Lambs in Late November

Tuesday 24th November 2015

Apparently there was 9.7mm of rain last night in Swanage and the ground today seemed to confirm that figure!  The footpaths on our walk today were fairly soft and muddy with large puddles here and there.  Luckily the rain kept off for our short walk out to the coast and back although the clouds were very threatening. The first sheep we came across were the three rams that we came across in the spring, not the best looking maybe but quite friendly compared to most sheep!

Definitely wet underfoot!

At this point we could hear a young lamb calling out in a field close by, and sure enough....

...... there they were!

One little lamb seemed to have mislaid his mum so of course we couldn't leave without making sure he was reunited with mum which of course he eventually was.

It's nearly December and there are still a few blackberries about.

The view from an important place for our family with those three rams mentioned earlier mooching about in the middle.

In the afternoon we had another quick walk at Durlston Country Park where it was again dull and overcast but it was good to be out in the fresh air.

Anvil Point Lighthouse......

........ in the gloom of the afternoon.

The Tilly Whim Caves with a very low tide.

Another very pleasant walk.

A Walk along the Test Way from Mottisfont

Monday 16th November 2015

I really should have been Christmas shopping today but let's say due to a lack of ideas and motivation it didn't happen.  However, we did have a productive morning, clearing out some of the junk in our garage and taking to the local recycling centre, then as we were out that way we had a walk along the Test Way from a car park at Mottisfont.  The footpath follows the route of the old railway line (the Sprat and Winkle line) between Romsey and Andover alongside the River Test.  Today's aim was to look for two new (ish) geocaches, one of which had a duck travel bug in it that has travelled over 21,000 miles - we hope to take it to our Christmas family duck race in a few weeks before we move it on to another geocache.    This well travelled duck started it's travels in Scotland and has been to Italy, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Mauritius, Malta and to various places in the UK. The second geocache was a tricky little number but luckily I was with just the man to solve the problem and get in to the cache! (I would probably still be there now trying to get into it!!)

As we looked for the first cache, we could hear a buzzard overhead, we then heard a few more, in fact there were five circling high up overhead making the mewing call that is so distinctive to buzzards.  I took a few photos but had to zoom in beyond the point of no return so they are not great but you get the idea!

Well, at least the twigs are in focus!  First there was one......

...... then there were two........

......... three..........

......four...... far in the distance.  Then there were five but I couldn't fit them all in!!

A lovely cottage with equally lovely neighbours in front of their gate.

A short detour took us onto the Monarch's Way over the River Test.

It was very quiet along the Test Way this morning, we only passed a couple of ladies on bikes and that was it.  The path itself was muddy in places and covered in leaves but pleasant enough.  There were birds everywhere, some singing at the top of their little voices.  We saw lots of robins, a few blue tits, great tits, blackbirds, pheasants, a thrush, a jay and a dunnock. We had a short 3 mile walk and a productive morning.                                                                                                  

Dancing Ledge & Seacombe

Friday 13th November 2015 - Unlucky For Some?

After such a long mild spell today was the coldest morning of the autumn so far.  To say it was blowy on the coast is an understatement, but it certainly blew the cobwebs away!  We parked at Langton Matravers and walked out to Dancing Ledge via Spyway Barn.  It was soft underfoot after a fair bit of rain lately and  mud soon clogged up my walking boots making it quite slippery - still it all adds to the experience!!!

The rain has made the cows nice and curly, I love this one's curly perm!

There were large waves at Dancing Ledge this morning, tricky things  to photograph - I gave up!

Dancing Ledge.

Geocaching up high - it was successfully found - eventually (not by me I may add).

Weather - variable.

At Dancing Ledge the old quarries have been blocked off but you can peek through the windows to get an idea of what is beyond the wall, it was quite eerie though.

A robin disappeared through the window into the darkness - rather him than me!

How many stiles do you need to get over one fence....... four apparently!

Dancing Ledge from further on round the coast.

At Seacombe we left the coast and headed inland, scurrying about up the valley there were some enormous rabbits.  We also saw on our walk four or five kestrels, who obviously liked the wind. As we got to the top of the hill we came across these lovelies........

........... who were full of the joys of spring.

Talking of spring, what have we here?  It's 13th November and no 52 has a very young lamb - weird.

The sheep in the front here literally leapt for joy like a young lamb as we approached - maybe it was more of a kung fu kick to warn us off!

We joined the Priests Way shortly after meeting the sheep and had a pleasant flat walk back to Spyway Barn and back to the car.  Four miles walked, epic views admired, rough seas watched, cobwebs blown well and truly away, now for a cup of tea.

Swanage - Warm for November!

Thursday 12th November 2015

It's hard to believe it's November as it's still unseasonably warm - not that there'll be any complaints from me!  Even the flowers are confused, we planted some bulbs about 4 or 5 weeks ago, that were meant to flower in the spring, well, they are up. with lovely leaves and one even has a flower on it.  This could all end in tears once the first frost comes!!  There are few visitors about and Swanage beach was empty so it looked like November.

There is some major cliff stabilisation work happening further along the beach but apart from that all was quiet.

Armistice Day 2015

Wednesday 11th November 2015

The war memorial in Swanage was looking good after the Remembrance Parade last Sunday and the service this morning.  We had a detour on our walk this afternoon to take a look at the wreaths and the small crosses, one for each person listed on the memorial.  One of those listed on the memorial is for Charles Joseph Curtis (no relation), so I looked up his details when we got back.  Private Charles  Joseph Curtis of the 7th Battalion Border Regiment, was born in Corfe Castle, he enlisted in Swanage and was killed in action at the age of 30 on 21st September 1918 in France.  Still remembered.