Sunday, July 12, 2015

Country life in Worcestershire

My good friend and neighbour in Austinville, Tiff (short for Christipher), comes from Worcestershire in the english midlands. In the tradition of regional rivalry, southerners like myself have played on the stereotype that everything north of the M4 (a motorway between Bristol and London) is the 'Black Country', covered with motorways, factories, coal dust and immigrants. 'Where there's muck there's brass'.

Tiff has tried to persuade me that he comes from a bucolic rural farming Eden, and that my teasing was misplaced.

I had a spare day, so I drove up to Worcestershire to see him and the world he came from before he migrated to Canada, NZ, and eventually Australia.

David Attenborough investigates the native habitat of the Tiff. 


Tiff's family farm - Bredonfields


Tiff and his youngest son, Matthew, on his 'gap year'.


Matthew outside the pub where he works


Matthew, known to locals as 'Wal' the Aussie, after Crocodile Dundee's mate


A Pick-your-own fruit farm called 'Clive's Farm'.


Cherry picking


Matthew and Tiff sharing a cider with Charlie from Clive's Farm


Clive's Farm reminded me of 'The Darling Buds of May'


Tiff is one of five: this is brother Rory the dentist


Brother-in-law Pete training his dogs


Posing with Pete's 12 bore South African big game rifle


The Monkey - cider house


Worcestershire countryside


View from the Malvern Hills


Pointing out Bredon Hill

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