Welcome to the Rudloe and environs website.
Here you will find news, articles and photos of an area that straddles the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in north-west Wiltshire.
Contributions in the form of articles or photos are welcome. Even those with completely contrary views to mine!
Thanks to the website builder 1&1 and Rob Brown for the original idea.
Rudloescene now, in January 2014, has a sister, academic rather than anarchic, website about Box history here: http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/
It contains thoroughly professional, well-researched articles about Box and its people.
Contact rudloescene through the 'Contact' page.
Gibraltar and the Bay from the top of the Rock on 1st October 2017
The 1,200km odyssey started in Gibraltar where we picked up our Japanese conveyance. A couple of weeks earlier, Gibraltar had celebrated '50 years since the sovereignty referendum' when 99.64% of those who voted chose British (rather than Spanish) sovereignty - see the table below.
Quite a number of these flags were still flying across Gibraltar celebrating 50 years since the sovereignty referendum
The following table and text is from Wikipedia:
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| British sovereignty | 12,138 | 99.64 |
| Spanish sovereignty | 44 | 0.36 |
| Valid votes | 12,237 | 99.55 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 55 | 0.45 |
| Total votes | 12,237 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters and turnout | 12,672 | 73.40 |
Aftermath
A new constitution was passed in 1969. Gibraltar National Day has been celebrated annually on 10 September since 1992 to commemorate Gibraltar's first sovereignty referendum of 1967.
In 1969 the Francoist regime closed the border between Spain and Gibraltar, cutting off all contacts and severely restricting movement. The border was not fully reopened until February 1985, ten years after Franco's death.
Bunkering in the Bay of Gibraltar on 26th September 2017
The Moroccan Rif from the new restaurant at Gibraltar University. This must surely be one of the best restaurant views in Europe.
The Strait of Gibraltar and the southernmost part of continental Europe (Parque Natural del Estrecho) seen from the University restaurant
Evening falls over the Bay of Gibraltar on 27th September 2017
Phytolacca dioica or ombu (bella sombra in Spanish), an introduction from South America, at Landport Tunnel.
Tempting fate at Landport Tunnel?
South Side apartments are bathed in sunshine while the Levanter cloud sits over the town
Towards sunset in the Bay of Gibraltar whilst a massive bank of cloud sits over Algeciras
Sunborn, the floating hotel and restaurant, on Friday 29th September 2017
A Gibraltar Select XV takes on a Royal Marines XV, the final match in a rugby union triple-header (Veterans, Youth) on 30 September 2017 at the Victoria Stadium. After storming into a 21-0 half-time lead, the Gibraltar team was pegged back to 21-21.
The Bay and Dockyard from the top of the Rock
There's not only monkeys atop the Rock, this enormous beast was at work catching flies
New (2016) 71-metre suspension bridge at Royal Anglian Way on the Upper Rock
Brings to mind questions like "how did the guns not collide with the wall"?
As yet unidentified moth or butterfly on sea squill (urginea maritima) close to the top of the Rock
View of Dudley Ward Way and Sandy Bay from the top of the Rock
Southern colchicum (colchicum lusitanum) on the Upper Rock. The corm contains the drug colchicine, used in medicine.
Walking the Charles V wall. This 'defensive curtain wall' was built between 1540 and 1552 by Holy Roman Emporer Charles V
Sunset over the Bay of Gibraltar on 1st October 2017
Print 