Category: England
English Fields in Winter
It’s Photrabloggers Mundane Monday again and I’ve made it this week,
with an English country scene.
A Mundane Monday Reveal
For those of you who were concerned or confused about my wellbeing or sanity today, I thought I’d show you where my Mundane Monday photo was taken. 
You may remember this photo from when I took you for a walk around the lake at Stourhead, this is the view through the rocky surrounds of the grotto.
Inside, if you look up, you’ll see this morning’s image.
If you look down you’ll see this.
And once outside in the grey autumn light,
Look at the left side of this photo, can you see the spokes on the outside of the grotto’s roof? No wells, rabbit holes or manholes anywhere to be seen, just another folly!
A City Stroll at Christmas
Exeter has gone to town on the Christmas lights, they look really pretty, so as two of the G-babies are staying we popped down to see them late yesterday afternoon.
We started near Bedford Square.
I knew there was a surprise for the children,
The polar bears even let you share their space for a photo.
I had to make a quick stop at Carlucchio’s, just along here,
then we walked up the path beside the Roman wall , where every year local charities put up Christmas trees, stretching for about a hundred metres.
Around the corner at the top finds us at the end of the shopping centre, I love the lights projected on the wall.
I walked you down the mall a couple of weeks ago. So this time we went towards High Street past St Stephens.
And a last view of Waterbeer Street before we took the tired girls home!
I haven’t caught up with Jo since she returned form the sun, so I’m not sure if she’s walking this week.
On the Cob
A QUOTE FOR JACKIE
“It is only when our characters and events begin to disobey us that they begin to live.” John Fowles.
It was a cold, grey, October morning in Lyme Regis harbour,
but the dogs and I strolled along anyway.
They weren’t too sure about these wobbly steps
but we enjoyed the hazy view from the top
This is the famous Cob at Lyme Regis, as seen in the movie The French Lieutenant’s Woman, from the book by John Fowles. I’ve been up there in much worse weather and it isn’t for the faint hearted, I definitely wouldn’t want a long heavy cloak swirling around my ankles in the wind as Meryl Streep did!
Jackie at A Cooking Pot and Twisted Tales invited me to join in a share of three favourite quotes. This is one of the ones I had over my desk, to inspire me, when I was studying creative writing.
I’m not going to ask anyone to take part, just anyone who wants to!
Wordless Wednesday
A Stourhead Stroll
It was a friends birthday back in September and we always have a day out for hers and mine. Busyness tends to delay our trips for a few weeks and this year was no exception. Finally we picked October 30th, but the birthday girl could not think of anywhere to go. Hooray, that meant I was forced to decide! We set off on a damp, grey morning, heading north east from Devon, driving in and out of Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset, before arriving in Hovis town, that’s Shaftesbury. After a pootle in some very tempting shops we had coffee and toasted tea cake, then hit the road again.
We don’t do things quickly, so it was 2.30 by the time we reached Stourhead with howling tummies. A quick bowl of soup later and we were ready to roll.
Despite several visits to Stourhead, I’ve never seen the 18th Palladian century mansion that is surrounded by the world famous Henry Hoare designed garden. I’m sure it must be beautiful, but the grounds win every time. The centrepiece of the garden is the lake, with Gothic buildings, and classical temples dotted around the paths.
A first glimpse of the lake.
and we take the path on the right towards the summerhouse.
The sky was too grey for good reflections, but never mind.
The Pantheon across the water looks closer already.
I wish I’d been able to capture the shimmer of the leaves beneath the water.
We’ve crossed a little part of the dam and there was the little island with it’s tulip tree, Liripdendron Tulipifera, in all its golden splendour.
I like the gentle tilt of these trees.
These still had plenty of scrunch!
Some subtle shade,
and an assortment of hues.
Then the Tulip tree from a different angle.
The temple of Apollo.
Stourhead even has a grotto, here I’m looking out from it towards the bridge, where we began our walk.
Such tranquillity.
You may remember the bench at the front of this pretty little house, the colour was spectacular here.
This is the Pantheon. In 2014 some major restoration work took place, ensuring its future for another couple of hundred years, and it looks magnificent.
I really love that Tulip tree!
But just look at this beauty.
Now we’ve come full circle. The cloud had lifted slightly and it was time for tea and cake in the National Trust café, much deserved even though it wasn’t a long walk. Did you have a good time? I hope Jo did and I wonder where her Monday walk will take us.
A Green Circle Walk
My city, Exeter, has a 12 mile circle of paths around it, going through valley parks, nature reserves, town parks and cemeteries. Because the path passes through so many green spaces – as well as leafy residential areas, on the quiet it is a haven for wildlife. There are foxes, buzzards, woodpeckers, deer and kestrel. Around the river and canal sections you may see kingfishers, mute swans and even otters.
Last weekend I walked a section of the Ludwell Valley Park. At it’s best on a clear day in high summer, when the views are beautiful and the meadows rich with the sound of chaffinch, goldfinch and even the rarer yellowhammer and cirl bunting. In early autumn there is still plenty to see if you keep your eyes open.
The remains of the meadow, left for wildlife to feast on.
The meadow was abundant and diverse in the summer.
Two small border terrorists decided to abandon me here!
So I stood around, admired the youngish oak tree, called them, stood around some more,
Squinted at the hazy view
enjoyed the holly and eventually they re-appeared.
So they had a bit of a sit down, and we all enjoyed a different view.
Then headed back to our starting point.
Admiring the rich hedgerow along the way.
Daisy debates another diversion, but we heard an animal sound, possibly a fox, bigger than her and warning her off, so she came back as soon as I called!
Ludwell valley part of the Green Circle has several entrances and you can walk three or four miles some of which will be very steep or just take a half mile level stroll. Whichever you choose, the air is fresh and its very peaceful.
I hope you enjoyed early autumn in Exeter Green Circle, this post is for Jo’s Monday Walk, she would be delighted if you joined her and her other walkers.
St Ives Beaches, I do like to be beside the seaside
On Saturday I spent the day in St Ives, west Cornwall. It’s a tiny seaside town, just over a hundred miles from home and has limited parking, so when I learnt that there is a park and ride, it seemed like a good plan to leave the car there. Parking at Lelant Saltings was just a few pounds, and for £4 you can buy a return train ticket that allows you to travel between St Erth and St Ives, getting on and off as much as you want. This branch line is rated as one of the most scenic in the country.
Try to sit on the right of the compartment if you ever take this journey. As the train approaches St Ives, Carbis Bay is one of the first beaches you see, but you can see clear across the Hayle estuary to St Ives bay.
When you get off of the train there is a footpath with pretty hedges, leading to Porthminster beach (above) to the right and the town to the left.
And the pretty path . 
Now there’s a clear view of the harbour, especially if you zoom in .
But there’s no rush, lets have a look at Porthminster’s sand.
We’re going to skip on past the town now and have a peep at this little bathing beach.
and its resident poser! 
On around yet another bend in the coastline, 
is Porthmeor.
Lastly, looking back from – I think – Porthgwidden.
St Ives is lucky to have so many beautiful beaches. Of course it helped that it was still early in the season, give it a month and these sands will be teeming with people.
The town isn’t just about beaches though, there are galleries galore, cutesy cobble streets and lots of foodie opportunities. I’ll be back with more sometime soon.
A Walk at Morte Point
Last weekend my friend Lindy and I went for a walk up in north Devon. I wanted to go to see Verity at the same time so I found a walk on the coast that was just 2.3 miles, perfect for the Dido and Daisy as well.
We arrived at Mortehoe, a pretty village, just before noon and walked up the road between the pub and church.
The lane climbing upwards was trimmed with spring wild flowers.
And the walls were full of life.
We walked past a pretty cemetery.
And the walk began
We climbed to the viewpoint
Lindy looked towards Woolacombe
Back towards Mortehoe
That’s where we were heading
So I zoomed in
Back to the path
There were sheep everywhere and the lambs were adorable
The path stretched ahead into bright sun.
We stopped frequently so the dogs could cool down, so I zoomed in again.
Can you see the stegosaurus back bone?
By now we were warming up, and wishing we’d brought all of our picnic lunch, instead of just a packet of crisps. But the walk was lovely in every direction.
There were some interesting rock formations.
Slate possibly
How could this have formed?
The crest of the hill in the photo above was soon just above us.
Some suicidal sheep!
The rock was changing colour as we walked east towards Morte Point.
We were really, really hot here
Made it at last
Morte, as I’m sure you know means death and it’s believed that Morte point got its name because the treacherous rocks caused a number of shipwrecks over the centuries. Smuggling was rife, and some of the wrecks may have been helped along the way by wreckers walking the coast with lamps to confuse the sailors in the dark. Having seen this rcraggy coastline, it must have been incredibly dangerous. According to the South West Coast Path website,
The Normans dubbed it the ‘Death Stone’, and claimed that ‘Morte is the place which heaven made last and the devil will take first.’
Time to head on.
The walk continued steeply.
My camera captured seals here but just as dark bobbing blobs.
We were out of water and fairly certain that we’d missed a turning by the time we reached here.
But a slight hint of a path up to the right led us back the way we needed to take.
The gate leads through to the road by the cemetery.
The village shop supplied cold drinks and ice cream, which we followed with our picnic. The dogs flopped in the shade, tired but happy. The pedometer on my phone said I’d walked 5.5 miles, not the planned 2.3, but we stilled had some energy left to pootle around Ilfracombe.
I don’t know if Jo will be doing her Monday Walk this week but there’s always another day.
Lucid Gypsy 