough we visited Barnsdale, where the TV gardener Geoff Hamilton had his gardens, as the good lady was a great fan of his gardening style. From there we travelled on to Oakham, the county town of Rutland, the smallest county in England, where I found some (minor) deco.

Lloyd’s Bank:-

First of a row of Art Deco style shops. Built in 1934 but eyes poked out. Good detailing in the brickwork:-

Remainder of the terrace. Deco roof-line and detailing. Eyes poked out:-

In main street. Nice curve to this, but pretty bland otherwise:-

Five posts now and we’ve still not made the ferry.

After Melton Mowbray we travelled through Rutland and saw a bit of Rutland Water. Not the most scenic lake I’ve ever seen. The good lady spotted a sign to Barnsdale. This was the garden of the late lamented Geoffrey Hamilton (so it goes) of whom the good lady was a fan and it is still running as a commercial concern in the shape of the gardens – for which we had too little time to visit – and a plant centre. Two plants were duly bought.

Then it was a long haul down the A 14 and M 11, then along the A 120, where we stopped at Braintree and shopped at an outlet centre we remembered from three years ago. Once more we dined at the old Embassy Cinema in Braintree.

Along the A 120 once more, then the A 12, stopping for petrol on the outskirts of Colchester. The service area was directly opposite a stadium – which of course I had to photograph. As I suspected it turned out to be Colchester Community Stadium, home of Colchester United FC (since 2008.) Situated at the delightfully named Cuckoo Farm it’s a good, tidy example of the modern stadium style.

When I lived in Braintree I never made it to Colchester’s old ground at Layer Road. I never will now.

Finally along the continued A 120 to Harwich for the night and the morning ferry.