Swan Sunday

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

Feeding time for swans is at 12 noon and 4pm

Children are able to go and feed them too.

There were masses of breeding pairs to see

and cygnets – awwww!

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

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The 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

stretching far and wide……

looking back at the town of Glastonbury

and from the top

so good to stand together when I finally got there!

looking back at how far we had come

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

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

with many others enjoying the climb

some leaving tributes or prayers in the trees

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.

We climbed up through the woods

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

Which are particularly gorgeous this year

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

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

We arrived at the top where the Bridestones are.

Now this stone 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

this is her view

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.

now down into the valley

where we could hear a squawking bird

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

and nearly back to the car now

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.

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!

Miss E was first to get there

But of course they all had a turn  I think we could have stayed there all day

whilst they explored in their own inimitable ways

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.

and upward.

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

wait for us Granny!

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

is this one a camel?

or a hare?

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

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

It looked the perfect home for an evil elf!

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

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 overgrown

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.

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

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

a perfect day for a paraglide

Click on any picture to see it larger.

We climbed the hill and over the stile

to see yet more spectacular views to the East towards Portland

and as we turned inland, Westerly views 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

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

onward through more bluebell woods

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 light

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

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

The path took us through deep dark woods

Joining Cee’s Which Way Challenge

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

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).

We stopped at Down House Farm

and sat out in the garden

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

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

 

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 …………

 

Silent Sunday