Bursting with life. A country walk on the North Devon Coast

I love it when the sun breaks through the trees. I always try to capture a sunburst and I try even harder not to look into the sun to do it.

It was as warm as a Summer's day on the North Devon Coast today. I think it may have made it into the record books as one of the hottest October days for some time. 

As I wandered down the track towards the coast there was a lot of leaf fall, not much fall colour. The old Beech leaves are still green, I normally wait until November for the leaves to turn. Looks as though the National Trust have been working hard mowing the coastal meadows and clearing up the Bracken. The old Apple Tree must have weighed heavy with apples, lots of juicy red ones now lying on the ground important for birds, bugs and wildlife stocking up for the winter. The newly renovated orchard now has a seat and will make a magical resting place for tired walkers. I miss the flowering then berry-filled Hawthorn but the plus side of losing that will be the sight of apple blossom in the years to come.

There was one huge fungi on the trunk of one of the old Beech trees last year, this year they are climbing up the trunk, mycelium at its best or worst if they are damaging the tree.

It was really hot on the coast path overlooking Bideford Bay and there were a few wildflowers still blooming beside the track. Devil's Bit Scabious, Red Campion, Fumitory, Autumn Hawkbit, Hawkweed and Yarrow. A few solitary bees but my attention was taken by a movement on the Yarrow,  a wonderfully fluttery teeny butterfly, a Small Copper. I watched the other day as a pair were dancing together in ,the permaculture garden at Tapeley. A fleeting moment, then it was gone, much like the Sunburst. (Article Pat Adams 10/10/2018)

 

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All articles and photos copyright Pat Adams North Devon Focus (All rights reserved)

Changing the ring TONE of the iconic RED telephone box

Ringing the changes for the iconic RED telephone box aka Kiosk No 2 and K6 are as British as cream teas and the royal family. Now in decline due to mobile phones they are being converted to house defibrillators and to charge those mobile phones which is great but do you think changing the ring TONE is a step too far! 

Shot of the recently painted box at Horns Cross between #bideford and #clovelly on the A39. If you know if this one contains a defibrillator or mobile phone charger leave a comment.

Photo copyright Pat Adams.North Devon Focus (All Rights Reserved)

Return of the Swallows, Bluebells and Blossom.

Enjoyed a relaxing weekend watching the natural world as it stirs from a cold winter. A refreshing walk on the beach at Wesward Ho! on Saturday revealed no wrecks but three huge jellyfish on the strandline. Portugeuse Man of War, I think - still waiting for confirmation from the Marine Conservation Society.

The 23^rd April marked the arrival of the Swallows or the advanced party as I like to call it. One lone Swallow swooping low across the field as though it was celebrating St. George’s Day. 

Two devoted Goldfinches are singing to each other and flitting across the garden and yesterday they were nest building stealing away the new leaves from the Willow. I like to think they are our regular visitors. Last year their tiny nest was located precariously atop the twisted Russian Vine, I am hoping to photograph them in the Apple Blossom so watch this space. Another vibrant visitor pecking at the blossom was a male Bullfinch followed by his much duller mate. The Doves are cooing in the Willow and the Wood Pigeons are cooing in the Spruce so all is well with the world once again. 

In my local ancient woodland the first of the Bluebells are up and uncurling together with the first of the flowering Ramsons. Cow Parsley, Alexanders, Early Purple Orchid, Red Campion, Greater Stitchwort, Dog Violet and Speedwell are sparse but more are to come and there are traces of colour from the new leaves on the old trees. It is so sheltered in this wooded valley that the ferns have been prevalent all through the winter, but new fronds are now unfurling and form a vivid green backdrop to the Bluebells.

Though slightly more formal, another sheltered location is RHS Garden Rosemoor. We joined the RHS last year, money well spent as it has enabled us to photograph Rosemoor in all its glory through the Seasons.  On our visit on Sunday we took several shots of the Apple and Cherry Blossom and Rhododendrons. The Tulips were big bright and beautiful  at the entrance and the RHS National Rhododendron Competition was running in the newly built Exhibition Centre. This National Show has over 60 classes covering all types of Rhododendrons, as well as trade and advice stands plus magnificent displays of Magnolias and Camellias too. The Rosemoor Exhibition Centre will be officially opened soon.

 FOOTNOTE

The old bridge by the pink Cottage at Peppercombe has had a bit of a battering over the past couple of years. Holidaymakers staying at the cottages, associated service vehicles who knows, it used to be traffic-free here. I don’t normally vent but stupid, inconsiderate drivers are ruining some of Devon’s historic bridges. Huge 4x4’s amongst other non-country road friendly vehicles are continually clipping the ancient stones causing structural damage. SLOW DOWN PLEASE. These bridges are in most cases “Listed” by English Heritage. Some years ago we volunteered for the Images of England project, photographing listed buildings throughout Devon

Images of England is a ‘point in time’ photographic library of England’s listed buildings, recorded at the turn of the 21st century. You can view over 300,000 images of England’s built heritage from lamp posts to lavatories, phone boxes to toll booths, mile stones to gravestones, as well as thousands of bridges, historic houses and churches. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/default.aspx

Another Spring in an ancient woodland

Still no Swifts but at last I have seen the first signs of the Hawthorne blossom in my garden. The May Flowers will soon be putting on a spectacular display along the Atlantic Highway, a snowy white corridor, a magical gateway to Bideford Bay and the Hartland Heritage Coast. This is a perfect time for a walk in the countryside or a chance to explore an ancient woodland. By the middle of the merry month of May the leaves on the trees are a stunning vivid green, translucent in the sunlight, perfect, for a while at least, before the rain and the wind tarnishes them. The wonder of an ancient woodland, year after year the wild flowers return carpeting the ground, path verges and banks. The signs are there for all to see in early Spring, Snowdrops, Alexanders, Primroses, Dandelion, Yellow Pimpernel, Dogs Mercury, Herb Robert and Lesser Celandine. These are followed by Bluebells, Bugle, Cuckoo Flower, Speedwell, Wood Anemone, Red Campion, Greater Stitchwort, Woodruff, Dog Violet, Common Sorrel, Early Spotted Orchid, Creeping Buttercup and carpets of Ramsons. At this time of the year "In the Greenwood" it's fun to identify the trees by the shape of their pristine leaves Oak, Beech, Hazel, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Holly, Mountain Ash, Willow and more. Fighting for space in the woodland floor are a mass of upwardly mobile ferns, a host of rare grasses, lichens and maybe some fungi clinging to a fallen moss-laden tree. So much to see so enjoy your woodland WALK, WATCH & LISTEN

LOCAL WOODLAND WONDERS - WALK, WATCH & LISTEN

•  Discover RSPB Reserve Chapel Wood,two miles north of Braunton
• Discover Hartland Abbey Gardens and Woodland Walk to the Sea
• Visit the Woodland Trust website to find a wood near you
• Discover Devon Wildlife Trust's Marsland Nature Reserve near Hartland
• Explore Marsland near Hartland with TV Presenter and Naturalist Nick Baker
• Become a Nature Recorder - Record what you've seen on Nature's Calender
• How to identify Woodland Birds

May Flowers bring some late Spring Zing.

As we head towards the end of May I look back on the glorious weather during the middle of the month. I am always out taking photos, recording the seasons, whatever the weather, and it was fantastic to see the sun bringing a little late Spring zing to the North Devon Coast and Countryside. It’s my favourite time of year when the Hawthorn blossoms and the wild flowers fight for the light in leafy woodland glades. This is the time when white rules. Cow Parsley stands stall above the Ramsons, Greater Stitchwort and Woodruff. Large White butterflies flirt and flutter from flower to flower. Today a little hint of colour is added from the first spurt of fresh green leaves on the old gnarled trees, unfurling Fronds, teeny Speedwell, Early Purple Orchid, Red Campion, Tufted Vetch and of course Bluebells and that’s just on the verges on track down through the Valley. Below,  on the meadows, beside the South West Coast Path, there are Cuckoo Flowers, Clover and creeping Buttercup while spiky Bugle, Ribwart Plaintain and Common Sorrel race to keep their  heads above the rising Bracken.

Queen Anne's Lace

Hawthorne Blossom, Cuckoo Flower, Ramsons, Red Campion, Bluebells, Early Purple Orchid

 Bugle, Common Sorrel and Plaintain heralding the start of Summer

New vista over Bideford Bay

• Cow Parsley a member of the Carrot family otherwise known as Queen Anne’s Lace
• Common Sorrel is an important larval food plant of the Small Copper Butterfly.
• Cuckoo Flower  otherwise known as Lady’s Smock food plant of the Orange Tip Butterfly

Hailstones and High Paths

It's the same every year, just when you think it's Spring and time to relax, nature throws a few curve balls. or hailstones as it was today. It was freezing, deceptive, it looked so warm and sunny but in the space of half an hour we had endured three seasons in one. Nevertheless it was great to be out so I could see what Mother Nature has been doing in the wooded valley above Bideford Bay. Not much to speak of as yet, spotted a sprinkling of Primroses, a couple of Dog Violet and a single Red Campion. The first flowering Alexander complete with Yellow dung-fly and abundant Spring Beauty with their huge heart-shaped leaves glistening with rain drops. The ancient trees have taken a beating over the winter but are at last bursting into life. The old track has taken a beating too, looking more like a highway now that the verges either side have been flattened so much so that the wild garlic spears look like lettuce sticking out of an overfilled salad sandwhich..There is minimal traffic allowed here, thank goodness,  just the holidaymakers at the cottages and work vehicles but even so absolutely no consideration seems to be given to the delicate flora. The drivers are wandering further and further over the verges, the huge wheels churning up, then pounding the ground. Last year the wall on the ancient bridge was badly damaged and had to be rebuilt, and today I was sad to see that there is a hole and a crack on the other side. A little "driving with due care and attention" pretty please! Walked along the South West Coast Path beside Peppercombe Meadows and watched the billowing clouds over Clovelly and Gallantry Bower. I never get tired of the ever-changing view across Bideford Bay. Articles and photos copyright Pat Adams 22nd March 2014.

Explore the Coast and "Country" Side of Bideford Bay with the North Devon Focus Picture Tour

ALL WASHED UP

North Devon faired reasonably well in the wake of the St. Jude’s Storm which swept over the UK overnight on the 27^th October. Almost 30 metres of rain fell in Devon with up to 75mph winds. Nearly 1inch of rain fell in neighbouring Bude and there was localised flooding and fallen trees. Meanwhile on the North Devon Coast up to a 10ft surf was predicted sending photographers and storm watchers racing to the coast to capture the waves. This was followed by another stormy night on the 3^rd November with exceptionally high tides rolling in under a full moon.  The wind had subsided the following day for our walk down to the beach, but there was a definite chill in the air. Amazingly the old trees in the wooded valley had survived. We were looking for Autumn colour but apart from the burnished bracken there was more leaf fall than leaf turn. Down at the beach the colossal Atlantic rollers had tossed a huge tree branch clear of the pebbles blocking the path at the entrance  to the beach. A wooden pallet and piles of bleached driftwood were scattered on the tideline beneath the cliffs to the left around the bend towards Clovelly and right towards Portledge and beyond. Amongst the driftwood there were, thankfully, just a few bits of plastic debris, a sign of the times. I thought it ironic that the largest item was a plastic bottle entitled “Biological Toilet Cleaner”.Article & Photos copyright P. Adams 4/11/2013

 

 After the rains, the waterfall  always looks more dramatic.  Photo copyright B. Adams

Get involved - How you can help protect our waves, oceans & beaches

• Marine Conservation Society.- UK Charity protecting our seas, shores and wildlife
• Surfers against Sewage - Take Action SAS,org.uk Beach Clean Information

Slip, sliding away Peppercombe

Happy New Years Day and a walk down to Peppercombe Meadows. It's dark and dank in the wooded valley with signs of slippage and erosion as a result of the non-stop heavy rains. Looking over the bridge by the Pink Cottage I can see a mud fall slithering down to the stream and round the bend, up on the bank, where one of the big old trees fell last month, a holly tree has now been uprooted. The abundant ferns are still green and new wildflower shoots are appearing on the verges by the path which is furrowed from the torrential rain. A low brooding light out on the meadows and above an almost motionless Peregrine Falcon fixed on its prey below. I took some photos, as the sun came out for just a moment. A blue haze washed over Bideford Bay, Lundy and Clovelly were faint but visible. There were a few walkers braving the coast path and families exploring the rock pools on the beach. A few days later we were back and arrived to see a Cormorant diving down as the waves broke on the shore.On this walk I noticed more casualties of the winter storms, one of the old trees which had arched across the path for years was now a pile of logs on the wayside and the end wall of the old stable block had completely gone, the rubble slip-sliding away.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Peppercombe Light & Shade

24th June 2009
Midsummer and the swifts are soaring above the lane by the Coach and Horses.The vegetation either side of the Peppercombe trail is now at its fullest. At the start of the track the hedge is at least seven foot high with black bryony, flowering dog roses and honeysuckle climbing upwards through the leafy hedgerow. The verges now crammed with massive hogweed, thistle, red campion, foxgloves and sorrel spiking up from low lying buttercups and clover. The leaves on the ancient trees are now fully formed creating a canopy over the valley. Compared to Springtime the trail down is now in shade except for the occasional sunlit patches where wonky foxgloves bend over instead of upwards probing for the light. The massive fungus, pictured, was high up in an ivy clad tree. By the pink cottage rhododendrons are in flower but the stream by the bridge has all but dried up. Further on down past the old stables, the huge bank by the wooden bungalow is now full of ferns. This area was carpeted by primroses in March and April followed by bluebells in May. In the past donkeys and ponies have grazed in the upper and lower meadows and this year’s summer visitors, the Belted Galloway cattle, have settled into Peppercombe Meadows, under the coast path. Pathways and glades are opened up as a result of them grazing allowing a much greater range of grasses and wild flowers to emerge in Spring and Summer. The dung left behind benefits beetles and other insects which in turn provides a source of food for birds. The cattle were chosen because they are extremely hardy and have a “generally docile nature”. While I was there they didn’t lift their heads up and continued grazing quietly so keep to the path and they won’t even notice you. Read the sign, keep dogs on the lead and shut the gate. Ferns seem to be in abundance at the further end by the steps but the rest as usual full of wild flowers and grasses. In earlier years this site had a large number of big old gorse bushes which were home to many spiders. I arrived down at the beach in glorious sunshine and was greeted by a couple of blokes sitting on the cobbles who, on seeing the camera, pointed out a seal bobbing off-shore. The black blob didn’t hang around. The only other life forms were three gulls and the elderly couple I had spoken to earlier who were on their way to Portledge the hard way. After a very slow descent down the steep cliff path they now began to traverse the cobbles, explorer style, with walking poles. In contrast a more nimble pair scampered down with nets aloft ready for shrimping. Clear blue sky and still blue sea so there was excellent light over Clovelly and Hartland Point to the left and Portledge meadows above the red cliffs to the right. Beyond Portledge the South West Coastal Path leads to Abbotsham Cliffs and Westward Ho!. Below the path, the lower cliff is clad in heather with new shoots so this will make for a colourful August. I have been taken photographs of Peppercombe Beach, Peppercombe Valley and its wild flowers for many years so please visit my web site to see more Peppercombe Seasons. There is a good hike along the South West Coast Path from Peppercombe to Bucks Mills. The most colourful time for this in May when the woods are full of bluebells. Photos copyright Pat Adams