I am secretly hoping to spot am otter. I don't.
But there are birds everywhere. Wagtails, robins, blackbirds.
A WOODPECKER who I'm positive called me something VERY rude. White throated dippers and a fledgling sat on the path who I shoo'd into the undergrowth away from dogs.
Then as I stopped to gaze at the water for the millionth time, a kingfisher!
It zoomed down the centre of the river, it's back glistening in the sun.
I come out of the woods onto the lane at Clifford, and follow its curve along the river. My aim is to ignore the more popular route to Fingle Bridge, and to climb through Halls Cleave woods towards the Down. Making up a sort of circular as I go. I've not really planned how I'll get back to the start yet. Will see how I feel after the hilly bit.
These woods are forestry commision and managed. But the tracks that make up the paths through it are largely overgrown.
I get the feeling I'm completely alone here.
It's a whole mishmash of wood types. Some Redwood plantation still exists, there's Oak coppice, and areas that native trees have taken over.
The track I'm taking down the eastern side, winds up high on a slope so that I'm walking alongside canopy, looking over the valley.
Halls Cleave is full of Southern Wood ants. Large ants that build impressive colonies. Big respect for these dudes.
There are masses of flowers too. Yellow Pimpernel, Vetch and Stichwort being besties in the bracken, some late Bluebells, and lots of this (badly out of focus sorry) little yellow tubular flower that I don't know. Anyone know what this is?
I reckon I'm around two 3rds through my walk, so I have a rest on a small cairn circle that sits next to the larger one, while I decide how to get back to Steps Bridge. This small circle is Bronze age. Meh. So modern!
I decide not to go back through the woods, but to zigzag via the lanes and bridleways.
As I set off again, I pass a group of massive Long Horn cattle having a doze in the sun.
At Doccombe cross I cut down a bridleway, which is actaully a thin steep lane that has clearly not been used in sometime. The entrance to the cut through is heavily overgrown and absolutely full of flowers.
I spot another woodpecker that shoots out in front of me. The ground is paved occasionally with large slabs of stone that must already have been here and decided the lane's location for the people who found them. The whole length is enclosed by the trees canopy creating the sense that I'm making my way through a portal and at any moment will enter another time. Maybe I did at one point. It would be impossible to tell.
I emerge out into the very clearly 2024 and on to the B3212. I follow the main road, along with a surprising amount of other pedestrians, for around a mile, before cutting up another bridleway through Bridford Woods. The last stretch greats me with a Bullfinch and a patch of Orchids. Early Purple I think? Anyone able to confirm?
Marden Stone Circle. Built in the Neolithic age. I just marvel at the age of these structures and who stood here and decided Yep. Good place to whack some stones up I reckon!
This is the largest circle on Dartmoor at 38m. Although only a handful of stones remain, it's still impressive, and the view across to Dartmoor is astonishing.
You wouldn't believe that this is a dug who has had a 16k #run this morning, 10k #walk over local hills, a #swim in the Teviot an numerous #frisbee sessions down from the office. My partner is away and I am not going to put him on to the phone when she calls 🤣
If I may be all ‘#pig in #shit’, & rather egoist (I’m not normally inclined to #toot pictures of myself), but there’s context.
This very #weekend last year I started to suffer symptoms that rendered me, days later, unable to #walk. #GuillainBarreSyndrome ain’t to be messed with. But for those of you currently going downhill fast by this oddity & seeing this, it can be defeated. Keep the faith! I may be holding a staff, but I don’t need it! Follow the #dog’s positivity and #kick GBS.
Generate an image featuring a piece of iron, someone walking, and an egg. The scene is set outdoors with a paved road along which a Caucasian woman is walking, wearing a light hoodie and comfortable shoes. Beside her lies a piece of rusted iron, having an intriguing shape that stands out against the grey pavement. Nearby, nestled among the fresh green grass, an egg can be seen, it's smooth, white shell contrasting starkly against the vibrant grass.
This weekend’s #walk has me ending up at the Thames Barrier again, just on the north bank instead of the south. Didn’t intend it, but it turns out that the Royal docks have gone from a wasteland to a commercial wasteland #London#Photo
The long #walk. Mile 10. Got lost again and didn't realize it until I'd done a lot of climbing. Free exercise! Also had to double back a lot because marked trails were under water. The picture with the geese? The map says there's a trail there. But it's all good because that meant I got to go off-trail and walk through fields of flowers.
The long #walk. Mile 15. Grrrr... Halfway and it's taken me 9 hours. Probably due to getting lost so much and finding so many flooded trails. I need to make up some time. Time to get serious about this #hike if I want to get home by 9PM.