Edinburgh to London

Multi-Faith Centre, University of Derby

Last stop on my meander from Edinburgh to London: the beautiful Multi-Faith Centre at the University of Derby.  A place for students of any/no faith tradition to use – quiet space, meeting rooms and spotless loos.  The photo shows the outside of the meditation room, which was being used as a chat room by some Muslim students – the tiered floor is heated, so it’s a good place to relax, even if you skip the meditating bit.

My journey south took me through the Lake District, which, despite the gorgeous scenery, felt more Disney park than National Park: no straightening of roads, signs tastefully carved into local stone, no sign of life since the 1930s.  Felt I was trapped in a J Arthur Dixon postcard (had I not been surrounded by alarming numbers of fleece-clad hikers).  Not many residents left – lots of holiday homes.  Planning decisions polarise between preservation and innovation – a modern design for the village school in Ambleside has gone to appeal.  Different from inner city planning dilemmas, but both are challenged by a changing population.