Another lovely walk

The weather has been fantastic – so warm and sunny and we have seen the first field of cut corn over at Ashwick. The heather is really starting to show up a very beautiful shade of purple. Derek has just returned from helping out at Dunster Country Fair and is hot, tired and dusty. Loads of people apparently so it should be a bumper gate. I stayed behind to do the chores (well someone has to) but I think I had the better option. Once I had finished I sat out in the sun and relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful view and peace with a cup of tea.

We have been very busy with guests coming from all over the place to enjoy Exmoor some on return visits and some getting the ‘Exmoor experience’ for the first time. We have had many guests coming from abroad this year as well.

Yesterday we took the dogs for a beautiful walk through the woods and following the River Barle up from Marsh Bridge. The dogs couldn’t wait to get into the cool, clear water. Abby just stood up to her tummy in the water, Wagtail pottered in and out very ladylike while Whist just hurtled about getting everyone soaked! Soda spent a very happy hour diving in to fetch the sticks. In some places the water was very fast flowing and she looked as if she was surfing! Didn’t put her off though – she kept on going. But when we go home she did have a VERY long sleep, some tea and then another very long sleep (well until 10.00 this morning)!

Make hay while the sun shines!

The lovely warm weather has created a flurry of haymaking activity around the local farms. Despite earlier worries in the year that there wouldn’t be enough grass, the crops have been very heavy. Unlike haylage, to make good quality hay, farmers need at least 5-6 days of dry, warm weather. So as you can imagine the farmers are always listening closely to the weather forecast and keeping fingers crossed throughout that the weather remains good. Derek took these photos on the farm just down the road from us.

Our neighbour Paul has a market garden and each weekend puts his stall out on the side of the lane with an honesty box. So far this year we have had beautiful new potatoes, broad beans, carrots and peas all freshly harvested – nothing beats the taste of really fresh vegetables (especially when they are grown at the foot of Dunkery Beacon)!

We are really looking forward to the next visitation of our friends Julie and Helen. They have recently acquired not 1 but 2 allotments so we are expecting at least a (small) bag of produce when they arrive! They have spent many hours clearing loads of rubbish out, tidying the ‘shed’, acquiring seats (valued at more than the shed) and been given a camping stove so they can make a brew – sounds like home from home!

A rare sighting!

I took the dogs for a walk over Dunkery and along Dickies Path last weekend and spotted some interesting activity in the bracken. I saw what I thought was a bird of prey flying down to the bracken and some little birds then flew up and started flying all around it. At first I thought they were trying to scare it off but the bigger bird just sat there. A couple of people came along with binocs and asked what I was looking at – they had a look and were very excited to see it was a baby cuckoo being fed by meadow pipits – apparently this is a very rare sight. They congratulated me on the sighting and said that I obviously knew the area well and what to look for. I modestly shrugged and thought ‘who needs Derek to show visitors the sights of Exmoor’ The situation was spoilt somewhat when they then asked me whether I had spotted many Fritillary as the area was a good place to see them. I replied that I wasn’t that good on my birds but I didn’t think so which is when they informed me that Fritillary were in fact butterflies! Move over Beccy and let Ranger Brown take over!!!!

A couple of days later Derek took the camera and went over to where I told him I had seen them and managed to take loads of photos. There was also an older cuckoo flying around all the time which Derek thinks must have been from an earlier brood as it is far too late for adults to be here still. (Click on the photos for an enlargement).

Beautiful places to visit on Exmoor

The weather over the past few days has been beautiful – warm but with a lovely soft breeze. Yesterday I had to make a big decision – do I sit in the office and do accounts, emails etc or get out and take the dogs for a walk and swim? It was a tough one but someone had to do it – we had a gorgeous time walking from Lanarce and following the River Barle to Withypool. I think that this be one of my all time favourites. We went over the moor then through some old farm buildings that look as they just grew there and down through lovely small pasture fields that led to the rivers edge. The dogs were in heaven!

Our bed and breakfast guests are always delighted by the quaint thatched villages that are dotted around Exmoor. We are very near some of the most beautiful such as Alderford with its lovely packhorse bridge, Selworthy, Luccombe and Bossington. Derek has been out and about getting a few snaps for the album!

Rupert the new horse remains an absolute sweetie and Lucy is really enjoying riding him every evening. He and Paddy have hit it off and are now best friends.

On Tuesday I went to Tyntesfield near Bristol with mum, sister Julie and friend Jane. This is the Victorian National Trust property acquired in 2002 and is now being restored as you watch. Two of our guests, Bev and Elizabeth had gone there on the way down to us as it is only 40 minutes from Taunton and just off the motorway. For anyone coming down to Exmoor it is definitely worth a visit.