Truro, Chapel Porth and Watergate Bay

Tuesday 17th September 2013

It was forecast to be a miserable day so we decided to see a few of Cornwall's sights.  I haven't been to Truro before and I was very impressed, we mainly went to have a look round the cathedral which was very impressive.

Truro Cathedral.

And on the inside.

In the afternoon, the weather really did it's worst.  We went to have a look at Chapel Porth a small cove near St Agnes, now I'm sure this is a really lovely place on a calm dry day but today, oh my word!!  I tried to get out of the car in the car park and the door shut on me it was so windy, the combination of a very strong wind, rain and sea spray made for quite an experience! We did a fair bit of people watching and it was fascinating. Then we moved on along the coast to Newquay and on to Watergate Bay, neither of these looked very appealing in the grim weather conditions!  Newquay looked much nicer than I remember it but then it's probably been twenty years since my last drive through.

By the way it was only about 4 in the afternoon although in these photos it looks a lot darker and later.

Fistral Beach, Newquay.

Watergate Bay

Little Petherick to Padstow and Back

Monday 16th September 2013

We had an epic six mile walk today from our holiday cottage on the creek at Little Petherick to Padstow and back again.  It tried to rain a few times but luckily it came to nothing and we remained dry if not a little windswept.  We successfully found twelve geocaches on the circuit alongside Little Petherick Creek and had to give up on two. We walked through farmland, woodland and alongside the creek so it was a varied and different walk for us.  At one stage the footpath took us through a field with four horses in, one of which was a bit playful and seemed affected by the strong winds - a bit scary too, it was very large!  

There were loads of blackberries, these are yet to ripen but what a lot!

Looking towards Padstow from the Camel Trail.

The little white blobs in the trees are egrets, further up the creek there were about thirteen standing in a tree, it looked very odd!

In the evening we went in to Padstow for a wander around, all was quiet and calm in the inner harbour.

A very relaxing place.

Harlyn Bay - North Cornwall

Saturday 14th September 2013

We are back in North Cornwall again for the week.  Yesterday was very very wet and miserable but today was beautiful with blue sky and sunshine - bliss.  Having lounged about in the sunshine at the holiday cottage this morning, we headed off this afternoon for a picnic and walk at Harlyn Bay near Padstow.  We walked along the beach then up on to the south west coastal footpath where we tried to find a geocache that we were unable to find in April without success once again (despite our best efforts on the cliff edge!).  We did however successfully  find another cache later on in the afternoon. 

The sea was an amazing blue - probably something to do with the blue sky and sunshine - and very clean and clear.

Small cove at Harlyn Bay

Clean and very clear sea.

Rock samphire tucked away in the cliffs.

Hmmmmmmmmmm - nice!

We walked to the headland in the distance then back on to the beach where we had to try and beat the tide and get round some rocky bits - mission accomplished (luckily in epic wellies!)

We saw many different birds today, the highlight being a kingfisher on the creek at the back of our holiday cottage and kittiwakes diving into the sea at Harlyn Bay.  

We made the most of today as tomorrow is forecast to be wet and miserable all day, apparently the first real storm of autumn, we'll see!  I hope it's not too bad as there is a triathlon at Harlyn tomorrow.

Testwood Lakes and Being Stung by a Wasp - Twice!!!!

Friday 6th September 2013

As this afternoon seemed to be nicer than the weatherman had forecast we had a quick trip to Testwood Lakes near Totton.  We went to try and find three geocaches but only found one of the three despite our best efforts - and believe me one of them was very trying. 

Testwood Lakes.

Shortly after taking this photo we saw a kingfisher dart by in a streak of turquoise on the lake next to this one.

We were at this spot last on the 1st January this year and there are photos on this blog showing the river flowing over this bridge, well, the water is much lower now.

There was masses of Himalayan Balsam,  apparently it's an invasive non-native species.

At this point we spent some time looking for a cache that was hidden in a log, unfortunately it was right next to a wasps nest - so we read on  the cache details after the inevitable happened - and I got stung twice by a wasp on the bottom!!!!!!  I think most of the people in the surrounding cottages knew about it!!!! We had a bit more of a search for the cache then gave up, beaten again. Walking after this was a little bit tender to say the least, still it gave the others something to laugh about for the rest of the walk.

The River Test.

A Great Crested Grebe.

On the way back on one of the lakes we spotted this very cool Great Crested Grebe. Testwood Lakes is a great place for wildfowl and for walking but I do wish dog owners would clear up after their dogs. (Don't get me started on that one!)

Calshot

Thursday 5th September 2013

On the way to Calshot today we stopped off at Blackfield to successfully find a geocache. We had parked the car next to a cemetery and decided to have a look and see how old the oldest graves were.  As I opened the gate, I saw something move under it and it was this ..........

an adder

 (I don't think it was very pleased to see us and it soon slithered off into the undergrowth).

On to Calshot and a picnic on the beach - another lovely day with plenty of people making the most of it.

Calshot looking across the end of Southampton Water as it joins the Solent.

Cool and inviting on a hot afternoon.

Lots of activity on the water - a hovercraft.

We sat on the beach for a while, taking in all of the comings and goings on the sea then had a walk down to the castle at the end of Calshot Spit where we saw these boats;

Border Force apparently.

The Isle of Wight ferry (Southampton to Cowes).

Something fast!!!!

Well, we've certainly made the most of the last couple of days as this could be the last of the really good weather - I hope it's not though.

Royal Victoria Country Park - Netley

Wednesday 4th September 2013

Wow, what a lovely day, warm and sunny with a fantastic blue sky, who could ask for more? We decided to cache in the country park, an area we have cached in several times in the last year or so but there are still plenty of caches to be found.  This morning we wandered along the beach which is actually along the shore of Southampton Water, but looking at this photo it could be somewhere fancy abroad (even with the docks just visible in the background).

The shoreline at Netley.

On the opposite side of Southampton Water just visible are Fawley Power Station and Fawley Refinery, ok so maybe now it doesn't look quite so exotic!!!!

There is always something to look at up and down Southampton Water (with Fawley Refinery in the background).

After a picnic in the shade (it was too hot in the sunshine) we walked through the country park, mostly in the shade of the woodland. 

The chapel in the Country Park.

It may have been a hot September day, but the signs of autumn are visible in the hedgerows, as these rosehips show.

We made the most of a fantastic day, we walked five miles, enjoyed a picnic, successfully found about thirteen geocaches and were only unsuccessful with one and we do hate to be beaten by them!  

Nuthatches, Long Tailed Tits and a Fox

Tuesday 3rd September 2013

I have a couple of quick notes from today. We had a walk on Southampton Common this afternoon and there were quite a few people about, but despite this there was lots of bird noise around - is it bird noise or bird song?  It sounds a bit rude to call it a noise when it was very nice!  Up in the trees we spotted a nuthatch twittering away, followed by another one and then another one on the other side of the path.  It's like the bus thing, you don't see one for ages and then they all come along at once. Then, whilst looking at the nuthatches we noticed there were a few long tailed tits flitting about making their own distinctive call - very good to see.

This evening, having dropped off our daughter for a night of clubbing, on my way home a fox ran across the road.  I don't see foxes very often, probably because I'm not up when they are out and about, so I was very pleased to have seen this one.  

A good day!