St Austell to Pentewan

We caught the 10.42 train from Plymouth to St Austell.  This train had  only 2 coaches and as it was a school holiday and lovely sunny day it was very crowded.  Most people got off at Liskeard and it was then a more pleasant journey.

Once at St Austell we walked down through the town and out to Pentewan Road.  There was a very busy double roundabout to cross and in retrospect we realised we should have walked further up the road before crossing.

To begin with we walked along the pavement but soon we came to the Pentewan Vally Cycle Trail which took us on a path parallel to the road next to the St Austell river and then into Kings Wood.  It was a very good path, flat all the way and it was a pleasant walk.  I had read there were bluebells in Kings Wood and there were some, but they were not giving a spectacular show yet.

After 4 miles we reached Pentewan.  This was a pleasant village and the beach was lovely.  After sitting on the edge of the beach and ate our lunch while watching people enjoying the sea and sand, we set off back to St Austell.  

When we got back to the edge of St Austell we followed the signs of Cycle Route 3 instead of going the most direct way.  This meant we did not have to cross the double roundabout, but it was a long way round and we missed seeing the town centre.

Wembury, bluebells and coast

As the bluebells were finally in flower we thought we would re-do a walk we found last year to see the bluebells in the National Trust's Wembury Woods.  This walk is described at http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1356405894339/

We parked at the car park by Wembury village recreational ground and followed the marker posts along the edges of fields until we reached Wembury Woods.  We immediately saw a wonderful display of bluebells.

We continued to walk through the woods, but chose not to go down to the viewpoint by the River Yealm as the path was muddy in parts and we knew it was a steep path down to the viewpoint.  We thought the bluebells were at their peak, but when we reached the bridge over the brook there were some still not out.  This was a pity as I am sure when the bluebells behind the bridge are fully out it will make a lovely photo.

For a while there were not any bluebells in the wood, but we were walking parallel to the River Yealm so this made interesting viewing.  But as we started to climb away from the river the bluebells started again and they were very plentiful in Traine Wood.

It was a fairly steep climb up through the woods up to Hollacombe village, but once we had crossed over the road and started to walk down Traine Road it was downhill back to Wembury village.  As we passed farm gates we had views out to the sea.

This was a lovely walk, especially at this time of the year when the bluebells are in flower.

© Crown copyright and database rights 2012 Ordnance Survey 100023974

Once back to our car we drove to the National Trust car park at Wembury Beach. The sea was looking  lovely and there were several paddle boarders trying to catch the occasional wave.

After eating our lunch we walked along the coast in the direction of Heybrook Bay.  It was interesting to see where there had been landslips earlier in the year, which meant the path had to be brought away from the edge.

We continued to walk until we reached the finger post telling us we had walked a mile and it was a mile to Heybrook Bay.  As we had walked this morning we did not want to have a long walk this afternoon so we turned back.  On the return journey we saw two butterflies.

East Dartmoor Nature Reserve

Although the bluebell season is nearly over we thought we might see some on Dartmoor where it is colder.  We drove to Bovey Tracey then up on to Dartmoor.  We were looking for a car park we had seen on a map but turned too soon and ended up at the Yarner Wood car park.  We decided we would explore this wood before continuing on our journey.  We took the path that was clearly marked as the nature trail.  At either end of the walk near the car park the path was very good although it was narrower and slightly muddy further away.

There were a few bluebells around, but the highlight of the walk was seeing a toad on the path.

We then drove on to the car park that was at the side of the road overlooking the Bovey Valley.  We walked down the bridleway to the base of the Bovey Valley.  This was a long, but not too steep hill.  To begin with the path was some distance from the river but we continued on to the second bridge where we crossed a brook and then started to walk along the bank of the river Bovey.  There were some bluebells in flower, but mainly on the other bank of the river.

After walking nearly an hour the path became rough with lots of stones so we stopped for lunch and then turned back.  When we got back to Hisley Bridge we diverted from the path to cross the Bridge and walk along the river.  There were a lot more bluebells here in Hisley Wood and there was a lovely scent as we walked along.

Hisley Bridge was a lovely old bridge with cobbles across it.

After walking for a while along the river we turned back to Hisley Bridge and continued along the bridle path up the hill to the car.

Bluebells at Antony

Having been away for a hectic weekend we were tired and did not want to drive far or have an energetic walk.  Antony House was therefore and ideal place to visit as it is very close to Plymouth, on easy roads, and the walk around the Woodland Garden is a gentle pleasant stroll.

The gardens around Antony House are not that special or extensive, although the irises were out against  the walls or the Walled Garden.

There were lots of bluebells out in the Woodland Garden, some growing amongst the long grass were not very spectacular, but in places there were carpets of them.

There was also swathes of white wild garlic and many azaleas and rhododendrons giving bright patches of colour.

The Woodland Garden is a delightful place to stroll around in the spring and we felt refreshed by visiting it and enjoying the plant growing there.

Seal and Old Gaffers

The Old Gaffers, a type of sailing boat, had been visiting Plymouth this week and were due to leave together on Sunday morning.  It was a grey day and not very warm but I hoped it would be an interesting display so I went up to the Hoe to watch.  I decided that the footpath called Rusty Anchor would be the best vantage point so after a walk around the seafront I sat there to wait for the boats, while drinking my coffee.  As I waited I noticed a couple of other photographers were focusing their cameras on the sea.  When I looked I saw there was a seal bobbing around by the rocks.

When the Old Gaffers came out of the Tamar they gathered together before sailing across the Sound and then out to sea.

Clearbrook to Shaugh Bridge

Recently I was re-reading my blog regarding what we did in May 2011.  On 6 May  we walked from Clearbrook to Shaugh Bridge as described at http://exploringplymouthsurroundings.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/clearbrook-to-shaugh-bridge.html.  At the time I wrote that I would like to do the same walk but keeping by the river.  We decided that today would be a good day to do this.

We parked the car at Clearbrook and walked down the hill to Hoo Meavy.  We walked along by the River Meavy.  To begin with it was an easy flat walk through fields.  Soon we were at Goodameavy.  Here we crossed over the bridge and walked on the other side of the river.  To begin with the path was good, but it became rougher as we neared Shaugh Bridge.  It was lovely, though, walking beside the river as it gurgled down past granite boulders.

After just over an hour we reached Shaugh Bridge and we were glad that there was an icecream van there.  Having been refreshed we started to walk back on the other side of the river.  This was not such a good path and we had to scramble over boulders and fallen trees.  At one point we saw some ducks enjoying the sunshine.

When we did this walk in 2011 there were lots of bluebells out, but today, although the same date, we saw very few.  We did see some by the river on the way back, though.

When we nearly got back  to Goodameavy we scrambled up a bank to get to the cycle path.  We followed this back to our car.

Buckland Abbey Estate

During the week there was a bluebell walk around the estate at Buckland Abbey.  We did not go on this, but thought we would explore the estate surrounding Buckland Abbey today and see the bluebells for ourselves.  At the reception we were given a map of walks around the estate and were told that there were some bluebells out on the south facing slopes between the red and blue walk.  We therefore decided to do the longer blue walk that goes around the edge of the estate, following the river Tavy for most of the time.  It was suppose to be 3 miles long.

As we walked up the Beech Avenue there were lovely views out to the River Tamar.  We then crossed a field full of sheep with young lambs.  When we entered The Great Wood we were disappointed that there were no bluebells out as in the first part of this wood there are masses of bluebells.  We continued on the blue walk and it was quite some time before we saw any bluebells.      From the distance we saw a blue haze on the wooded banks above the path on the south side.  Although some plants had started to flower not all the individual flowers had opened and in between the plants were some not out at all.

As we approached Buckland Abbey we could see there were some lovely magnolias, camelias and rhododendrons out in the gardens.  So after we were refreshed by tea and cake in the cafe we walked around the Cider House Garden and then the gardens around the Abbey.

Fritillia in Cider House Garden

Magnolia and azelias in Cider House Garden

Cider House Garden

Azelias in Cider House Garden

Rhodendrons and Azelias

Although we were disappointed not to see more bluebells it was a very pleasant walk and the gardens were lovely.

Once home I compared my photos with previous ones I have taken at bluebell time at Buckland Abbey and was interested to see that in 2011 that the bluebells were all out on 3 May.  See http://exploringplymouthsurroundings.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/bluebells-at-buckland-abbey.html

Pencarrow Head to Polruan

With the very wet winter and spring and subsequent landslips we have not ventured out onto the South West Coast Path very much at all this year so far.  But lately it has been dry and today was a lovely sunny day so we decided to walk the section of the coast from Pencarrow Head to Polruan.

We drove down to Looe a different way to usual as the normal road we use was still closed after the landslip.  From there we went on to Polperro and then followed the coast towards Polruan.  These were  very narrow lanes and not easy driving.  We parked at the National Trust car park at Pencarrow Head and walked across the field to the South West Coast Path.  We were following the walk in the NT website  Polruan coast and creek walk http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lantic-bay-and-lansallos/things-to-see-and-do/view-page/item933623/

When we reached the coast path there was a beautiful view of Lantic Bay and beach.

The walk along the coast path was steep up and down at times, but the views were worth the effort. There was gorse brightening the path and ocassional butterflies and birds flying around.  There were even a few bluebells.

View from top of Polruan towards Fowey

We walked down to Polruan and had our lunch sat on the quay, then started the Hall Walk up the Pont Creek.  This was a fairly flat section of the walk and took us through woodland with the creek always below us.  There were many bluebells in the woods and it will be a very pretty walk when these are fully out.

When we came to the end of the creek we had one more steep climb up the the church and then along the road back to the car.  A very pleasant walk!

Rather than return on the narrow lanes to Polperro we drove to Boddinick and caught the car ferry across to Fowey and drove home that way - a much better route than the one we took this morning