91Èȱ¬

Here is my attempt at cheese rolling at the Cirencester Amphitheatre.

If you want to experience what its like to do the real cheese rolling take a look at the right now. A competitor strapped a video camera to his head and filmed his descent down Coopers Hill.

Don't forget though that the 2010 cheese rolling event on Bank Holiday Monday has been cancelled.

I sometimes wish I'd never started something! Trust me to mention petrol caps and petrol pumps that brought in many comments.

- Tony in Tuffley says the filler cap is always on the near side according to the side of the road they drive where the car was built. So if a car was built where they drive on the right the filler cap will be on the left.
- Derrick in Tetbury says before the 1970s the tank was always on the passenger side becuase the car used to be filled up over the pavement. it wasn't until we got European cars when it started to change.
- Gavin says sorry to spoil the theory but the guage in a Volvo V 40 shows the pump on the right but the tank is on the left !
- Prudence in Painswick has had a Landrover Discovery for many years and has had no idea what the funny triangle next to the pump light was. Now, it all makes sense, it's an arrow pointing to the right which is the cap side.
- Dave in Gloucester says all Fords have an arrow by fuel gauge
-Doug - a driving instructor - says he should have known better....he called in from his car - a Ford - and there is an arrow by the guage....
-Gail from the Forest says her fuel gauge on the dash is on the opposite side to my filler cap...
- Dick from Winchcombe says the filler cap is always on the opposite side to the exhaust pipe.
- Nick Hill says there aren't any clues in his Golf. Hang on, Nick has texted again - He says there is a clue! He's never seen that before !!!

The fourth location for our ceremonial roll is Cam Peak. This Thursday the Breakfast Show's Kate Clark will be doing the honours again. We couldn't resist the chance to plough a furrow through the wonderful bluebells.

John Wilkes from Dursley suggested this location... and he very kindly joined in the fun.

As an extra treat I've included a poem about the nearby Coaley Peak. Peter Wyton, The Breakfast Show Bard, spent a morning up there for us and was inspired to write the following.

Who saw this prospect first,
Someone in skins, perhaps,
Or barely even that?
Those Neolithic chaps
Weren't known for natty threads,
Waistcoats,or baseball caps.

Did he enjoy the view
Across the Severn vale?
Could he use a slingshot
To bag a passing quail?
How might he have savoured
A pint of Frocester ale?

If it was tipping down
On Cotswold, did he squelch
Along the Way and blame
The weather on the Welsh,
Give acidic vent to
A prehistoric belch.

He could see Cam Long Down
And Uley Tumulus,
May Hill and the Malverns,
As easily as us,
Yet managed not to make
Half as much mess or fuss.

A different outlook now,
More like a droning hive
Of humans and machines,
Than when he was alive.
The redundant Berkeley
Power Station. The M5.

As for his legacy,
What have we done with that?
Passing Nympsfield Barrow,
Near where his hearthstone sat,
Don't tell him anything.
Keep it under your hat.

If you've been following the great "where will we put 2000+ new homes in Stroud?" debate then today's show has had some interesting news.

Unveiled have been plans for a whole new eco town near Sharpness. It would get power from its own windfarm, perhaps restore the branch line railway and use the canal for other transport links.

You can see the map of what is proposed to the right... click on the image to make it bigger.

You can also DOWNLOAD the whole proposal here Sharpness_Report.pdf. Its 1.25mb in size so be aware of that if you are on a dial up or mobile connection.

updated Wed the 26th

Bryan emailed

Hi Mark

I have just heard about the eco proposal. What a brilliant idea. What with the docks and canal on site and the proposed rail link I am sure there would be enough industry and commerce generated for the local residents and surrounding area.

It would be a prime site with these transport links.

I have suggested developing Sharpness to Stroud Council on at lest one occasion but the response was not favourable.

A couple of years ago we encouraged everyone to put up nestboxes in and around their home, school or place of work. We even had some special 91Èȱ¬ Radio Gloucestershire nestboxes produced to give away to the lucky few ... I remember a rather manic saturday at Stroud Farmers Market for the 91Èȱ¬ team!

Birds being birds, they prefer a well weathered in box ... so has the nestbox you put up had a fledgling family in recent weeks... or has some residents right now?

Of course the birds might have ignored your nestbox altogether and made a home somewhere else. The breakfast show team have blackbirds in the hedge, wrens in the hanging basket and Great Tits in a slightly battered 91Èȱ¬ nestbox... whilst I recall there are Peregrine Falcons that .

Email me with what's living with you at home or alongside you at work.

updated Wed 26th

Thanks for the emails and comments on today's show. Places our feathered friends have found include cigarette disposal machines at Bracelands in the Forest...wellies...car hub caps... raincoats... and in traffic lights at Purton!

Wednesday's hill for a cheese roll is

It's classic car versus Double Gloucester... but which was faster?

Thanks to the team for helping out and good luck this weekend with your French inspired weekend.

(By the way click on the image to see a full size photo)

Here's the voice you hear most mornings on the Breakfast Show

Come rain or shine Ian Fergusson brings you the weather news. His first report at 6:50 details the day ahead. For a longer range version listen out for him at 7:10 and 8:10.

I love our chats in the morning. Apart from nebulous clouds... his other passions are Formula 1 and ponds!

National Grid is in the process of laying a 28 mile natural gas pipeline through the county.

It's going from Wormington in the north to Sapperton in the south.

The new pipeline will be buried underground and the land above will be reinstated and returned to its original condition when the work is complete.

National Grid hopes it'll be done by Autumn 2010 and have put .

updated Tuesday 18th (andTuesday 25th May with new photo)

Dave from Tetbury emailed.

" I travel along the Withington - Andoversford road every day and have witnessed the laying of this Gas Pipeline by National Grid first hand.

Make no mistake, it is a huge project. As I rise over the brow of a hill just after Withington, the evidence of the work is apparent.

It cuts a huge swathe right through this beautiful Cotswold landscape .... A 20 yards brown scorch mark visible from Shipton to Colesbourne ..... some 4 miles ...... a dreadful eyesore.

How the National Grid can say "Care for the environment is extremely important to National Grid" is beyond me.

It will take years for this disfigurement to be eradicated naturally."

Jonathon Watkins takes a fine photo!

Inspired by our "battle of the bluebells" he has taken a trip to Highnam wood. Feast your eyes on this beauty. Click on the image and it'll go full size.

For the full effect and more delightful shots .

All next week we will be taking the Coopers Hill cheese around the County. To make up for the loss of the official event we wanted to spread a little cheesy joy around Gloucestershire.

Look out for us on Cleeve and Prescott Hill, Cam Peak and the Cirencester amphitheatre. For starters this Monday we will be hitting the heights overlooking the Forest of Dean.

The Breakfast Show's Kate Clark has been up Ruardean Hill for a spot of rolling with Maurice, Earnest, Mike, Renford and Ray. Hear their hilarious attempts this Monday from 0600.

Of course the annual Cheese Rolling event at Coopers Hill is cancelled this year and local residents will have a much quieter day than usual. We wont be anywhere near and all our mini cheese rolls will be over by then.

What a super, sizzling weekend we have ahead of us. It's BBQs, bike rides and the Cotswold Water Park for me. Whatever you do stay cool and have fun.

I've invited a host of famous wildlife experts to my house this weekend. It's my last ditch attempt to record the sound of my daytime owl. If Oliver doesn't make an appearance for this galaxy of stars then I will gracefully give up.

Updated Monday 24th

If you were listening at 7:45 you might have been stunned at the galaxy of stars in my garden.

Oddie, Humble, Packham, Bellamy and Titchmarsh were all there... with the help of some skilful editing!

Oliver made an appearance at long last... thanks to the resources of the 91Èȱ¬ sound effects department.

I officially now give up!

It looks like Lister Petter is moving out of Dursley after nearly 150 years in the town.

A move to Tewkesbury is on the cards... their present building on the Littlecombe site isn't fit for purpose. Here's a selection of comments from Friday's Breakfast Show about the manufacturing company's impact across the world.

Jason in Cinderford collects Lister engines and restores them. He has 5 in total. 2 are in working order in his back garden... he has a Lister 'a' & a Lister 'd'... he keeps them as ornaments.

Clive in Gloucester says he was visiting a factory in Durban, South Africa where Lister engines were used...

Les from Stonehouse worked for Listers for almost 50 years... he said there is not a country in the world where you would not find a Lister engine... says they are the most collected engines anywhere.

Alec in Gloucester said during the " Boxer Rebellion" his uncle found a Lister diesel engine in a Chinese town ...helping to pump in the water supply

John in Gotherington told us he and his wife saw a Lister butter churn at Disneyland in Florida.

Pete in Dursley said at one point they made 95% of the engines used by our fishing fleets.

It might not be happening on Coopers Hill this year... however the cheese made for the main event will be getting an outing.

When news of the cancellation broke, we stepped in and bought the world famous savoury snack. All next week on the show we will be touring the county's favourite hills. Ceremonial rolling will take place every day.

I'd like your suggestions of where we should go. If you have a favourite incline that could use a little Double Gloucester please get in touch. Cummings@bbc.co.uk

updated Thursday 20th

John Wilkes suggests Cam Peak and even gives us positions to park, roll the cheese from and go to the Old Spot pub afterwards.

Connie Smith says Robinswood Hill would be ideal... she lives at the bottom of the hill so could catch the cheese!

Janet and Liz in Cirencester both suggest the Roman Amphitheatre in the town, they says the hills are small but perfectly formed!

Parents and staff at Vale of Berkeley College say they're determined to fight the closure of their school.

Next month the County Council will decide whether or not the school is allowed to stay open as a Charitable Trust. If the Council says 'no' the school will close in 2011.

Today on the breakfast show we'll hear how their campaign is going. Don't be late now... tune in from 0700

Thanks for all your bluebell photos which have been delighting people not just in Gloucestershire but expats around the globe too. You are responsible for a serious outbreak of "home sickness" around the world!

Here are the best photos so far (updated 18th May). Thanks to Roy Seymour, Mandy Thomas, Elaine Mountford, Carol Boulton, Brian Goodall, John Wiles, Margaret Court and many others.

Keep them coming to cummings@bbc.co.uk

I've just received this photo and the following message.

" White blue bells. Are they English? Hi Mark, took this picture the other day, can you tell me if they are English ones. Regards Chillum T."

If you can help our inquisitive friend please post a comment or email Cummings@bbc.co.uk

Why are dead sheep being dumped in the Forest of Dean? It is thought the animals are being left to rot by farmers or forest commoners who do not want to pay to dispose of them officially. You can read the full story on .

The official cost of getting rid of unwanted "items" is going up and unscrupulous people are dumping anything and everything as a way of avoiding the true cost of disposal.

If you have any examples of outrageous fly tipping do get in touch by calling the show on Monday on 01452 30 75 75 or by emailing me at cummings @ bbc.co.uk

(updated Friday 14th May)

The best photographers in Gloucestershire continue to send me their stunning photos. Today's image comes from David Cheshire .. and I think you can tell where it is taken.

If you have a photograph that you are proud of do please email me a copy.

By the way, I've collated all the photos on the blog through the "photos" category. Just click on "photos" at the top of this entry. You can see other categories in the box at the bottom of the page.

Here's another stunning image created by one of Gloucestershire's best photographers. James Hargreave from Creative Images took the photo and kindly has let me put it up here for you to see.

We are stimulating the 5 senses of Gloucestershire this week. I hope you are enjoying our exploration of taste, touch, sound, smell and sight this week.

Scroll down the blog for a scratch and sniff special. As we weave Gloucestershire into all of the senses we thought we'd delight you with the best sights in the county.

First up is this stunning photo from Jonathon Watkins. It's the view from Crickly Hill over Cheltenham and Gloucester and is a 250 degree panorama. It was taken on a clear day in February when there was a cloud inversion with the valley floor completely covered in mist & the hilltops apparently floating above the clouds! You can see more of Jonathon's work on .

This week we are delving into the 5 senses of the county.

This week includes the sounds of a typical morning... a taste explosion of Gloucestershire... getting tactile with Cotswold stone... and revelling in the most stunning sights.

We've delved into the best and worst smells around. The Battledown Brewery in Cheltenham provided a great location to reminisce about pungent pongs.

Our nostril nostalgia really took off. Here's what really caused a stink.

Mavis Sholicar told us about the wild garlic in St Chloe's wood near Rodborough (see photo)

Ann remembers the Dairy Crest in Stonehouse smelling like sewerage.

Eileen in Hucclecote says the Stroud Brewery used to smell - the stink of hops used to waft all over the town

Martin remembered the stink from the skin yard which used to be in Arle Avenue...

Dave in Longlevens says in Cheltenham in Winchcombe Street by the old Odeon there was a farrier... it would smell of manure and metal.

Jill in Dursley used to live in Longlevens says the Walls ice cream factory gave out a real sickly smell... and she doesn't like ice cream!

Madge in Kingsholm says Johnny Stevens jam and pickle factory was a nice sweet smell.... made up for the tannery.

Pat in Tredworth remembers the tallow factory in Westgate Street in Gloucester. They used to get the excess fat from the slaughter houses and smelt it down to make soap and candles. The smell was awful, as a child she couldn't play out in the garden. If the wind was in the wrong direction you could smell it in Kingholm. You had to get your washing in and close the windows. Her grandfather used to tell her 'that's what's in your lipstick!'

She has only gone and done it again. The Breakfast Show's Kate Clark has another wildlife scoop.

First we had the video of wild boars feeding their piglets by the side of the road... then she learned to talk to a woodpecker. Now it's something slithery in the heart of the Forest of Dean.

With the help of wildlife photographer, Robin Ward, she found a melanistic (opposite to albino) adder basking in the sun. This is the first one Robin has seen in the Dean. They tend top be out between 10-2pm in areas of full sun with a place to shade. You can see more photos of the Adder on the .

Spurred on by this exclusive I shall return with a wildlife scoop later this week!

It was an extra early start today as we brought all the general election results to the airwaves. We were able to too.

On Monday morning, after everyone has had a good night's sleep, we'll be chatting to our new MPs. The events and negotiations that are taking place now and over the weekend will give us lots to talk about!

Could toast be off the menu in our local hospitals?

An anonymous postcard was put through the door at 91Èȱ¬ Radio Gloucestershire. It claimed toast is being taken off the menu and wont be available anymore on the wards..

We'll be finding out more during this morning's show... and I'll be doing my best not to play the song "Toast... a little bit of... toast" that is already running around my head.

UPDATE 6th Thursday 6th May
You've been busy phoning, emailing and texting your reaction to the burning topic of the week:

Alan in Churchdown was in hospital for a week in 2008. They weren't allowed toast then.

John in Stonehouse had his tonsils out years ago and the doctor told him to eat toast after the operation as it was good for people who had just had that operation.

A nurse says she was burning toast in the 70s and 80s it's nothing new! They must want something better to do.

Tony in Cirencester didn't want us to talk about toast... he was fasting for a blood test and couldn't eat or drink till noon.

Dave in Cheltenham says that not having toast in hospital might make you miserable but it will give you one more thing to look forward to when you get out.

Sheila in Redmarley says perhaps they should go back to serving eggs and kippers - like they used too when the hospital was in Southgate Street !!!

Robert in Cheltenham says service personnel are killed and badly injured and people are moaning about toast being served in hospital.

Eddie from May Hill says they have a toaster with a timer... they've had it 7 years and have never burnt the toast!

Graham in Whitcombe works in IT in the G.R.H. They have a toaster but they set it so that it ejects before it burns!

Karen in Longlevens says toasters have been banned in Shire Hall for the same reason

Valerie in St Briavels was in hospital when she was 13 years old. There wasn't a toaster or grill and she missed her toast, so her mum brought some in on a Sunday morning wrapped up in paper. It was cold but worth it.

Barry in Brockworth says he will vote for the first candidate to insist on toast in hospitals. Never mind the economy! He's been in hospital many times and thinks it's only right to be able to have your toast for breakfast

Martin in Gloucester says he was in Cheltenham General last November and he wasn't allowed toast on the ward... however, he used to work there, so sneaked out to the staff area and made his own!

A fake brown tourist sign pointing to an "official dogging area" at a Cotswold beauty spot has been ripped down by angry residents.

The phrase "dogging" has nothing to do with walking your favourite hound around a beautiful tourist spot. It is modern day parlance for public sexual activity and the fame of Barrow Wake viewpoint for such goings on is causing local residents all kinds of problems.

The sign was spotted by a Radio Gloucestershire reporter and you can read all about it on the . It's already one of the "most read" stories on the news pages. We'll feature residents reaction to the sign on Wednesday's show.

I realise there will be tough competition for the finest photograph. Here's my second offering which includes the other vital element at this time of year... blossom.

Every year we have a bluebell and blossom party in our garden. When the crab apples burst into a cocktail of white and pink we use it as an excuse to eat, drink and be merry.

Hazel in Shutonger has pink, blue and white bluebells... Roz in Maisemore claims the best place is Bradley Hill in the Forest... Sid from Bussage says there are bluebells, wild garlic and lily of the valley in Siccaridge Wood in Chalford.

Keep the brilliant photos coming in by emailing them to me at cummings@bbc.co.uk.

I think bluebells are mother nature's kindest gift at this time of year. I love them so much I planted some in my wildflower garden a few years ago. Every May the pleasure they give me is immense.

I shall be battling with the Breakfast Show's Kate Clark to take the best shots around the county. For starters these are my little darlings at Cummings Towers. Can you take and email me your finest picture?

Peter Wyton from Gloucester is a fantastic poet. He joins us on the show from time to time. Whilst we are on air he scribbles topical ditties on that day's subject matter.

Boundary changes have been controversial at this election. He lives in the Longlevens area of the marginal seat of Gloucester. His vote this time however moves to the safe seat of Tewkesbury. This is his poetic response.

"I dwell in Longlevens, it's next door to heaven,
I couldn't live anywhere nicer.
I've a semi-detached where my kiddies were hatched
And a little lump sum in my ISA.

And my only complaint is the fact that I ain't
Permitted to vote in my city.
I was wedded to Gloucester, but now that I've lost her,
It doesn't half get on my titty.

The Boundary Commission's outrageous decision
To place me in Tewkesbury's border
Is an absolute swizz. By my reckoning it is
Offensive and right out of order.

Tewkesbury's pleasant but I'm not a resident
I fly the banner of Glevum
If I find the Wally who sanctioned this folly,
It's into the Severn I'll heave him.

I'm cherry and white, by day and by night,
Cathedral boy - not from an abbey.
This commission's decision provokes my derision,
It's silly and stupid and shabby."

Have a great bank holiday break. For me it's DIY and dodging the rain.

There's no bank holiday day off for me and Simon my breakfast show producer. We are on air as normal from 0600 with all the usual features. Ian Fergusson will join me at the usual times (0650, 0710, 0810) with the weather for the day ahead.

During the show we'll be linking up with Adam Henson at his farm in the North Cotswolds. Some farmers say the price of silage is soaring because of the cold winter and the dry weather. We'll look at those issues and get you in the mood for the final day of the holiday.

We'll also be rounding up all the campaigning in the lead up to Thursday's General Election ... and hearing what you lot have been up to over the weekend