Friday 29 May 2009

A woodland walk and a Seagull suprise.

My first day off today, but it was always going to be a busy one, as we`ve just started a holiday, and are going back to see my Mother in East Anglia tomorrow. But I didnt want it to be all rushing around, cleaning, shopping and packing, so we got up early and drove over to Decoy park, before too many children invaded the woods.

It was a lovely sunny morning, with blue sky, and beside the lake was a welcoming party with rather large splendid feet...

The lake was a lovely greeny glass colour, and fringed with yellow flag irises..

I also noticed this rather nice purple flower, like a little bottle brush amongst the reeds..

I dont know what it is though..

someone had scattered bird seed around the wood, on posts, and in patches on the ground, this large plump woody was having a quiet breakfast, minding his own business...

when someone else dropped in, there was a bit of shoving and pushing, but they settled down evenually..

we carried on walking, with lovely views across the lake, where ducks quacked, and the wood was filled with the song of robins, blackbirds and the silver tinkling of baby blue tits..

the sun was soaring higher in the sky, and dappling the fallen trees, and there was that lovely warm leafy smell you get in summer..

there was some mad dashing about of squirrels too, they`re really quite tame, as theyre used to people, but some were more sedate, and just ate their breakfast keeping a beady eye on us

We followed the path which twisted and turned through the lovely trees

noting that some were dancing...

some were covered in frilly fungi..

and some had been roughly hewn into seats

Evenually we reached my favourite part of the wood, this lovely sweeping walk, where the beautiful Beech trees edge the path in a green avenue, delightful in summer, and spectacular in Autumn, in their golds and browns and tans.

Running beneath the trees is a lovely crystal clear little stream, its part of Wolborough Fen, which covers part of the wood

at the head of the beech avenue is a little waterfall which feeds the stream, gurgling and splashing over the smooth grey stones.

We took the path which leads further into the wood, where the trees became extremely knobbly

and there were `rooty` steps to scramble up..

and majestic trunks with green velvet overcoats, and interesting fairy doorways

and then hidden behind the umbelifers, was the Magazine Pond

a lovely little secret pond tucked away behind the leafy trees, the water the colour of stewed tea, and edged with irises...

beside the path these lovely Horsetails, or Mare tails as they are also known, I always think they look rather exotic.

the path opens out onto this lovely meadow, covered in golden buttercups.

this has been one of the best years we`ve had for buttercups, they are absolutely beautiful

after the hot sun of the meadow, we dived down into a green tunnel of trees, which was cooler

there were lovely patterns on the ground..

and there was a nice vest on a nearby tree, whilst underneath

the speedwell formed a blue eyed crowd......

at last we emerged from the wood, the lake was a beautiful silver blue, and gliding across a lovely family of swans, with five little cygnets

they swam to the shore, and there was a bit of preening to be done..

then they all went for a walk to stretch their legs, they were so gorgeous. It was a lovely walk, and a good start to our holiday.

There was also an exciting start to the week, when I walked to work, and noticed this lovely egg on the pavement under the house, across from us that has the seagulls nest. Hooray, I thought the chicks must have hatched...so when I came home for lunch, I had a look and could see two tiny little heads wobbling about in the nest. Unfortunately, the mother doesnt stay off the nest long enough at the moment, to take any pictures, so Pete managed to get a video of the nest with his video camera.

Saturday 23 May 2009

A Car boot and a haunted castle.

We decided to get out early this morning and visit the car boot, its our favourite and is set in lovely countryside.

There were some friendly residents waiting to say hello

and have their manes `fluffed up`

it was quite a large car boot today, over two fields, and busy although it was early

After having a good rootle around, I bought some plants for the garden, this lovely pink daisy

and a white one, which I put in my pretty blue pot by the back door...

I also bought this lovely red Geranium to go on the wrought iron shelf my Mother gave me

and last but not least...a nice collection of glossy mags including a couple of Country Living, so I was well pleased with those!

After the car boot, we drove on to Berry Pomeroy Castle, to have a coffee and walk round the woods. Just before we swung through the gates, we spotted this dear little vole bumbling about, so I got out of the car to take his picture...

Berry Pomeroy is reputed to be one of the most haunted castles in the country. We`ve been a few times before, and wandered around the ruins inside, I have to say it has a certain `feel` about it, but we`ve never seen a ghostly face peering at us, from one of the windows.

There was hardly anyone around when we were there, and the air was filled with birdsong, it was very peaceful.

One of the ghosts that is reputed to haunt the castle is `The White Lady` who haunts the dark dungeons and rises from St. Margarets tower to the castle ramparts. It is supposed to be the spirit of Margaret Pomeroy who was imprisioned in the dungeons by her sister Eleanor.

Eleanor was jealous of both her beauty and her affections for the man she had designs on.

Margaret slowly starved in the dungeons, a long drawn out and painful death, a chilling thought.

Close to St Margarets tower, is this magnificent Beech tree, its enormous, and is called `The Wishing Tree'. Legend has it that if you lean to whisper your wish to the tree, then walk backwards around it three times, provided your wish remains a secret, it will be granted...sounds good to me..

The castle is set in lovely woodland, and we decided to take the very steep path down to the Mill pond, as we`ve never seen it.

The path was edged with a lovely selection of pretty flowers

and some lovely glossy ferns, which looked as though they had been varnished

The pond was very nice, surrounded by buttercups, irises and cow parsley

We were delighted to see this family of Canada geese with six chicks

Dad was keeping a very beady eye on us, as we walked round the pond.

We had lovely views of the castle from there, all those secrets locked up in the past...

Walking round the pond, I came across this lovely patch of Ragged Robin, its quite rare

By the time we walked back to the path, the geese had taken to the water

someone felt the need to stretch their very tiny wings...lol

the banks of Buttercups were absolutely gorgeous

there was just about enough water in this little stream to play `Pooh sticks'

we `huffed and puffed` back up the hill, feeling that it was certainly a very enchanted place, and a lovely place to spend a morning

When we got home, I put the lovely wild flowers I`d picked from beside the road, in a jug

and some buttercups on my window-sill

I thought I`d show you the `tower` I made from the slatey stones I collected from Slapton beach the other day, a nice reminder of another lovely day out.