September Walk on the Moors

This week we have seen some high tides along with the full moon.

We decided to go for a walk on the moors and I packed a picnic and took my iPad to take photographs to show you where we went. Lots of people comment they enjoy seeing the countryside and views of where I live. So we started by walking uphill on the narrow road which leads to the moors.

 

 

It is a steep road and has a deep drop on one side with a fast flowing river and this waterfall, it flows straight down to the sea. We are going to follow it's path to where it begins, it's source.

This is the point where we left the road and the shelter of the Hedgerows and trees behind on this warm day and begin to enter the moors.

 

My husband gets to carry the bag. Whilst I have fun using my iPad and photograph this beautiful Butterfly.

 

I captured both the butterfly and then the harebells on the banking of the old cart track.

The slate quarry is across the moor and every road and field around here is built from the local grey stone. The ground has many large boulders and you will see them in the river too, all shapes and sizes.

All hand built many years ago from the stone, some of the walls are now buckled and collapsing. Can you see them to the right as they weave their patterns up and over and across the steep hills.

A glance back to the sea from our high vantage point.

The river twists and curls on it's journey.

We cross the river over the ancient footbridge made from huge slabs of stone with a layer of sods and turf over the bridge. We used to play here as children and walk underneath the bridge as we paddled in the river. The boys would build a little dam in the summer time. We saw several small trout dart in the clear fresh water.

 

The pretty yellow gorse grows here alongside the purple heather.

Someone found another black feather for me. The collecting begins!

 

Some glimpses of the river and how it bends and twists in this valley.

 

 

Lovely fresh ferns growing by the river. And more found feathers.

 

 

 

 

A surprise to find this foxglove still flowering.

 

The river starts to narrow and the ground becomes more like marsh ground with wet mossy plants and reeds.

 

 

 

A single tree on the whole of the moor, not another one in sight. We can see the wind mills now. I am not a fan of these twelve structures and there are plans for replacing them with much larger and higher ones.

The river is little more than a trickle as we gain height and are at the area where it begins to form.

 

Time for a sit down and something to eat and drink. A favourite place by the big stone.

Memories as I look at the carved initials of two teenagers, many many years ago, who married and have shared their lives living here.

The heather is a lovely shade of purple at this time of the year.

Food tastes so good outdoors after a long walk. And then we turn around to head in the direction we came from. Back down the valley.

 

When we were young we picked the bilberries from the moor, not quite ready as they ripen to a dark blue.

Plenty of wild life up here. We saw a buzzard and a kestrel hawk. We disturbed a flock of pheasants. More feathers found here. And I saw a newt and this black beetle.

 

Lovely views from here. So quiet and not another person anywhere.

 

 

And feeling hot and a little weary I couldn't resist a paddle and a rest with my feet in the cool refreshing water. Whilst someone made a mini dam. Simple pleasures.

 

 

 

We had a lovely day out. The weather has been so nice and warm here, we are making the most of it. I hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

 

I washed my pheasant feathers and will show you my drawings next time. Thank you for the comments . Hope you enjoyed the walk. Millyx