Tag Archives: walk

Camouflage

My daughter took this of me whilst we were on a walk on Monday.

We have had a lot of rain recently. The roads were so flooded that Miss M could not get to school so we were able to add a couple of miles to our target of walking 500 miles (cue the Proclaimers).

Our rate of clocking up the miles, which when we started was about 48 per year, was first hit by the pandemic and some very busy Summers on the farm. Now Miss M’s very full social life and list of sporting commitments means we have to grab any chance we can get.

We only managed 18 miles in 2020 and last year.

Current total: 185.4 miles.

 

Advertisement

Sunday Saunter

Click on any photo to see it larger

We heard the cuckoo!

 

Image

Silent Sunday

The First Bluebell

Yesterday I went on a lovely walk with my daughter’s mother-in-law. There really ought to be a name for our relationship. There was a nip in the wind but the sun shone and created the most glorious colours in the sea.

The sun filtered by the clouds gave us purples and blues

shimmering steely glints

and glorious aqua greens.

We walked from Osmington Mills to Ringstead and came across this cottage that under normal circumstances would be buzzing with people. I took the number, because I might like to stay there one day – just a 5 minute walk to the sea.

Walking up through a sheltered wooded valley, we saw our first bluebell in flower. Crumbs! that’s early!

and then this stange plant which turned out to be a Japanese Butterbur or Sweet Coltsfoot.

Next time we go there for a walk, we hope the cafe near the beach will be open and we will stop for a coffee.

Fingers crossed.

 

WetWetWet

We have had SO – MUCH – RAIN!!!

 

I have never seen the river as high as this at the ford.

When my son got married, in October 2008, the newlyweds left the church in a horse and trap and drove across the river here. The water would have covered their knees, sitting in the trap, if they had attempted it on Friday when I walked over the bridge in the rain.

And then the sun came out

and the heath was looking all rusty and glorious.

From cave dwellers til now – is it “ART”?!Icy weather to come apparently – I wonder if this will turn into a skating rink.

What is the weather like in your neck of the woods?

Winter Woodland Walk

It has been so wet for so long and some of the woodlands near me are looking particularly lush and mossy – elves and fairies peeping out from behind every tree and fern.

To give everyone in my daughter’s family a much needed break from the rigours of home learning, I have taken two of my grandchildren out for a ‘keep-your-distance-walk’ a few times.

Little Miss M and Master R love to draw and grasp every opportunity, so when they found some chalk on the ground ….

This is one of the cyber characters that inhabit Master R’s imagination

and then – throwing the chalk at the tree to make marks was a good game too – who could make the highest mark, how far away could they stand and still hit the tree?

(Yes I did knit the bobble hat 🙂 )

And something to melt any Granny’s heart – a card from Little Miss M

She had made one for both of her Grannies. Awww! ❤

You might remember that Little Miss M and I are walking 500 miles together – You can go to this link to see a wonderful walk we did in March 2019.

We did not add many miles to our total last year (I wonder why?!) but we are both determined to do more this year.

Our total to date is 133.5 miles, only 366.5 to go!

Have you been able to go out for any walks this week?

Rainbows!

Yesterday magic.

Just after walking under blackening skies

and being drenched with icy rain and pelted with hailstones

the sun came out

and created magic.

The first photo was taken by my lovely walking friend – and that’s J in the last photo. Such happy memories of a multitude of walks over the years – and this one was right up there in the top 10!

As is this one back in July 2019

❤ Have you found some magic this week? ❤

Wednesday Walk

diagonal lines

This photo is being entered in Cee’s Photo Challenge: Diagonal Lines

I took it on a walk this afternoon. I went for a walk ‘with’ Cathy.

We walk together even though we are miles apart.

Past the field to the woods

bluebell woods

where the blubells are just coming into flower

bluebell

Cathy and I enjoy nudging each other to get out there, enjoying this beautiful Spring.

Spring?

IMG_8181

On Thursday, a brief break in the relentless rain saw me donning my wellies and making a dash for it – catching a walk in the sunshine before it disappeared again.

Gorse in the hedgerows is always a cheery sight.

IMG_8184

I walked straight out across the fields and looked back towards my house across the very soggy land

IMG_8185

But I am so lucky compared with the thousands of people who have had their lives disrupted by the floods.

Then, into the woods

IMG_8189

I can’t quite explain the sheer joy of seeing sunshine slanting through the clumps of hazel, it made me feel like a woodland sprite skipping over sunbeams.

Look!

Bluebell shoots!

IMG_8192

And the sky went all bluebell too

IMG_8198

with catkins!

IMG_8199

My whole being was soaking up all this light and joy, making up for months of grey, wind and wet.

Peeping through the trees at the fields looking so green in the sunshine

IMG_8195

and of course the obligatory photos of lichen – I am so fascinated by this stuff – I am convinced it holds secrets and answers and healing properties as yet untapped

IMG_8203

Moss is nearly as fascinating

IMG_8202

but doesn’t hold the magic of lichen.

I do hope you have been able to catch some sunbeams in your neck of the woods.

North Dorset

On Wednesdays, after school,  I take my granddaughter Miss E to her Gym Class. In the winter I am happy to sit for the two hours with crochet and a flask of tea, listening to podcasts on my iPad, but yesterday was such a lovely evening, I dropped her off and drove on for about 10 minutes and went for a walk.

IMG_4076

track

IMG_4080

IMG_4103

IMG_4082

IMG_4095

 

IMG_4101

IMG_4099

IMG_4098

Is this a Six Spot Burnet moth?

Joining Cee’s Flower of the Day.

Silent Sunday

DSC_0452

DSC_0454

DSC_0465

DSC_0512

Swan Sunday

Abbotsbury Swannery

We had a magical family day out yesterday at Abbotsbury Swannery.

my cygnets

Feeding time for swans is at 12 noon and 4pm

feeding swans

Children are able to go and feed them too.

swans

There were masses of breeding pairs to see

breeding swans

and cygnets – awwww!

swan eggs and cygnets

cygnets

baby swans

swannery

There are Go Karts, a Maze, a Quiz, a Playground and a very good restaurant, which all makes for a very good day out.

And – Little Miss M and I added 3.2 miles to our total – 75.2miles completed – target 500 miles

The Tor

Glastonbury Tor

‘We will walk 500 miles’

Today Little Miss M and I reached 60.8 miles of our 500 mile goal.

We walked up Glastonbury Tor – can you see that pink speck nearly at the top? That is Little Miss M (6) racing ahead to get there first.

What a glorious day it was with magnificent views

Glastonbury

stretching far and wide……

looking back at the town of Glastonbury

Somerset

and from the top

from the Tor

so good to stand together when I finally got there!

DSC_0480

looking back at how far we had come

DSC_0482

We were with my daughter, Miss E and Master R. The children were touchingly concerned about the modern carvings, but enjoyed the “love heart” as it had not damaged the stone

heart

Having enjoyed the Spring sunshine, the breeze and the views it was time to go back down

Tor

DSC_0491

with many others enjoying the climb

some leaving tributes or prayers in the trees

DSC_0494

On the 85 minute journey home, Miss E (11) was a bit bored and invented Car Yoga to keep herself and the rest of us amused – with demonstrations of the Eyebrow Pose, the Upward Dog and the Squash-the-Person-Next-To-You Pose – Happy Days!

Click on any picture to see it full screen.

Joining Son of a Beach’s Which Way Challenge

 

Dalby Forest: 1

One of the best days in Yorkshire was when Cathy took me on a favourite walk of hers in Dalby Forest, to the Bridestones, you can see a map and description here.

path

We climbed up through the woods

stream

and were both in awe of the colours, especially the larches

larch, autumn

Which are particularly gorgeous this year

forest

I can just imagine one of Kate Davies’ designs knitted in the colours above

Yorkshire, Dalby Forest

My hair used to be the colour of that bracken! Seems like another life entirely.

Dalby Forest, Bridestones

North Yorkshire

Yorkshire

We arrived at the top where the Bridestones are.

Now this stoneYorkshire is referred to as the Pepperpot, but to me she was an old lady, maybe the wise old matchmaker calling Coooo-eeeeeeeee, down the valley

Bridestone

this is her view

Bridestones

A little further along there is an Elf’s tunnel, I had to squat right down low to get this picture, a 3 year old could just about walk through it, and elves of course.

Elf's tunnel

DSC_0508

now down into the valley

DSC_0511

where we could hear a squawking bird

valley

With a wonderful free App on my phone ‘Chirp’ I could identify it as a Jay, then we saw the Jay flitting through the trees, sounding very perturbed about something – like this

looking back

DSC_0517

and nearly back to the car now

treearch

Oh what a fabulous walk.

Click on any photo to see it full screen.

The day was not over    ………

off we went to see Rachel Whiteread’s Nissen Hut …………

 

 

Walktober

Inspired by Eliza’s post, I set off with Miss E, Master R and Little Miss M to record our walk yesterday, a glorious October morning.

setting out

This Autumn is truly deliciously spectacular.

Little Miss M reminded me to put Strava on so that we could record our distance to add to our target of 500 miles.

This is one of our favourite walks and we have been doing it since they were all babies, but it has been a long time since we were here  ….

….. imagine their delight when they spied the river and remembered the swing!

bridge, river, country walk

Miss E was first to get there

ford in the river

But of course they all had a turnrope swing  I think we could have stayed there all daypaddling, rope swing

whilst they explored in their own inimitable waysbridge

walks are never dull with this lot!

But we had to cover some ground if Little Miss M and I are going to reach our goal – onward.walktober

and upward.

Whilst they were looking at the cows and chatting together I went up ahead

backlit

wait for us Granny!

sunken lane

old tree

There is something magical about sunken lanes lined with old knarled trees, contorted by their history

is this one a camel?camel?

or a hare?

face in a tree

Fairy fungi everywhere – we had to look up the name of this one – Fly Agaric

fly agaric

and do you think this one might be the rare: Iodine Bolete

fungi for elves

It looked the perfect home for an evil elf!

walktober

At the top of the hill we found coconut-scented gorse flowers to nibble and were treated to some glorious viewsDSC_0485

Here we sat for a drink and a snack. We all thought of three words each to describe our walk so far, and as we walked on the children composed little poems using the words – it all got very giggly as they created weird and wonderful rhymes.

And then we found ourselves in a prickly gorse tunnel where the path had become overgrowngorse

I was hoping it would end and we would come out on clear path so we battled on for quite a way getting stabbed with prickles and feeling like badgers in the undergrowth. We sent Master R ahead to see if there was light at the end of the tunnel – but no – we had to turn back and make our way back the way we had come.

glorious view

Our batteries fully recharged by the wonderful views, the sunshine and that blue sky

sunken lane

Oh the joy of autumn sunshine through trees and walking the sunken lanes.

Happy sigh!

Back to the car and Little Miss M and I checked Strava. We had added 2.4 miles to our total. We have now done 54 miles – only 446 to go!

I hope you enjoyed scampering along with us.

I’m joining Robin at Breezes at Dawn for her annual Walktober Gathering

Cliffs and Bluebells

Continuing our bluebell walk in West Dorset

we decided not to walk up to Thorncombe Beacon, but could see others enjoying the view
thorncombe beacon

a perfect day for a paraglide

dorset cliffs

Click on any picture to see it larger.

We climbed the hill and over the stile

stile

to see yet more spectacular views to the East towards Portlandview of Portland

and as we turned inland, Westerly views towards Devon

towards Devon

(Click on the link for other  good walking routes along the coast path.)

We took time to smell the blossom in the hedgerow, I think this is a wild plum

wild plum blossom

we must return in September to find out.

Through the gate, with a look over our shoulders at that glorious scene, saying farewell to the sea we continue

gateway, path, coast

onward through more bluebell woods

dorset

to marvel at the way the light plays through the trees,

joining Cee’s Flower of the Day

and no matter how often I see it, my heart never fails to skip and dance when, standing in deep shade,  and spying a shaft of sunlight bathing a patch of bells in silver lightbluebells in sunlight

Magic all around us

A time to stop and breathe and notice how all the senses are tingling with pure joy, blessings counted, smiles exchanged between friends and for at least the hundredth time we say how lucky we are to live here……

 

Bluebell time

Colmers Hil, near Bridport

Last Sunday I met a couple of friends for a bluebell extravaganza of a walk!

woodland walk

The path took us through deep dark woods

fern

Joining Cee’s Which Way Challenge

deep dark woods

and lighter glades where the light was stunningly, beautifully, softly, frothily romantic

bluebells

I took so many photographs, it has taken me all week to choose which ones to share( they certainly won’t all fit in one post).woodland

We stopped at Down House Farm

and sat out in the garden

Down House Farm, Bridport

for a delicious lunch of Bubble and Squeak, eggs and bacon, all local produce and drank apple and ginger fruit punchbrunch

after that we headed out to the cliffs coastal pathand wide open views towards Portland

 

sea view

Oh what a joyful day, the sun shone, the air was sweet, the sky was blue, our batteries were well and truly recharged …..

to be continued …………

 

Image

Silent Sunday

Dorset, England

Shadow

walk, a boy and his stick

remember

sweet scents of childhood

in green lanes

~

Join Cathy and me in our One-a-Week Photo Challenge,  by leaviing a link in the comments

and

Ronovan in the weekly Haiku Challenge. This week’s prompts: SWEET and SCENT

The photo is of Master R, taken in summer 2016 at Kingston Lacy, one of our favourite places for a day out.

 

Pond

DSC_0308

Week 14 of our One-a-Week Photo Challenge: POND

click on any photo to see it larger

Back in the darker January days when frost dusted everything with magic, Miss E and I went walking with our cameras. Version 2Miss E was given a camera for Christmas and she was keen to get some frosty shots. We went to Thorncombe Woods and headed for the pond.

DSC_0306

DSC_0309

chagrin felt at school

healed with home education,

love, joy and freedom

DSC_0312

Joining in with Ronovan’s weekly Haiku Challenge, prompt words:

CHAGRIN and JOY

~

Do you recognise the bobble hat? – I made one for each grandchild last year, but trying to get a decent photo of all of them was like herding cats

DSC_0172

Cute though!

I’ll be away from the computer for a couple of weeks. Cathy will be holding the Photo fort over at Nanacathy, leave a link on her One-a-Week Photo Challenge posts and I will include them in the April Round-Up. Thank you Cathy and as Cathy says:

“Happy Snapping”

😀