A Spring walk at Berry Pomeroy.

We went out early this morning, as it was a lovely spring day, and tomorrow promises to be wet, so they say, so we wanted to make the most of it. It was lovely bowling along the deep Devon lanes, the banks quilted with Primroses, and the old gold catkins dancing in the breeze. We drove to Berry Pomeroy, and parked up in the car park to have a hot coffee from the flask, and a delicious lemon curd muffin, with the castle hiding behind the bare trees, and the birds singing all around.

Much refreshed, we donned walking boots, as it was very muddy underfoot, having had two days of heavy rain and walked round to the castle which looked mysterious and brooding in the early morning light, it was lovely and peaceful, nobody about, just the sound of the Jackdaws calling as they flapped around the ramparts looking for places to nest.

The Wishing tree was standing very stately by the tower, with gay ribbons tied to her branches.
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and in the mossy hollows beneath, Navelwort had taken up residence

We walked down to Margarets tower, where the bank was bright with golden daffodils.

and at the foot of the wall primroses and Lords and Ladies

We peered through the slit in the tower wall, into the dark gloom of the chamber, wondering what sad echoes still haunt it from its sad past...

We took the steep winding path away from the Castle, down to the Mill pond, the sharp green pines piercing the lovely blue sky

I was pleased to see some Canada geese dibbling about on the edge of the pond, probably the adults that had young here last year.

Meanwhile the castle dominated the hill, keeping a watchful eye on us.

As we walked round the pond, where reeds had started to show through in vivid green, Pete spotted a toad in the water, then another and another, till we came across this mass of breeding toads, like a living football, we were amazed we`ve never seen the like before..he plucked a stick from the ground and gently twiddled them round, and they all clung on and waved their legs in a most bizarre fashion...

On a more normal note, I was thrilled to see this lovely clump of Kingcups or Marsh Marigolds just coming out

they were a lovely splash of gold against the rather muted colours of the pond

We decided to follow the little winding road they led away from the pond, we`d never investigated it before, and it was very picturesque.

The Hazel catkins have darkened now, to old gold and were lit by the morning sunshine

and there was a lovely little stream that rushed and gurgled across the meadow

and on the other side of the road, Celandines starred the bank

and Red Dead Nettles were a splash of colour against the new green leaves

it was a lovely little wood that ran beside us, and clumps of Snowdrops lit ground beneath the bare trees

Evenually we came across this lovely old house, nestled beside the road with stunning views across the meadows up to the dun coloured woods, there was a light shining in the kitchen window, where nuts had been hung for the birds, and blue tits were flitting backwards and forwards, and a squirrel darted off across the lawn when it saw us coming

There was a little wild garden planted ontop of the wall beside the road, and the pretty pink and purple flowers of Lungwort were tangled up with the ivy streamers..I certainly envied them their lovely house and tranquil spot

We walked on, the sun warm on our faces and birdsong all around, glancing back it was so pretty with the woods hemming in the green meadows and up on the hill a pony grazing on the dewy grass

the path evenually ran past this old disused building, which appeared to have been a Sawmill, we could see the wheelpit which would have driven the saw inside, it had been carefully boarded up, but for what purpose I dont know

as the path was becoming increasingly muddy, and was winding into the woods, we decided to turn back, on the way we stopped at the pond again, to see how the toad situation was coming along, Pete managed to scoop up this rather handsome chap who sat very morosely on his hand, with his warty old back, then he popped him back to go awooing...

Instead of heading straight back to the carpark, we took another little road past the kissing gate,
where there were nice mossy walls.

and trees with ferny coats danced in the Spring sunshine

and dainty snowdrops nodded on the banks


and chocolate box pretty cottages under beetling thatch were waking to a lovely morning..the road is part of the John Musgrave trial which runs all the way on to Totnes, or back to Torquay, I said to Pete it would be nice to walk the length of it in the summer, theres lots of pubs and tearooms on the way, so plenty of places to rest.

We walked back up the steep hill to the castle, there was a lovely smell of woodsmoke in the air

it was coming from the chimney of the little tea room there, which was opening for the day, although the castle doesnt open till April, a lovely spot for tea and cake, and it was time for our lunch, so we headed home having had an enchanting walk.