Welcome to my blog, Whats this about then?

This is a place where I will be posting all sorts of things not just things relating to Derby and Derbyshire. On here you will find details of any videos I’ve made of things in Derby and also Time-lapse, stop motion animation, Tutorials etc. If I find some useful software for PC or iPhone then I will feature it here.I’m sure that there will be something of interest to someone on my many posts.Please leave comments on any posts if you like them.
Don’t forget if you are new to my blog and would like to read through the previous posts then see the Blog Archive section on the left side of this page.
Also there is a Search box at the top left of the page if you are looking for something but cant remember where it was. I am a trustee member of "Friends of Friar Gate bridge", aiming to get this bridge restored.

Sunday 24 July 2016

Tenth anniversary of me being on Youtube ! so here is my 576th video to celebrate.

Well here it is my 576th video on YouTube and Its also exactly the tenth anniversary of me being on Youtube ! Yes its true at this exact time on 24th July 2006 I uploaded a video similar to this one so this is a tribute to my original video from 10 years ago.

My whole collections of videos have had 3,517,245 views and I currently have 1,464 subscribers, are you one of them?

I would like to thank everyone that has left comments on my videos over the last ten years, I really appreciate the comments.

Or use this link to my Video : My 10th Anniversary Youtube Video.


This video is made from 829 long exposure photographs of me driving around Derby at night. I have then layered the sequence on different layers to create a dazzling colorful effect. Best viewed at 1080p fullscreen with the speaker volume turned up !

That original video from 10 years ago can be watched here : https://youtu.be/5KA06bJLYVI


Thanks
Andy Savage (aka comedyhunter aka absolutelyandy)
https://twitter.com/AndySavage1969

Sunday 17 July 2016

My Google Streetview 360's have had one million views ! Have you seen them?

Regular followers of my work will know that I have always liked to create 360 degree photographs, I have been doing this for over 12 years now and as technology has moved on I have embraced it. I now contribute my work to Google Streetview for future generations to look at.

As of today I have 438 streetview 360's live on Google Maps, and they have now had over one Million views, helping people around the world see my world as though they were there !

Here is my most popular of contribution to Google Streetview with over 96,973 views so far !


Or click this link : Uttoxeter Road Cemetery.

I have contributed lots of ones in Derby and Derbyshire, some unusual ones such as the Smiths clock in front of the Council House :





A view from inside a Cable car at Matlock Bath while it was over the A6  :




The view you get from the middle of the Stepping Stones at Dovedale :



I have captured the grandness of the Marble Hall at Kedleston Hall :





The wonderful interior of the Parish church of St Wystan in Repton :






Thanks
Andy

Wednesday 6 July 2016

Derby CAMRA City Charter Summer Beer and Cider Festival, Wednesday 8th July to Sunday 12th July 2016. 360 degree Virtual tour.

The 2016 Derby Summer Beer Festival is here!
Wednesday the 6th July to Sunday the 10th July 2016. the grand opening is at 6:30pm today.
For the first time you can now have a look around the festival marquee using my Google Streetview 360's !

Derby Summer Beer Festival poster 2016.

The entrance to this festival is opposite the Quad. The right queue is for Camra members, Left for paying public. You will be given  a wristband to put on so you can leave and come back in (current session only).
Glass rental is £2.50, you can either get a 2016 festival glass or rent a previous years festival glass.

The stage is at one end and the bars along the sides. The cider bar is at the opposite end to the stage. The food and other stuff is outside the marquee in front of the Darwin Suite.

This year as with the previous 3 years there is a free Derby Beer Festival App, allowing you to rate and keep notes on your selected drinks. Beer Festival app.


Here are my Google Streetview 360's around the Marquee before the festival opened to the public, click on the arrows to wander around. Best viewed full screen. simply drag the viewpoint around.
There are thirteen 360 views in and around the festival so why not have a wander around

Cider and Perry bar :



Some of the beers :


Some more of the beers :


The entrance to the Beer festival :


The stage:





The Mead bar, glass hire, exit and Food areas :



Overall view from the middle of the marquee :



The location of the Derby Summer Beer Festival. Here you can see its location relative to the Council house :





Map Location for the Derby Summer Beer Festival :

View Derby CAMRA summer beer festival venue. in a larger map


A plan of the site:
Click to view full size.


Getting to the festival
Derby Beer and Cider festival is located on the Market Place, Follow signs for Derby Assembly rooms or The Quad or just look for the large marquee. There are normally yellow or green "beer festival this way" signs around the city, keep an eye out for those. Or use my smartphone map link to get walking route directions from your current location.

By Train
Derby Railway Station is about a 15 minute walk away from this beer festival. Use my smartphone link to get your walking route. Upon leaving the railway station you will need to turn right onto Railway Terrace, you will see the Waterfall pub in front of you (old Railway Institute building).
From outside The Waterfall you can catch one of many different bus services into Derby Bus Station such as 45, 40, 44, 73, 109, 702, Skylink, X52 These all stop at the bus station so plenty of choice.
There is also a new Derby Railway Station Shuttle Bus RL1 which operates between the front of Derby Rail Station on Railway Terrace (stop S1), and Derby Bus Station, from 6am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday. It runs every 15 minutes and it’s just £1 for a trip.

When you are coming back from the beer festival these same buses can be caught from the bus station and will drop you off at the new frontage at Derby Railway Station. So perfect if you are planning on using the train to get here.

By Bus
Derby Bus Station is conveniently located right in the centre of Derby and is just a couple of minutes walk to the beer festival. You can pretty much get a bus from here to anywhere as it's a major bus hub. The 40,44,45 and Skylink buses pick up and drop off between the Railway Station and the Bus Station.
Just turn right out of the bus station front entrance and walk into the city centre towards the roundabout with three small fountains in it then over that one towards the next roundabout with the large fountain in the centre, you will now be next to the Quad building and should see the large beer festival Marquee on the market place,

Accommodation
If you plan to make the most of the five day beer festival then you may want to stay in a hotel in Derby. Derby has lots of choice for hotels.
The nearest hotel to the festival is the Premier Inn Hotel, Derby City Centre (Cathedral Quarter) which is less than a minute walk away ! See my 360 degree Google Streetview of this hotel as seen from Full Street - 360 view Premier Inn Hotel, Derby City Centre (Cathedral Quarter).

If you are arriving in Derby by Train then Midland Road has several hotels to choose from, all literally less than 2 minutes walk from Derby Railway Station such as Hallmark Hotel (formerly known as the Midland Hotel)
Also just around the corner (On London Road) is The Stuart Hotel.
Just down Railway terrace past The Brunswick Ale house is The Alexandra Hotel which is a B&B and real ale house too.

From Derby railway station, walk across the footbridge to the Pride Park side of the station and you will find the Ramada Encore Derby on Locomotive Way and Express by Holiday Inn on Pride Parkway both just a few minutes stroll away.

If you prefer a hotel that is conveniently located in the City Centre so you can easily walk to the beer festival then you have a choice of hotels such as The Holiday Inn or Hilton Derby which are both located within the Riverlights Bus Station complex. The beer festival is just a 3 minute walk from here, You can't get any closer than that!
There is the Cathedral Quarter Hotel on St Mary's Gate if you want something a bit posh. A Jurys Inn hotel at the very top of Iron Gate which is about 5 minute walk to the beer festival.

If you are arriving by car and are not familiar with the layout of Derby then you may prefer a hotel that is located off a main road that is easy to find.
For example hotels located on Pride Park such as Travelodge Derby on Derwent Parade, Express by Holiday Inn on Pride Parkway or Premier Inn Derby East on Stanier way at The Wyvern. These hotels are all easy to find from the A52 and the Jurys Inns Derby Hotel on King Street.

Smartphone Map Location
Tap here for a Smartphone Drop Pin -- Tap this link on your iPhone.
View this webpage on your smartphone, When you tap the link above, it will launch Google Maps app and place a "push pin" onto the map with the exact location of the entrance to Derby summer beer festival. You can then use this marker to get driving, walking or bus directions from your current location.
For example on an iPhone 6 you tap the blue button at the bottom right and this will pre-fill in the start and end locations so just tap the Route button at the bottom and it will show you either the driving route or the walking route.




Its best to arrive by foot, there is plenty of parking outside for your Beer Scooter :)



Here is a video of the opening night of the 2012 Derby Summer Beer Festival :



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By the way if you  are a cider lover and don't get a chance to goto Derby Beer and cider Festival then goto the JD Wetherspoons Cider Festival that runs at the same time as this festival and carries on for two weeks after !

Enjoy !

Thanks
Andy

Cider Festival at JD Wetherspoon pubs - Babington Arms and the Standing Order, Derby & ALL Wetherspoon pubs from 8th - 24th July 2016

The Summer Cider Festival at the Babington Arms and the Standing Order in Derby runs from Friday 8th - 24th July 2016. And all JD Wetherspoon pubs across the UK !

 Wetherspoons Cider Festival 2016


This festival is always popular and its so good to see this pub chain promoting Ciders and Perries. This year they are offering the biggest selection ever so plenty of choice for those new to cider.

This dedicated Cider festival starts during Derby's CAMRA summer Beer Festival.

If you want to know where your local Wetherspoons pub is then I recommend their free App for iPhone. It locates your nearest pub and shows you on a map, complete with opening times and pub info. Get it here : Wetherspoons Pub Finder app for iPhone.



 

Want more info on these Derby pubs ?...
The Babington Arms, Derby.
The Standing Order, Derby.

Have a look at the Babington Arms in 360 :
Google Streetview of the Babington Arms pub.

You will probably be very interested in my post here :
How to buy a box of Cider for home (35 pints!)

This Cider Festival will take place at all JD Wetherspoon pubs not just the Derby pubs.
If you are a fan of real ciders and live in Derby then its worth paying a visit to the New Zealand Arms pub as they have a dedicated cider bar!

Thanks
Andy

Sunday 3 July 2016

My Google Streetviews at Mundy Play Centre, Markeaton Park, Derby.

The great thing about the Summer is you can go out and take photographs very early as its so light so I seized the opportunity to go and capture some 360 degree Google Streetviews at Mundy Play Centre, Markeaton Park, Derby. Normally it would be impossible to take photographs here as its would be full of people, but I've managed to capture it with nobody here a couple of hours before the Race for Life event.
Also because it was early everywhere was clean and tidy without rubbish.

These views are best in full screen mode, drag the viewpoint around just like any other Google Streetview. Feel free to share the link and 360's if you wish.

Make the most of the hot sunny weather and enjoy Markeaton Park !

Paddling Pool views :


or use this link https://goo.gl/maps/PaotauWLxmz


or use this link : https://goo.gl/maps/unn3h5e8GEy




or use this link : https://goo.gl/maps/VjLtPjcSSf92


Mini Lake Views

or use this link : https://goo.gl/maps/oFaU5MyXbfr



or use this link : https://goo.gl/maps/iiFgwjxpEeN2



or use this link : https://goo.gl/maps/NiYyxZCA91o



or use this link : https://goo.gl/maps/fQmfhKDib7o






Spider Climbing frame.




Pirate Ship.


Slide and a view of the large climbing frame.



Hope you enjoyed my 360 views around the park, if so post a link to Facebook.

Thnaks
Andy