Clovelly on Song for its first Folk Festival

The picturesque village of Clovelly in North Devon will stage its first folk festival over the weekend of 5th and 6th May. Folk music in Devon has undergone a massive revival recently. Live music invites participation; it binds communities and brings new sound and colour to people's lives in a time of austerity. The Clovelly Folk Festival aims to do just that. The village harbour stage will be the setting for many talented Devonian singers and musicians with an eclectic mix of styles and voices, from blues and samba to the songs of the West Country and beyond.Wren music of Okehampton has the Baring-Gould archive of traditional music and together with the appearences of  both Jim Causley, Jackie Oates the festival will have a genuine West Country base. There are also many gifted musicians appearing who are local to Clovelly including Jim Crawford, Nick Wyke, Beckie Driscoll, Tina Bennett, Chloe Bix and Mario Lee. The parish church will be hosting two concerts by local musicians; its location and interior beauty forming a unique venue. During the weekend, workshops for both children and adults wil be held in the village and parish hall. This is a festival which locates traditional music in a traditional village, little changed in hundreds of years and will provide a Spring time spectacle for all. 

Clovelly Folk Festival Saturday 5 May-Sunday 6 May - Tickets available from The Plough Arts Centre Box Office on 01805 624624 Adults £15; Families (2A+2C) £35. 

For programme details, visit http://www.clovelly.co.uk/events.php - or check out the line-up and see some you-tube footage at www.clovellyfolkfestival.co.uk

 North Devon Focus Blogspot Clovelly Highlights - Clovelly Lobster and Crab Festival 2011 - Clovelly Herring Festival 2011

Bucks Mills Breaks and "The Braunds"

Melinda's Cottage, is a delightful cottage in the quiet village of Bucks Mills within a conservation area on the edge of beautiful Bideford Bay. Rumour has it that the cottages were built from the timbers of Spanish galleons fleeing the Armada. The Braunds, who lived in every cottage in the village, were thought to be descended from the Spanish survivors. However it is believed that this cottage was built in about 1830. The last Braund to live here was Melinda with her husband, who worked as a chauffeur, and her seven children. The cottage was originally thatched and it is now listed. It retains many original features including the very old range which was made by Bodley in Bideford. Today the cottage is owned by the Stevens who have stayed in many self-catering cottages and have tried to provide everything for a super holiday. It is available for holidays and short breaks all year round and is a good base for exploring Bideford, Barnstaple, Clovelly, Westward-Ho! and is also close to Hartland Quay. An honest 5 minutes walk from the cottage, the path leads you passed the old lime kilns to a pebbly, sandy beach with lovely rock pools and safe swimming. The North Devon Coast Path crosses the village, leading to Clovelly in one direction and through the woods to Peppercombe in the other. Click here for more accommodation details and availability
 

MELINDA'S COTTAGE
Melinda's Cottage, 5, Forest Gardens, Bucks Mills, Nr. Bideford, North Devon, EX39 5DY
Tel: 01458 850349 Email: john.joanna@btinternet.com
Click here to visit Melinda's Cottage's Web Page

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Explore Bucks Mills with the North Devon Focus Picture

North Devon Focus on the Braund Society - "A Name to be Reckoned With"

Lighting Up Time. Bideford New Year's Eve Celebrations

Bideford will once again help revellers welcome in the New Year in spectacular style. New Year's Eve Celebrations will start from 6pm on Bideford Quay with entertainment including a light show set to music, traditional fairground rides, street dancing displays, and a children's fancy dress parade with prizes for the best fancy dress. The evening will be hosted by presenters from North Devon independent radio station The Voice. This year, from 9pm, the station will be beaming the celebrations live to online listeners around the world. The temporary road closure comes into force at 6pm and the action on the former Radio 1 Roadshow stage will get underway soon after. - To listen to live online coverage of the Bideford celebrations, visit www.thevoicefm.co.uk/listen. See "Region gets Ready to Party" www.northdevongazette.co.uk 

 Bideford Highlights 2011 - Photo copyright BD Adams

A TOP 10 NEW YEAR CRACKER

North Devon Coast and Country Chronicle. "More than 10,000 revellers gather in fancy dress to join in one of the West Country's largest parties…As midnight approaches everyone gathers on Bideford's Long Bridge to wait for the parish bells to ring in the New Year" - As featured in the Daily Mail, Saturday December 17 2005 - TOP 10 NEW YEAR CRACKERS.

Peppercombe Valley not for turning!

Peppercombe Chronicles and one week in October. The leaves are still green and clinging to the trees down Peppercombe. Spotted a squirrel, darting across the track and scurrying up and along the tree branches. Little acorns are dropping on the verges amongst the rusty fallen leaves so it looks like that squirrel is in for a bountiful winter. Today there is a trickle of water in both streams in contrast to the thundering sound as huge waves crash on the pebbles down at the beach. Saw a few fungi and lichens on the way and as we arrived a Cormorant was coming in to land offshore. Swirling, rolling incoming tide on 17th October. A couple of days later the sun is out and a flock of gulls are bobbing offshore and a seal is popping his head up on the incoming blue tide. Took a photo of a lone Red Admiral sunning itself on the coast path. In the valley a hare made a sudden dash from the knotted roots of a tree then disappeared into the woodland above, three long tail tits were chirping happily in the beech canopy, a beetle was parked on the track and a pheasant was heard squawking in the undergrowth. It’s now quite a bit colder with fleeting sunlight. Lundy very low but clear. The blackberries and sloe berries which started to ripen in August are now joined by the vibrant display of hawthorne and holly. Occasional colour comes from the remaining Red Campion, Knapweed and Sheeps Bit. There is a huge clump of Hemp Agrimony in the meadows, its fading flowers now fluffy and white.

Westward Ho! Gimme Shelter!

Gone but not forgotten! Westward Ho! Village Green enhancement started in March 2011 with the creation of a modern landscaped green with open spaces, paths, low bench seating and sympathetic planting. The pictures below of the old Village Green have been taken at various times of the year. The old shelter, now removed, has been a haven for locals and holidaymakers for years. Where else can you find some shade from the Summer sun, snuggle up in the Winter or eat your ice cream and fish n' chips on a windy day beside the seaside! If you want to share any information about the old shelter please leave a comment

Explore Westward Ho! with the North Devon Focus Picture Tour

Clovelly Highlights. Shimmering Lobsters and Sea Shanties

The crowds turned out for Clovelly’s annual Lobster and Crab Fest on the 4th September. A continuous stream of folk, young and not so young made the steep and winding walk down the wonky cobbles to the Quay. At journey’s end the reward was Clovelly Harbour, a stunning sight, especially at high tide. Shimmering water under  blue skies, bobbing boats and the Clovelly lifeboat whizzing to and fro.  The old cobbled Quay was lined with the colourful awnings of craft and food stalls and the aroma of sizzling seafood fritters and stir fry filled the air. Delicious cupcakes and all manner of local produce and products were on display, including those famous Clovelly lobsters and crabs. It was especially nice for the children to see the huge wriggling lobsters up close. Craft stalls were bedecked with colourful mosaics, fun t-shirts, hand-made patchwork and haberdashery, knitting yarns, recycled metal jewellery, local art and photographic gifts. There was even a wool spinning demonstration. Happy families with excited children took part in various fun activities including face painting, storytelling, balloon modelling, street theatre and still found time to greet the arrival of the resident donkeys. Bellowing above the buzz of the crowd some harmonious, fiddle-playing, folk singers took centre stage belting out sea shanties by the old lime kiln, which had been taken over by the North Devon ANOB for more kids’event-themed craft activities. The Lobster and Crab Fest was organised in support of the National Lobster Hatchery who brought along a tank of baby lobsters. Their bright red, white and blue stall was at the end of the Quay. You could sponsor your own teeny lobsters before they were released into a slightly bigger tank, Bideford Bay beyond the harbour.  Also shimmering along the bumpy quayside was one giant “Lobster”. Drawing oohs and ahs from astonished children and adults, the very brave stilt walker stopped to pose for photos then carried on with confidence and without incident.  The Red Lion, of course, did a roaring trade, the never-ending queue stretching from the bar and out the door where the beer and wine tasting stall was conveniently situated. I have never seen Clovelly quite so crowded but people waited patiently and with good spirits. The sunny weather held until mid-afternoon, then rain literally stopped play and everyone ran for cover including the band who decided it was much safer to head for the cosy Red Lion Hotel bar! Article and photos by P. Adams

 

The Lobster and Crab Fest is just one of many events held at Clovelly throughout the year. There is a landrover service which will take you “Up Along” or “Down Along” or you can stay in one of the two hotels, the New Inn at the top or the Red Lion. For more information visit clovelly.co.uk - What's On Clovelly, latest news and events - History of Clovelly Lifeboat

For information about the Padstow based National Lobster Hatchery
Explore Clovelly with the North Devon Focus Picture Tour

North Devon Mini Breaks!

As we made our way down to the Wreckers Retreat over the August Bank Holiday Weekend we came upon the "arresting" sight of hundreds of minis huddled above the famous Hartland Quay. These colourful little cars form the North Devon Grand Tour, a host of mini owners from around the United Kingdom, who meet once a year to raise funds for Children’s Hospice South West. The Legendary Grand Tour was taking a mini break in their happy journey around North Devon towns and villages. The convoy of "Little Cars with Big Hearts" are a most welcome sight for both locals and visitors who stop to wave them by..

The North Devon Heritage coast is also awash with natural colour as the purple heather blooms on the cliffsides around the Bideford Bay Area.
The Legendary Grand Tour started in 1994 with 4 Mini's going out for a drive! - Find out more at www.smallcarsbighearts.co.uk

Peppercombe Chronicles - Brighter days and babbling brooks

26th February. The sun has come out at last. The recent heavy rainfall has resulted in the formation of many rivulets forging channels as they travel down the valley to the sea. The surplus water runs off the upper meadows on both sides of the valley and the two main streams merge just under the bridge at the Coastguard cottages. Mini babbling brooks are also created alongside the path all the way down occasionally pooling where leaves have blocked the way. The odd bird chirps but the main action today seems to be the hundreds of starlings roosting along the electricity wires on the A39 at Horns Cross.  Down by Peppercombe Meadows two buzzards are battling above the coastpath. Although Clovelly is visible across Bideford Bay, Lundy is not. Spring is breaking now in earnest and the first spikes of the ransoms are pushing through on the banks beside the track which, sadly, are still being eroded. Soon Peppercombe will take on a yellow glow when carpeted by flowering primroses, lesser celandine, daffodils and lofty Alexanders. As February draws to a close the early morning frost has returned, so it seems Spring is not quite here yet!. The starlings are a regular sight now swirling aloft like a cloud then settling on the hedgerows around the field.

Lundy high, sign of dry

Lundy plain, sign of rain

Lundy low, sign of snow

First Footing! - Spring breaks at Welcombe

20th February. A trip down to Welcombe Mouth, one of my favourite secluded coves on the wild North Devon Heritage Coast. Stong winds, good light, heavy ocean spray above high rolling surf. The first sighting of a number of Coltsfoot peeking through the undergrowth, sure sign that Spring is on the way. The flower heads, similar to a Dandelion, appear before the leaves on this hardy little plant which was once used as a remedy for coughs and colds. Coltsfoot is prevalent on the boggy grassland above the beach. Looks like it is also the first flight for an orange tailed bumble bee and two caterpillars are out for a walk. I am hoping that the motionless bumble bee hiding in the grass is just enjoying an afternoon siesta. Welcombe Mouth is located on the outer limits of the North Devon Area of Natural Beauty. A quiet spot, popular with surfers, photographers and walkers. The secluded beach has good sand at low tide and is surrounded by high cliffs. There is a superb panorama from high on the Southwest Coast Path. Welcombe Mouth is accessed by car from the A39, the road winds down to the scattered village of Welcombe which is home to the Yarner Trust, Welcombe Pottery and the Old Smithy Inn. The last part of the road is not surfaced so great care must be taken.

Welcombe Bytes: Spectacular rugged rock formations, big stepping stones across the mouth of the fast running stream linking one side of the South West Coast Path to the other. The water cascades down over the rocks. Waterfall visible from the beach and from the coast path. Site of Special Scientific interest.  In 1970, at the height of their fame, the band Deep Purple stayed at the Hermitage while writing their second album "Fireball". St. Nectan's Church St. Nectan was the first Devon Saint and Martyr. He was venerated in the Hartland area and the churches at Welcombe and Stoke are dedicated to him. Across the road from the Church is St. Nectan's Well. If you know what type of butterflies these will become leave a comment!

Peppercombe in the Mist.

Peppercombe Chronicles 19th February Yet another dank, dismal February day but mid-morning a sea mist rolled in, not great light this time of year for photographs but there is always something happening down Peppercombe Valley. The grey mist made for a very ethereal experience. A single yellow flowering lesser celandine amidst the new green shoots beside the path was the only colourful sign of Spring. The catkins and smattering of snowdrops have been out for a couple of weeks now. An occasional flaming red elf cup can be seen snuggling down amongst fallen twigs and branches. I hardly recognise the place which seems strangely empty due to fallen or lopped trees and flattened bracken. For the first time ever I am aware of the precipitous drop from the path and unusually can see clearly over to the lower track and the fast running stream. Spring Beauty, Wood Sorrel, Bluebell Spikes, Daffodil shoots and Dogs Mercury rising.

Teddy Bears on Parade

25th July. Teddy Bears on Marine Parade, Instow actually and what a colourful picture it made. All the dollies and teddies had been donated and were being sold to raise funds for Instow Church, so watch out for them when you visit Instow this summer. First on parade was the mad looking flame haired rag doll, I was happy to pay my £1, and "I called her Annabel".

Freedom at last - Annabel on Instow Beach

We had parked by the Tarka Trail behind the North Devon Cricket Club and walked through the sand dunes beside the old thatched Score Box. We heard the sound of leather on willow and “Oz that”. Cricket on a Sunday; so quintessentially British! The sand dunes here were covered in bell flowered Evening Primrose, wild celery, scurvy grass and sea mayweed. There were several black and yellow striped caterpillars camouflaged in the marram grass.

Enjoying new found freedom, Annabel at Woolsery Show 26th July 2010

North Devon Cricket Club, founded 186 years ago, was the home club of the late international test umpire David Shepherd.

Click here to see more pictures of Instow on the Taw/Torridge Estuary

Heating up down Peppercombe.

Spring is busting out all over!  Peppercombe 17th April 2010. Warm, sultry with just a slight breeze, hazy blue sky. Welcome sight of a lone swallow on the Horns Cross telephone wire. On the walk down saw two Peacock butterflies each one settling for a while on the track, soaking up the sunshine. Also saw three bumble bees, one Orange Tip which was too flighty to photograph and  an Orange Tip Butterfly, both a Large White and Small White butterfly, two twittering, flirty coal tits and a Blackbird. The white cotton-wool like fluff high on the coast path is flowering blackthorn which is often mistaken for Hawthorne. Blackthorne always flowers earlier and unlike Hawthorne (May Flower) it flowers before the leaves are formed. Good to see the meadows are now dotted with an abundance of lesser celandine and primroses. Other wild flowers making a first appearance include Greater Stitchwart, Wood Sorrel, Wild Strawberry, Ground Ivy, White Hairy Bitter-cress, Red Campion, Alexander, Daisy, Dandelion, Dog Violets and Daffodils. As usual I took a picture of the first budding Ransom (wild garlic) which will soon be accompanied by hundreds on the banks and beside the trail. In the next couple of weeks their pungent smell will permeate the air.

Swallows and waterfalls

Nice to know that whilst the world's airlines remain grounded due to the Icelandic Volcano, those brave little swallows have still managed to make their epic journey from the other side of the ocean to arrive safely in North Devon. Isn't nature wonderful!
I spotted the first lone swallow on the telegraph wire at Horns Cross on the 17th April. Regular as clockwork I made a note in my diary last year and the first wave was also dated 17th April. I was delighted to see that there were larger numbers up the coast at Spekes Mill Mouth on Sunday 18th, about 30 could be seen swooping and swirling up above the cliffs and over the waterfall. I also saw a Kestrel hovering on the wind.
By the 19th the numbers on the Horns Cross wire had swelled to 6. I am now on the lookout for the swifts and house martins, the house martins tend to send an advanced party round about the 24th April each year. Let us know if you see them in your area.

Peppercombe - Barely Spring

Barely Spring Greens. Peppercombe Valley 27th March. Bee, beetle and a buzzard and that’s about all. The long, long March into April and at last Peppercombe is juddering to life as spring greens begin to emerge. Spring greens include the fresh leafy spikes of Alexanders, wild Bluebells, Lesser Celandine, Primroses, Foxgloves, Dogs Mercury, Ransoms and Spring Beauty. There are swathes of yellow flowering, creeping  pimpernel (?), a low growing plant which loves the damp ground where the winter rains spill down the gutter at the side of the track creating a mini stream. I saw one bee and the resident buzzard did a fly-by, the busy beetle, pictured, was doing a circuit of its own mini arena as I approached then scurried down the bolthole. Still only a couple of posies of primroses on the way down and very low growth on the Alexanders which at this time last year were tall and in flower as were the daffodils by the Pink cottage and under the red beech. Most noticeable is the emptiness on the cliff bank beside the bungalow, only five groups of primroses in bloom today. I miss the golden gorse which was once very prevalent here, only a couple of bushes remain. The gorse made the perfect frame for the picture of the bungalow which was taken on 21st April last year. The catkins are now in abundance, there are new leaves on the honeysuckle and pussy willow is in various stages of growth

Peppercombe - Hanging around waiting for Spring

Peppercombe 10th February. Fair-weather, at last, so a chance to catch up on life in the Peppercombe Valley. Birds chirping and twittering, spot a tiny coal tit in the trees. As I reach the bridge a pheasant crosses the trail then takes off squawking and flapping noisily taking cover in the trees. Cut off from his mate now, who is on the other side of the track, they continue to call back and forth to each other. I also spotted cute little wren, two robins and two great tits. It would be so nice to recognise the birds from the sound of their tweets. Spring seems to be coming much later than 2009 and the catkins are sparse mainly because the trees/hedges have been cut back. Early risers include snowdrops, the flowers not fully open, in their usual spot, one lesser celandine flowering in a sheltered sunny hideout by the fork. There are, however, plenty of interesting lichens/moss and fungi including the colourful red Pixie cup. In 2009 there were several of them peeking out of the undergrowth on the high banks. I spot the first flowering primroses on the high bank by the Bungalow, just three clumps so far. It's a good clear day, at last, sunny with blue skies. From the top of the coastpath steps Clovelly is lit up and Lundy so clear I could see the fields on the top of the island. There was a yacht in the Bay, a tiny speck offshore. The ancient trees seem to be depleted year by year after winter storms but the broken branches lie where they fall and become home to the many woodland plants, mosses/liverworts and rusty lichens.

The North Devon Snow Party's over!

The North Devon’s snow party is finally over. In December 2009 there was a cold snap and snow flurries ensuring the UK enjoyed that elusive White Christmas. At the beginning of January a winter flock of lapwings on the field heralded the start of what was to be the coldest and longest snow spell for years bringing treacherous conditions on the minor roads in North Devon coast and country areas. (The last time we experienced such extreme arctic conditions was when we were snowbound in Croyde in the early eighties, our first ever winter in North Devon.) School children were thrilled to be home building snowmen but it was a testing time for local services and those not able to go out for the duration. Congratulations are due to our rural postman who braved blizzard conditions to keep the Royal Mail coming. This was also a time to keep watch on the local bird population as feeding stations were even more vital. Taking advantage of the nuts and seeds on our garden bird feeder were, in various numbers, robin, chaffinch, greenfinch, pied wagtail, house sparrow, dunnock, blue tit, blackbird, willow tit, great tit, mistle thrush, collared dove, field fare, squabbling starlings and for the first time a stunning bull finch. Rising temperatures and gale force winds on the 15th January marked the end of the winter wonderland. By the 16th January the last traces of the children’s snowmen, built on the 5^th January were washed away by torrential rains. On the 17th January the field became a vital feeding ground for a flock of approximately 30 fieldfare. Ominously by Monday 18th January, the field is visited once again by an ever larger flock of between 141 and 150 lapwings. It will be interesting to see which birds hang around for the Big Garden Bird Watch, the RSPB's biggest event of the year which will be held over the weekend 30 and 31 January and encourages people all over the country to count the birds in their garden for just an hour over this one weekend. It's very simple to take part and provides the RSPB with information and patterns in bird numbers that help them prioritise their conservation work. They are also celebrating Big Garden Birdwatch with a special promotional incentive to join the RSPB - new members joining between 19 January and 31 March can choose a FREE RSPB classic apex nest box (normally £11.99) as their free joining gift. Join the RSPB today

Big Garden Birdwatch Results for 2009. According to the RSPB for the first time in the survey's 30-year history, the long-tailed tit has flown into the Big Garden Birdwatch top ten. This highly sociable species increased by an astonishing 88% from last years count. They believe this pleasant increase is because this insect-eating bird has adapted to feeding on seeds and peanuts at birdtables and from hanging feeders. This result highlights perfectly the positive impact that our feeding and bird care can have on some birds. Record-breaking celebration. Well over half a million people celebrated the 30th year of the Birdwatch, making this the biggest bird survey in the world. A huge increase from humble beginnings in 1979 when just 30,000 children took part. Big Garden Birdwatch 2009 was held on 24 and 25th January 2009.

BIRDS ON TOP: The 2009 garden top ten:

Position Species Average per garden

1 House Sparrow 3.70

2 Starling 3.21

3 Blackbird 2.84

4 Blue tit 2.45

5 Chaffinch 2.01

6 Wood Pigeon 1.85
7 Collared Dove 1.44

8 Great tit 1.40

9 Robin 1.36

10 Long-tailed tit 1.34

Bideford Bay Beachcombing

Wind Chill Factor Westward Ho! -3rd January 2010. All photos,articles copyright P. M. Adams North Devon Focus all rights reserved. It’s freezing cold but dry and sunny so perfect for a New Year stroll on the beach at Westward Ho! At the slipway we move aside for three horse riders taking advantage of the two mile stretch of firm sand and a rare opportunity to enjoy an uninterrupted gallop. The tide is a long way out thus exposing the hulk of one, of two, rarely visible Westward Ho! wrecks. Took some photos from different angles but my hands were so numb with the cold that I couldn’t actually feel the shutter button. As I was testing a new lens, I decided to take close up shots and made my way up the beach, head down searching for interesting sand formations, sea creatures, seaweed, shells and pebbles on the lower and middle shoreline moving towards the strandline and the Pebble Ridge. Even after recent storms this is a wonderful clean beach worthy of its’ Blue Flag status. We spent about an hour beachcombing and saw plenty of razor shells, periwinkles, whelks, mussels, tiny crabs and other crustaceans, kelp, wrack, sea urchins and lots of sea potatoes. Sea pototoes or heart-urchins are, weirdly, heart-shaped and covered in fur! They are normally hidden beneath the sand and only appear on the surface when washed up after stormy weather. Suddenly the noise of the wind and crashing surf was completely drowned out by the loud thundering hooves of the horses as they galloped back down the beach from Sandymere. Only three horses, but the sound carried some distance so one can only imagine the sound of the 500 horses in the Charge of the Light Brigade. The beach is still practically deserted, a few dog walkers, one lone hardy surfer and one kite buggy circling far off beside the sand dunes. Northam Burrows Country Park is beyond the Pebble Ridge at Westward Ho! on the Atlantic Heritage Coast. The Northam Burrows Country Park, at the mouth of the Taw Torridge Estuary, is a designated site of scientific interest and forms part of the United Nations Biosphere Reserve. If you can identify any of the shorelife in these pictures please let us know.

Peppercombe Chronicles

Peppercombe Valley - 1st January 2010 
Photographs and articles copyright Pat Adams (all rights reserved)
A stroll down to the old stables and back to see what’s new in Peppercombe Valley. It’s dark, cold and lifeless, or is it? (Note to myself not to wear fingerless gloves.) There is quite a bit of ground frost but hidden underneath are definite signs of plant growth including the huge pale green leaves of a Foxglove, fresh green moss, lichens, algae and fungus. The frost covered ivy makes an interesting winter picture. The only sounds are the cackle of a pheasant and the fast running stream. The birds are particularly active and it’s good to see a robin, blackbird and willow tit flitting back and forth across the track. I am passed by several groups of walkers and families offering friendly New Year Greetings. Easy to see which direction one party had come from as they were covered from toe to knee in the thick red Portledge mud. Water cascades down and under the bridge by the Pink Cottage and by the old beech trees. Spring Beauty leaves are frost bitten but visible on the grass verge opposite the old stables. Down by the meadows the first yellow buds of a lone common gorse bush make an early outing and two buzzards swirl and swoop on the wind aloft. It’s quite muddy on the track beside the meadows by the South West Coast Path steps. Looking back up from here the tree tops are bathed in golden sunlight in stark contrast to the gloomy valley below. My attention is drawn to the colourful ivy clad branch covered in grey and rusty lichens. As I make my way back a tiny Robin is tree hopping ahead of me, always keeping tantalisingly out of focus. Took picture anyway but its amazing how small a robin looks in a woodland setting as opposed to the garden. Back at the top blue skies as the sun emerges at last bathing the knarled branches of the old leafless trees in umber hues. Finally caught sight of another Robin and three blue tits in the hedgerows as I reach the final stretch of the trail.