the lizard to coverack

June 14, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

tuesday, 8th june 2021

Today's weather forecast looks great with sun all day long so it might be a bit on the warm side.

Lizard Point low tide 10:53

Lizard Point high tide 16:55

I return to the car park in the Lizard village first thing in the morning and wander down the footpath again towards Lizard Point, but instead of getting the dreaded 'No Signal' on my phone, I have a full on 4G signal.

I pass in front of the polbrean youth hostel where I can look down and see the familiar sight of masses of seagulls on Lizard Point.

I continue along the coast path in front of the lighthouse.

I pass the Housel Bay Hotel. It's a pleasant morning so I continue ambling around to the Lizard Marconi Wireless Station, the oldest surviving Marconi wireless station, but it seems to be closed at the moment.

I pass the Bass Point National Coastwatch Station. A plaque here tells me that on the 15th of January 2004, the Breton trawler ‘Bugaled Breizh’ sank off Lizard Point with five sailors losing their lives.

I head towards the Lizard Lifeboat Station at Kilcobben Cove, which, although it was only opened in May 2012, is surrounded in scaffolding. Every time I pass this place it seems to be undergoing repairs!

A stone memorial here tells me that on the night of the 29th December 1962 ‘The Ardgarry’ and her crew of twelve were lost in a storm off of this coast.

I reach a small habitation at Church Cove and head towards Cadgwith.

I leave Church Cove and come across a big clump of giant gunneras. From an unseen house I can hear someone tuning and then playing their guitar.

I come across a small copper butterfly feeding on scabious.

I head on towards Cadgwith, passing the Devil's Frying Pan, where the collapse of a sea cave has led to the creation of a 100 metre deep hole.

On the outskirts of Cadgwith I come across a Jensen car which appears to be in immaculate condition. I think it must be a Jensen CV-8.

I reach flowery Cadgwith and enjoy the roses and poppies here before wandering down to the beach trying to avoid all of the fishing equipment left clumsily lying around! I amble around the beach. Leaving the beach, I pass the Cadgwith Cove Inn (@CadgwithCoveInn) before climbing out of the village in front of a row of cottages overlooking the harbour.

cadgwith

I continue to Poltesco Cove where a footbridge crosses a wooded river.

Here can be found the ruins of a serpentine works, once a thriving Victorian factory making mantlpieces, gravestones, shop fronts and polished ornaments made from the local serpentine stone quarried locally.

On leaving Poltesco I come across more pearl-bordered fritillaries. They prove to be hard to photograph but I do get one shot.

I continue on towards Kennack Sands, enjoying the views back over Poltesco. I reach Kennack Sands, pass the cafe here and wander down on to the beach to waste a bit of time. It can get popular here and is a lot busier than I’ve ever seen it before. There’s even a lifeguard service.

kennack sands

I walk across the beach and climb back up on to the cliffs, enjoying all of the wildflowers and wildlife on the low cliffs. I'm on my own now until I reach Coverack! I walk along easy paths over Eastern Cliff through gorse and heather passing Spernic Cove, Lankidden Cove, Butter Cove and Downas Cove to reach Beagles Point. It turns out I’m not alone as I do come across quite a few people.

There have been butterflies fluttering around everywhere since leaving Kennack Sands, mostly speckled woods and pearl-bordered fritillaries but I did also see a couple of red admirals.

I pass a memorial to the crew of Sea King XV702 who perished close to here on the night of the 21st March 1974.

On Beagles Point I admire the view back to Lizard Point which will soon disappear from view.

I climb over the cliffs to reach the old coastguard lookout at Black Head. I turn in a northerly direction and enjoy the flora and fauna here. I come across one solitary orchid and not a particularly good specimen. I’m sure there used to be more orchids around here.

Easy walking takes me on towards Coverack but before reaching the small fishing village, I have an awkward descent down to Porthbeer Cove which twists and turns all over the place and is strewn with rocks.

I leave the delightful Porthbeer Cove which I don’t think I’ve come across before and another awkward path takes me into Coverack where I pass the Lifeboat House Restaurant and the Paris Hotel and enter the village, passing the small harbour full of fishing boats.

Coverack is looking lovely on this summer's day. I pass St Peter's, the parish church here, and I would have dropped down to the beach, but it is much busier than I would have liked.

coverack

The last time I was here, Coverack had taken a battering in the winter storms but everything is fully repaired now.

I head to the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

speckled wood butterflies
pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies
rabbits
house martins
red campion
rape
cow parsley
foxgloves
navelwort
ox eye daisies
bluebells
sea thrift
bladder campion
devils-bit scabious
common mallow
birds-foot trefoil
kidney vetch
wild carrot
borage
flag iris
english stonecrop
honeysuckle
wild garlic
gunnera
small copper butterfly
clover
hawthorn
pale flax
scarlet pimpernel
wood spurge
dropwort
red admiral butterfly
elderflower
poppies
roses
echiums
gladioli
agapanthus

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 12.6 miles which amounts to 30841 steps. It has taken me six hours. I’ve had glorious weather all day long and the flora and fauna has been magnificent. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

A familiar story now and two of my tracking apps failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app. However my Ordnance Survey app actually worked.

MAP

the lizard to poldhu cove

June 14, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

monday, 7th june 2021

Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday dear me
Happy birthday to me!

The weather forecast for today looks to be great with sun all day long and it might actually be quite warm.

Porthleven low tide 10:10

Porthleven high tide 16:01

I start the day at the car park in the Lizard village next to the Top House Inn. I'm walking this walk to Poldhu Cove in the wrong direction so that when I reach Kynance Cove it should still be pretty quiet.

I wander down the footpath towards Lizard Point, the most southerly point on mainland Great Britain noticing that for the first time ever, I don’t have the dreaded 'no signal' on my phone, but instead have a 4G signal. I wander down to Lizard Point where masses of seagulls have congregated by the cafe.

There’s also a chough wandering around but I can’t get my camera out quick enough to photograph it and I’d have had the wrong lens on anyway. I amble down to the old lifeboat station (I'll pass the latest lifeboat station tomorrow) and then climb back up and head off along the cliffs. Masses of seagulls are flying around here.

Choughs(@cornishchoughs) have taken up residence here. They became extinct in Cornwall in 1973 but returned in 2001. I don’t seem to be able to find any up to date and reliable breeding numbers but they seem to be doing ok. I see a few of them flying around but they are difficult to photograph.

I continue along the cliffs towards Kynance Cove enjoying the magnificent views and the lovely wildflowers.

I disturb a couple more choughs and they fly off before I have a chance to whip out my camera and I then come across a herd of cows together with their calves.

Before reaching Kynance Cove, Pentreath Beach can be found which is a little difficult to reach, involving scrambling down what appears to be little more than a goat track. It definitely looks worth the diversion but it's too adventurous for me with my heavy backpack.

I amble along to reach Kynance Cove where I come across some of the native bloody cranesbills.

The car park is looking quite busy even though it is still very early but there aren’t many people about so I descend steeply down to the cove.

kynance cove

For a change I’ve got quite a bit of beach so I waste quite a bit of time here. There are only a couple of people here. I strap back on my bag and climb back out of the cove, passing the Kynance Cove Cafe on the way up.

kynance cove

As I climb out of Kynance Cove I pass more of the native bloody cranesbills. The views back overlooking Kynance Cove are magnificent.

After ambling for far too long I head off along the Lizard cliffs where I encounter the first orchids of the day, including loads of heath spotted orchids so I waste more time, taking photographs.

An old schoolfriend of mine took her own life eight years ago yesterday. I last spoke to her the day before she died on the phone at this exact spot.

I amble along the top of the cliffs, enjoying the wildflowers.

I continue along the cliffs, enjoying the views to reach Predannack. Predannack airfield is nearby and there is usually a constant stream of helicopters flying overhead but it's quiet today. Maybe they don't fly on a Monday? The wild flowers around here are amazing and there's sea thrift everywhere. I come across ragged robin which I rarely see at home and a small patch of what looks like southern marsh orchids.

Mullion Cove comes into view and I have some kayaks racing past me down below.

I take the steep descent down to the harbour. The last time I was here, Mullion Cove had taken a battering in winter storms and the harbour was badly damaged. It has now been fully repaired.

mullion cove

I ascend the other side of Mullion Cove and pass the Mullion Cove Hotel (@mullioncove).

I head along the cliffs enjoying more of the wild flowers and pass Carrag-Luz or ‘Love Rock’.

Above Polurrian Cove I come across an unfamiliar moth which, I think turns out to be a barred yellow moth.

I reach sandy Polurrian Cove. I waste more time pottering along the sandy beach before climbing back out of Polurrian Cove and heading along the cliffs.

I stop briefly at a bench which has magnificent views to let some dog walkers pass me.

“If ever our souls part to say goodbye
meet me there, where the sea meets the sky;
lost, but finally free.”

I pass the Marconi monument, a granite monument commemorating the first transatlantic radio transmission on the 12th of December 1901. I think that Marconi probably had a better signal 100-odd years ago than I've had today although, to be fair, I think I’ve got a 3G signal here but the sun is too bright for me to be able to see my phone screen properly. I continue along the cliffs enjoying the masses of pink sea thrifts.

As I descend to Poldhu Cove a chough flies across my horizon, calling as it goes. What a lovely end to the day.

I reach Poldhu Cove where the Poldhu Beach Cafe (@poldhu) can be found and waste more time on the sandy beach. It's quite a bit busier here than I'm used to but not too bad for a sunny summer’s day.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

seagulls
choughs
ribwort plantain
mesembryanthemum
foxgloves
bluebells
red and white campion
wild carrot
bladder campion
cows
sea thrift
kidney vetch
dropwort
birds-foot trefoil
bloody cranesbill
heath spotted orchid
common dog-violet
scarlet pimpernel
devils-bit scabious
ragged robin
southern marsh orchid
flag iris
rape
barred yellow moth

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 10.75 miles which amounts to 25616 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours. I’ve had glorious weather all day long and the flora and fauna has been magnificent. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

For a change two out of three of my tracking apps have actually worked today so I have some walk details. They don’t entirely match up but there you go.

MAP

praa sands to poldhu cove

June 13, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

Sunday, 6TH JUNE 2021

After yesterday’s manky weather it looks like today will be lovely, with sun all day long and nothing in the way of wind. Perfect for walking. Woop!

Porthleven low tide 09:26

Porthleven high tide 15:20

I start the day at the car park at Praa Sands where I climb steps down to the beach. I head down the beach to the sea and then start to amble along the beach. Some of the murkiness from yesterday still remains but I don’t think it will last very long.

Part way across the beach I climb back on to the low cliffs, passing a memorial honouring the crew of a Sunderland Flying Boat which crash landed on Praa Sands on the 2nd of June 1943.

I head through the holiday park here passing massive echiums and I enjoy the wild as well as the cultivated flowers. They are all extremely damp after yesterday’s rain and much more advanced than they would be at home.

I leave the holiday homes behind and climb onto Lesceave Cliffs where I continue to enjoy the wild flowers.

Lesceave Cliffs were given to the National Trust by the family of William Arthur Quintrell Treloar in his memory. I have some final views back over Praa Sands and the weather is already picking up.

I continue climbing to reach Rinsey Head where I come across Wheal Prosper tin mine, a rubbish mine which was only open for six years. A sign tells me that Wheal Prosper featured in a BBC TV series, Poldark, in 1995 but I can find no trace of this programme.

I head onto Trewavas Cliff where the sea thrift is looking magnificent.

The path then starts to ramble aimlessly along the cliffs, although the paths seem to be much better than they used to be. I come across Wheal Trewavas which started work in 1834, at its peak employing 200 miners but the mine closed suddenly in 1846.

I enjoy more of the wild flowers on the cliffs before finally entering Porthleven.

I follow the coast path down to the harbour at Porthleven and head around the harbour where I come across the Harbour Inn.

I amble along the road out of Porthleven where I walk past ancient fishing winches and canons protecting the harbour, enjoying the views back to Porthleven.

I walk along the path above Porthleven Sands.

I then descend to Loe Bar and crunch along the pebbly beach.

I regain the cliffs and amble along the top where I continue to enjoy the wildflowers.

I come across masses of five-spot burnets feeding on the sea thrift as well as what must be wall brown butterflies but they are so flighty that I don’t get to see their upper wings to be certain.

As I approach Gunwalloe Fishing Cove I come across a raptor enjoying the sunshine. I’m rubbish when it comes to raptors but is it possibly a common buzzard? Are they even a seaside bird?

I come across a hairy caterpillar shuffling across the path. When I said I was rubbish at identifying raptors I’m even worse when it comes to caterpillars. Is this a ruby tiger moth caterpillar? I have no idea.

I come across a common blue butterfly. It’s becoming quite a day for butterflies.

I drop down to Gunwalloe Fishing Cove and enjoy the sandy and pebbly beach. The Halzephron Inn (@InnHalzephron) can be found 100 yards inland here.

I climb up onto Halzephron Cliff and, oh my word, is that a small pearl-bordered fritillary? I’ve never seen one of these before.

After this first one I see several more but they prove to be too flighty to photograph.

I continue along Halzephron Cliff enjoying the beautiful wildflowers and I have a final view back to Porthleven Sands. Halzephron Cove can be found here but the climb down is a little adventurous even for me.

Creation or evolution? Judging by all the flora and fauna I’ve seen today it can only be evolution.

I continue along the cliff before descending down to Dollar Cove. The cove is named after the great wreck in 1780 when 2 tonnes of silver coins were lost overboard.

dollar cove

It is now a short hop and a skip to Church Cove at the church of St Winwaloe, set into the hillside beside the beach. I waste yet more time on the sandy beach here before heading along the beach and then climbing back onto the cliffs.

church cove

It is another short hop and a skip to reach Poldhu Cove where the Poldhu Beach Cafe (@poldhu) can be found and I waste more time on the sandy beach. It's quite a bit busier here than I'm used to although not too bad for a sunny Sunday.

I amble back along the beach to reach the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

rabbits
chiffchaffs
chaffinches
skylarks
stonechat
small pearl-bordered fritillary
red and white valerian
bluebells
wild carrot
red campion
echiums
aqualegia
arum lily
bottlebrush
iris
roses
sea thrift
foxgloves
birds-foot trefoil
ribwort plantain
bladder campion
devils-bit scabious
kidney vetch
english stonecrop
five-spot burnet
wall brown butterfly
buzzard
ruby tiger moth caterpillar
navelwort
common blue butterfly
wild garlic
gladioli
mint
hawthorn
scarlet pimpernel

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 11.3 miles which amounts to 26520 steps. It has taken me four and three quarter hours. After a murky start I’ve had glorious weather and the flora and fauna has been magnificent. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

A familiar story now and two of my tracking apps failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app. However my Ordnance Survey app actually worked.

MAP

penzance to praa sands

June 12, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

saturday, 5th june 2021

The weather forecast for this week had been looking pretty good until I got up this morning and the forecast is now showing that it’ll be grey and damp. At least there won’t be much in the way of wind. Whatever happened to all that sun?

Porthleven low tide 08:36

Porthleven high tide 14:37

I start the day on the Promenade close to Jubilee Pool (@JubileePoolPZ), Penzance's lido and the UK's largest remaining seawater lido. The view across to Newlyn is decidedly murky.

The view towards Penzance is not any better.

The last time I was here the lido had suffered significant damage in winter storms and I suspected that it wouldn’t open ever again. But I was wrong and it did open and is now looking lovely. Jubilee Pool is run for the community, by the community, and has been operated since 2017 as a charitable community benefit society. On 31st May 2020 Jubilee Pool celebrated its 85th birthday.

I duck behind Jubilee Pool and stand next to the war memorial where I have murky views over towards St Michael’s Mount.

I continue along the coast path around the harbour and pass the Isles of Scilly Travel Centre (@IOSTRAVEL). Along the way I pass the Dolphin Inn and the Dock Inn.

I wander through the car park passing the Penzance Sailing Club and then pass Penzance railway station and then join the cycleway, passing what was once the heliport for catching the helicopter to the Isles of Scilly but which is sadly now a Sainsbury's superstore.

A sign has promised me lovely views but all I can see is murkiness.

I join the beach and trudge towards St Michael's Mount (@ntmichaelsmount). It is extremely murky and I can barely see St Michael’s Mount but I do believe the mist is lifting.

There’s a river flowing down the beach so I have to retrace my steps and cross a bridge over the river next to the road before following the path next to Folly Field.

I head towards Marazion and walk along Fore Street and then Turnpike Hill, passing the Godolphin Arms, the King's Arms and the Fire Engine Inn. Beside the Godolphin Arms is Maypole Gardens.

I head out of Marazion. The coast path signs have dried up and I’m sure I haven’t gone this far out of Marazion before.

I head down a track that looks like it might go out to the coast and then follow a public footpath. I find some coast path signs again but none of this looks familiar.

I reach Trenow Cove and there is a curlew on the beach and swallows flying around me. I look back over the beach towards St Michael's Mount before heading along the path to Boat Cove.

I used to encounter southern marsh orchids along here but someone has been over enthusiastic with a strimmer and there’s no sign of them. Nevertheless, I enjoy the wildflowers around here even if they are a little damp.

I reach Perranuthnoe. In the village can be found the Victoria Inn but I skirt around the village and enjoy the relatively quiet Perran Sands just down the road before regaining the coast path.

Rain/mist looks like it is set in for the day now and it is much windier than the forecast promised. I continue to amble back along the coast path below Acton Castle where I come across masses of six-spot burnets.

I reach Cudden Point and I am now seeing wild cabbages everywhere.

I continue on to Prussia Cove. Prussia Cove is actually made up of three distinct coves, Piskies Cove, Bessy's Cove and King's Cove.

prussia cove

I continue my ambling to reach Kennegy Sands. The beach seems to be permanently closed here. It used to be difficult to access by climbing down two chain ladders but it's now fenced off. Even so, I'm sure I can spot footprints in the sand below!

I then head on towards Praa Sands. Here can be found the Sandbar. It is very murky here and the beach is all but deserted.

My walking is done for the day and so I head to the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

echiums
red and white valerian
curlew
swallow
wrens
red campion
cow parsley
alexanders
rape
foxgloves
ribwort plantain
sea thrift
bird’s-foot trefoil
bluebells
bladder campion
yarrow
six-spot burnet
hogweed
buttercups
common dog-violet
wild cabbage
honeysuckle
navelwort
wild garlic
kniphofia
english stonecrop

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 11.3 miles which amounts to 26269 steps. It has taken me four and a half hours. The weather has been pretty poor today with rain, mist and murkiness for much of the day and it has been much more blustery than it should have been. Seven out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

All three of my tracking apps failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app, so no walk details today.

MAP

Since all three of my tracking apps failed me today I’ve no way of generating a map.

dittisham and cornworthy

May 18, 2021 by Mark Seymour in dart valley trail

SOUTH HAMS, DEVON

wednesday, 12th MAY 2021

For May it looks like it’s going to be pretty cold today and although the winds seem to have died down it looks like it is going to be pretty damp.

For a change, I won’t be going anywhere near the sea today so no need for any tide times.

Our holiday cottage for the week is Higher Dinnicombe near to Dartmouth in the South Hams of South Devon. I leave our cottage early and head up the track towards the golf course of the Dartmouth Golf and Country Club where I pass the chickens and the sheep belonging to the owner of Higher Dinnicombe. The track is looking lovely, covered in spring wild flowers.

I pick up a public footpath but go in the opposite direction to the previous three days. I amble through fields of flowering rape on my way to Allaleigh Cross.

At Tideford Park Farm I come across camellias, hellebores and a nice collection of tulips.

My plan was to pick up a footpath down to Capton Mill. I’m presented with a choice of two footpaths. I choose the first one but ambling for a little bit it is clear that this one is going in the wrong direction so I retrace my steps and choose the other footpath instead. After a little while it is clear that this one is going in the wrong direction as well. Oh well! I might as well stay on this one now.

I wander along a minor road to Broadridge and then pick up a bridleway which takes me down to Barberry Water Bridge. I enjoy the wildflowers on either side of the bridleway.

I join a minor road at Barberry Farm and follow this for a bit before finding a footpath which takes me over grassed slopes full of sheep.

I now have fine views over the River Dart.

I continue along the footpath to reach Higher Dittisham.

It’s time to turn back in the other direction and head for Cornworthy. I’m now on the Dart Valley Trail so I walk along the road for a bit next to the River Dart before following a footpath towards East Cornworthy.

Just before Dittisham Mill I turn right over a wooden footbridge and climb some stone steps before following a footpath along a field edge and then a wooded area covered in wild garlic.

I turn left onto a minor road and climb up after a bridge at East Cornworthy before turning right at a signpost pointing to Coombe.

Here I come across a sign promising me that there will be loads of hedgehogs about. Needless to say I didn’t see any!

I pass Coombe Farm Studios and Gallery and Fingals Luxury Country House B&B, where I come across some lovely camassias.

I pass by Old Coombe Orchard.

At Barberry Cross I carry straight on before turning right down Broadgates Lane which is covered in bluebells and wild garlic.

I follow the lane which becomes a road. I should cross straight over at Longland Cross but the road is closed so, instead, I turn left and head for Butts Cross where I pick up a bridleway which takes me down into the village of Cornworthy. I come across housemartins nesting in the eaves of a house and enjoy the centaurea montana on the edges of a number of the front gardens.

As I enter the village the church clock starts to chime ten ‘o’ clock.

I stop at the wisteria covered Hunters Lodge Inn. The inn was closed when I passed it two years ago but was just about to open with new tenants Grahame and Sue Nutt. I’m glad to see that the inn is indeed now open even if the times are challenging.

I pass through the rest of the village passing more wisteria covered houses.

The Dart Valley Trail heads off to my right but I continue straight on through the village. As I’m leaving the village my first swifts of the year fly over me screaming.

I pass the ruins of Cornworthy Priory, standing alone in the middle of a field. The gatehouse is all that remains of the 13th century priory. The convent was abandoned in 1539 when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries.

I continue along the road leaving Cornworthy behind me and come across a couple of early purple orchids on top of a bank by the side of the road.

I leave the road at Coomery and wander along the ancient track, Allaleigh, which was once important for transporting timber. Nowadays it is just a muddy, rutted track.

I pass a flyer for a guided walk taking place on Thursday the 27th of May hosted by Valerie Belsey. Coincidentally, there are a couple of books by Valerie in our holiday cottage. One is ‘Exploring Green Lanes in the South Hams’ and the other is ‘The Buzzard and the Bikers’ which I have now read.

It is now a pleasant amble along Allaleigh where I enjoy the wildflowers.

I pass by the Green Lanes Centre, set up in 1984, an education centre where young and old could learn about the local heritage, wildlife and ecology.

Towards the end of Allaleigh I pass a group of ruined buildings where a chapel once stood.

I leave Allaleigh and head up a minor road before recrossing the rape fields back to our holiday cottage where I am serenaded by an awful lot of skylarks. What a beautiful end to the day and somehow I’ve got back pretty early and managed to avoid the deluge of rain that would pour down shortly after I get back.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

swallows
squirrels
swifts
rabbit
primroses
common dog-violet
red campion
greater stitchwort
bluebells
rape
camellia
hellebores
tulips
cow parsley
garlic mustard
wild garlic
welsh poppy
green alkanet
celandines
herb robert
camassias
forget-me-not
euphorbia
red valerian
wisteria
cowslip
early purple orchids
wood anemones
shiny crane’s-bill

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 9.9 miles which amounts to 23162 steps. It has taken me four hours. What a thoroughly pleasant walk and despite a dodgy forecast I’ve managed to stay dry. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

My Ordnance Survey app for showing elevation details has actually WORKED for a third day running but the two other tracking apps I use failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app.