Wimbleball Lake (Thurs am)

Twenty four of us met at the car park for our third walk. The weather was kind to us once again as we started off with a short steady climb on the road then across one or two fields and finally around the lakeside. A couple of stiles and a bit muddy and boggy in places but everyone coped. This area is lovely and peaceful except for the birds and the occasional dog. The lake itself is very big and in the summer hosts a variety of water sports but this time of the year just the hardy fisherman. At the end of the walk some of us decided to go to the visitors centre for a lunch time snack here there is a small tea room, shop and numerous picnic tables. Although the wind was blowing it was warm enough to eat outside. The above photo shows the group that finished of the soup of the day leaving the rest of us to have pasties sausage rolls etc:- but as these were home made they tasted delicious.

Exmoor holiday

Thirty one of us made the trip to Raleghs Cross in Exmoor staying at the seemingly very old but well extended hotel and Inn with a good reputation for its food. The food was excellent only complaint the staff were very few in number and struggled to serve us food as well as the normal casual customers. The site of the hotel is well documented. The brazier at Raleghs Cross (Rayleighs's Cross), one of a pair at Elworthy Barrows, two miles east of this site, was placed at Ralegh's Cross to commemorate 400th anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The original braziers were part of a regular network of communications established to give news of the approach of an enemy at least from the time of threats of Spanish invasion in the 16th century to the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th.
After settling in on the Wednesday we had our first walk from the hotel a circular tour of the local fields mainly occupied by sheep. We managed to rescue one lamb trapped in a wire fence as you can see from the film. The following day we drove to Minehead parking on the sea front. We walked the coastal path to Blue Anchor with enough time to get a drink and something to eat at the local cafe which was very popular before going to the train station frozen in a fifty's time warp. We gratefully boarded the steam train for a relaxing ride back through Dunster to Minehead. Later we drove above Minehead to a beautiful headland with far reaching views for 2 walks then back to the hotel for a well deserved dinner. more to come.

May Walk

April Walk

Very good turn out thirty and one dog for this month's walk at Milkham Woods car park. Although grey skies it never rained and by the time we headed back the sun broke through the clouds. Very enjoyable. Picture shows Dave setting up his camera for a group picture.

March Walk

Thirty two of us and 2 dogs met up at the Canadian Memorial for a good walk. It was a cold start although sunny but by the time we climbed a few slopes and muddy streams we were very warm. We went past the model boat lake busy in the summer with enthusiasts but none that devoted to be there today. Coming back we had a bridge to go over the same stream we struggled with and this of course called for a photo call.

6th February at Millyford car park

A really nice day with clear skies and yet not too cold greeted all 31 of us and 2 dogs at the Millyford Bridge car park.It was very muddy even going upwards to one of the highest points in the forest. We debated whether the distant horizon was the IOW. Looked similar. later coming back the terrain improved, a very good outing.
(Don't know what went wrong with the sound track and the sky wasn't that pink.)

January Walk

Dave said it might be a bit muddy if it had rained earlier. They said the same thing to the new troops going up the line at the battle of Somme.
Despite the mud it was a very good walk for the 24 and one dog who turned up. After the initial muddy start the terrain improved and coming back we were able to return on a dry route. Weather though cold was dry and the rain only started after we were home.

December's walk

What a morning, really wet and windy and most of the group cancelled but five of us turned up at the car park to meet Dave and we bravely went ahead as the rain had eased. We were not the only ones as several other walker were in evidence most of them accompanied by their dogs. It was fun splashing through the puddles. Half way we did have to take shelter behind a gorse bush to get out of the way of horizontally driven rain but it did not last long. The sun came out for a while which was pleasant. In all a very good walk and we felt quite good for making the effort.

December walk

November's walk in the sunshine

Although most of us, the nineteen who came for the New Forest walk, were dressed for November the weather was as sunny as a summer's day with a temperature to match.Despite repeatedly stopping to investigate all the fungi which was plentifully in evidence we made it back at 12.15. It was a very good walk we all including the 2 dogs enjoyed it. One picture of Brian is him showing how tall the grass was so that the height of the deer we had just seen could be estimated.