Tuesday 13 June 2017

Postbridge and some Dartmoor views


Here is the view from our B&B window - so peaceful, and I enjoyed watching birds flitting about (Jackdaws and Magpies much in evidence!)  The room was "comfortably appointed" but the shared bathroom (supposedly with just the occupant of the single room across the landing) turned out to be shared with all the letting rooms - we were glad to have got in their first thing!



View of the bridge over the Dart from the Clapper bridge.  The rain had raised river levels and speed.




The Medieval clapper bridge.





There were several big bushes of Broom in flower on the river bank.


Ferns looking verdant.  Light levels were low and so my clever camera used the flash.


As at home in Wales, every surface becomes covered in green moss.


The remains of the Gunpowder Mills.  There is a spooky story about the Hairy Hands and we were talking about this at the Warren House Inn with Joss Hibbs (who lives in a cottage by her Pottery at the Powder Mills).  She mentioned several recent occurrences of practiced drivers (one of a fire engine) suddenly ending up in the bog on the approach to the cottages, so perhaps the Hairy Hands are still there!  Apparently they were all that remained of a worker at the Gunpowder Mills, who - before leaving for Italy where he had been left an inheritance - went back into the Mills to collect something, still wearing his hobnail boots.  They struck a spark, and there was an almighty explosion and all that was found of him was his hands and his empty boots . . .  BTW, we went back before we left, and bought our joint Christmas present for several years to come from Joss's Pottery.  It's a huge Charger (plate) by Carole Glover.  From the link you will see her style, which is strongly influenced by 16th and 17th century slipware, especially from Devon.


There is a Tor on top of this hill, but the low cloud hid it on the day I was taking photographs.


Small foal with a good bit of Shetland blood.  These Dartmoor hill ponies are mongrels but tough as old boots and can cope with the poor grazing and wet moorland weather.



Once the clouds lifted, there were wonderful views elsewhere on the moor.


Enjoy.  I can smell my bread is cooked so I had better go down and rescue it.  I set it off in the Panny at 6 a.m. this morning - a half and half Granary and white flour.    More photos to follow.

9 comments:

  1. More lovely photos :D I must make some bread today, but I'm a bit worn out, so maybe not, haha.xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. I always said I wouldn't stoop to making bread in a breadmaker, but my Panny makes a really good loaf, far better than boughten as I know what's gone in it - and I am not prepared to pay £3 a loaf for "artisan" bread . . .

    I hope you can rest today.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very lush, and that clapper bridge is fascinating!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Places are always lush when they get a lot of rain, which of course Dartmoor does! There are clapper bridges elsewhere on the moor, and a few on Exmoor too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I made bread today too!
    Brown is my least favourite colour so the pottery,like your bits of Devon ware, doesn't appeal, except the charger with an owl on - nice.
    Was it a clapper bridge on Dartmoor or Tarr steps on Exmoor that got damaged by floods a few years ago? after being in position for 100s of years

    ReplyDelete
  6. It was Tarr Steps on Exmoor I think. I don't know if it was restored. I'm not normally a brown pottery person but the designs Carole Glover uses appeal to me - my sense of history I suppose.

    You can't beat home made bread!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love the beautiful clapper bridge. So lovely to see Dartmoor again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a shame we couldn't have delayed it a week to get better weather, but I have an appt. with the Respiratory Nurse at the Hospital this Friday. Never mind, it was good to be back down there anyway.

      Delete
  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete