Tuesday 16th July Plym Bridge

A hot day and very sensibly a walk in the woods had been arranged for maximum shade.  Starting at Plym Bridge.  The car park was full as we took the path on the opposite side of the river to the cycle track and headed up into the woods.

All through this area there is much work going on to create the new controversial mountain bike trails - none of which are open yet.

 
For a while we followed an old tramway...

...and then cut down through the woods to the cycle path.

Along the cycle path to Bickleigh Bridge and then down again...

...to the river.

The sound of the running water somehow had a cooling effect! 

As we got closer to the car park the busier it became - but this is great place to be on a day like this!

A good lunch at the Lopes Arms at Roborough.  With Terry, Rosemary, Wendy and Charlie.

Sunday 7th July Jennycliff to Heybrook Bay

Well with being away for a few days and hearing that the Tuesday group were going to do this walk and knowing that I haven't been on this bit of the coast before and with the fantastic weather it was decided, following a short committee meeting in Horrabridge, that we would do the walk anyway (or some of it).

So we parked in the large free car park and set off up the hill.

The view  back to Plymouth and...

...this much zoomed in photo of the Hoe.

A very helpful motorist stopped to tell us not to use the first entrance to the woods because the path is blocked and to join the footpath by this sign.












As you approach and go round Staddon Point you have a superb view of the breakwater....

 ...which is much wider than you would imagine when viewing from the Hoe

Construction started in 1812 and it was completed by 1814 to provide protection and a safe anchorage for the Channel Fleet.











As we went around Staddon Point and down the steps the holiday village came into view.

Bovisand Bay and perfect weather for the beach.

The holiday village.

The Great Mew Stone.

Crab baguettes at The Eddystone in Heybrook Bay.












In the distance the Ferry approaches Plymouth Sound

Then the return leg.

The steps back up the path around Staddon Point.

 With radar and camera for the shipping control.

 A reminder that this is a training area for our Troops.

















And Plymouth Hoe comes back into view.

Saturday 6th July Night Jars in Bellever Forest

The Wednesday walkers have an annual walk in search of the Night Jars and this is something Linda has always wanted to see.  So off we went to the appointed spot (SX 684776) from Postbridge where I have seen them before.

They are nocturnal birds and search for food at dawn and dusk.  They arrive in the UK in April and May and leave again in August and September.

At 21.50 we heard their distinctive sound and then one came out of the trees and gave us a flying display - it is the small black blob above the trees - impossible to photograph at that time of day.  When flying its movement reminded us of a butterfly.

Wednesday 3rd July Ryders Hill

A cool evening as we set off around the reservoir, going into the footpath that runs around the edge of the water and coming out at the far end...

 ...near a hole made by a tunnel spider with his sticky stuff all around to trap his prey...

Looking across to Yar Tor and Corndon Tor (right) and Longaford Tor (left)...

...and over the Reservoir with Chinkwell and Honeybag Tor in the distance.

We headed over the moor which apart from the old mine workings is a fairly featureless area. There are fewer tors on the southern part of the moor, just gently up and down.  In the mine workings this mountain ash tree had fallen on its side and was supported by it own branches.

In the distance the cloud started to come in.

Then this beautiful area of bog cotton as we went down to...

Hapstead Ford and took our break.

Next we headed up the valley through the tin workings to the ridge in the distance.

To the top of Ryders Hill as the cloud and mist came in.

From here it was about an hour to get back to the cars.  This was a superb walk with Dartmoor in its most 'moody' of moods.

With Jon, John, Mike and Tom

Tuesday 2nd July Two Bridges

After glorious summer day yesterday it was back to the gloom and a typical wet day on Dartmoor.  There to brighten things up were Chris and Roger with their luminous pink rucksacks.  

Chris did point out that she bought hers first!

After a false start as Charlie had been delayed we set off along the familiar track...

 

...and headed up to Crockern Tor.

Longaford and Higher White Tors along the ridge line but we were not going that way today. A different route using some footpaths to take us to parts of the moor none of us have ever been to before!  Our route took us around the enclosed land by the Cherrybrook Hotel and...

...down to the Postbridge road to pick up the footpath over Muddilake...

...which leads to the Ashburton Road.

First we had to cross Muddilake Brook and...

 ...nearby the Heath Orchid and Bog Cotton.

A few yards along the main road and then down the lane to the Prince Hall Hotel and down and around to...

...the Dartmoor Training Centre which I remember from 25 years ago as a drab and dismal place inside.

A short break on the bridge over the West Dart River and Rosemary produced some delicious cookies as Brian and his wife are celebrating their wedding anniversary.

The West Dart River.

Up the hill to...

...one of the biggest stiles on Dartmoor.

Then down through the Cholake river valley.  Hard going here through the difficult tussocky ground which would be very wet and boggy in winter.

A short distance to the weathered and wind sculptured Blackey Tor (near the Cairn and Cist at SX 612736)

Then over to the bridge to cross the Blackbrook River.

Up again to the footpath running near Roundhill Farm.  By now it was quite wet as the rain got heavier.

Across the Princetown road following the footpath over the Devonport Leat and on to the Tavistock Road.

 
Returning to Two Bridges

With Chris, Roger, Rosemary, Terry, Brian, Charlie and Bud and Brian in the Prince of Wales.  We heard here that the landlords two new cats had both been killed in the same week in separate road accidents.