Apologies for not having updated my blog regularly this month. It seems to have started off with an empty calendar then every day suddenly filled up and it has been hectic here.
Anyway, finally some photos of a walk I did with my friend Debs last week. We started off taking a breath of sea air at Wiseman's Bridge, just over the Pembrokeshire border. I wonder who it was named after?
Whilst the weather didn't look too promising at this point, we only had a couple of heavyish showers the whole day, so no complaints really.
Then we drove to Stackpole Quay. Once there was a very grand house and stables here which belonged to the Cawdor family, but now only fragments are left. You can just see the quay here, with the tide completely out.
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stackpole/history/
The link shows you just how grand the house once was.
Looking Eastwards along the coast. You can just see the heaving-up of the rocks millions of years ago.
Overlooking Barafundle Bay is an old doorway built into a long stretch of wall. It framed a lovely view through to Stackpole Head in the distance.
What a beautiful beach it is, and only a few people enjoying it.
Looking back on it from the Western side.
This shows you the wall and the doorway - and the climb back up the steps from the beach! It would have been easier if I was a couple of stone lighter!!
The rock here is limestone, and there were lots of Scabious growing. It was windy so a little difficult to get things stationary enough for a photo!
Carline Thistle.
Caves formed largely by rockfalls.
Viper's Bugloss. When I was 6 I had the Observer's Book of Wild Flowers (I have always loved wild flowers). Viper's Bugloss was the most exotic-looking illustration in the book, and I longed to find one, but had to wait until I was 30, and walking in the Purbecks. I can still remember my excitement!
The views were so beautiful.
This looks like the remains of a Neolithic burial chamber, but I know nothing about it, sadly.
From Stackpole Head, looking West.
Then a walk back and up the steps to the car and on to St. Govan's Head. More of that later.
What a delightful walk; thanks for taking me with you. I love the thought of you in the land of Martyn Joseph and I am so happy when you post the picturesqueness of your homeland for us to share. The rough coast intrigues-I'm from the land of sandy beaches and coral reefs-your enormous stone outcroppings are so very different and incongruous to me. Knowing i will likely not see your country in person, your blog helps me to visit from my seat at home. Kudos and Namaste, BB.
ReplyDeleteGlorious. What a beautiful place. Wistman's as a word has ancient Celtic and Devonshire roots- there's a wistman's wood on Dartmoor which is a very ancient place. I think the word derives from Wisht which has connotations connected to eerie/ pixie-led/ magical/ faerie folk.
ReplyDeleteA really beautiful place - and a wonderful walk :) I've still got my Observer's Book of Wildflowers - such a lovely book - there didn't seem to be anywhere near as many field guides when I was a child as you can buy these days.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely walk for you, beside the sea...always my favourite. Really enjoyed the photos. You have helped me identify a plant I have seen at Berry Head, the Carline Thistle.
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