Slapton.

I havent been here for a few days have I, I`ve been working, and the weather has been dreadful, strong winds, sidewards rain, its been quite depressing....but todays my first day off, and the sun has finally got its hat on, so we set off for Slapton, a lovely beach a few miles away. The journey is very pretty with lots of lovely views across rolling hills, and nice little secret coves.

We parked up beside the beach, and had coffee and scones, we had a lovely view back down the coast from where we`d come, with the rolling headlands.

As we were enjoying our coffee, this dainty little Wheatear landed on the railings, and fixed us with its beady little eye.

Much refreshed, we went for a walk along the beach. Its a totally shingle beach, which slopes quite sharply, the water was crystal clear, and boomed and hissed greedily at the shore, rattling the little stones in its foamy waters.

Strewn amongst the shingle bed, were lovely grey slatey stones, someone had tried to build Stone henge I think.....

Some of the stones were decorated with Sea Kale

This one was full of flowers, which the bees and butterflies flitted around.

The thrift was flaunting itself in little pink cushions

At the top of the beach, running beside the road, is a strip of scrub land, which was covered in pretty flowers...red clover

Kidney vetch

and little white sea campions.

We crossed the road to the ley on the other side, a freshwater lagoon, where ducks and geese quacked and honked, and behind the lovely rolling hills and red soiled fields.

I was pleased to see the Foxgloves are starting to come out, we were also pleased to have spotted some Egrets nesting in the trees the other side of the water, they were too far away to photo though. The sun was lovely and hot by this time, and having left the beach it was more sheltered.

We walked back to the car, then drove down to the other end of the beach to where the village nestles under the hills, the lovely woods and hedges beetling across them.

The old reeds rustling dryly in the breeze

and a lovely clump of yellow flag irises shining beside the water.

There was a little river beach where ducks and jack daws pottered about

and a sweet baby coot was paddling..

This lovely celtic cross is a memorial, I thought it was very pretty.

I spotted some steps between the houses, so we investigated, and found ourselves on a nice little walled walk above the rooftops with lovely views over the ley

Red and white Valerian sprouted from between the stones of the wall

and a rather nice Mallow..

from our lofty position, you could see how long the shingle spit is, and how quiet it was today, unlike the forth coming bank holiday weekend, when I expect it will be heaving....I`m so glad we had the chance to enjoy the peace and calm of this lovely day.