New Year!

Wishing everyone a Very Happy New Year!

Aiming High!

Finally, getting out for a seasonal walk!

I wasn't to be disappointed either.

Travelled to the north coast of Somerset,

not particularly a long drive.

Due the recent snow,

I knew of a safe place to park,

 with easy access to the local Quantock Hills.

This was a location I have often visited in the past,

but how the landscape changes,

 with the added addition of the white stuff, snow!

A steep trek through woodland brings you out into the open,

and what a view, stunningly breathtaking.

An excellent walk worthy to do before

we invite the New Year in!

Xmas Festivities

Enjoyed the last couple days of Christmas celebrations,

although, I would normally go for a long walk on Boxing Day,

but this year, so bitterly cold!

With the snow & in particular Ice,

 it was definitely best to stay indoors.

Hopefully, I will get the chance to make up for that during the week.

SOOoooo....Eat, Drink, & Be Merry it was to be instead!!!

Christmas Wishes!

Wishing everyone a

 Very Happy & Peaceful Christmas!

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Take Care Everyone!

Snowy Weather

Woke up on Saturday to a thick blanket of snow!

This was quite a significant amount for us,

 as the area is situated in a valley,

where mainly the surrounding hills capture the worse of any snowfall.

 

All images viewed around the garden.

I was also relieved it was the weekend,

meaning no work to go to!

Sheltering

I don't think we're the only ones to feel the cold with the weather.

These cows recently huddled together,

 in the lowest point of their huge field,

sheltering under the boughs of some trees.

A Winter's Tale, Part 2

Finally, completed this posting!

Out of action for awhile due to flu!

Really takes it out of you but gradually getting better, thank goodness.

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Further to my recent walk,

 following the only major snow in the South West,

 which in my area was mainly just a covering!

The local Hestercombe gardens

 have both countryside walking,

 together with more formal gardens,

 but so rich in character,

that it's always a pleasure to visit & wander.

As you enter through the huge aged gateways on the east side,

 the Orangery building stands magnificiently, 

 overlooking a lovely mass of greenery,

 with steps at either end,

 leading to other areas of the gardens.

The gardens are in layers, each with such wonderful features,

that even in this season,

offers much appeal.

All the floral/foilage has now mostly been prepared for the winter,

 by being pruned which offers such a different aspect to view.

Through the many archways,

 leads into another viewing point of the gardens

Over the years, the gardens has been lovingly  restored,

with the aged walls & steps just reinforcing the character.

Even a garden fork has been left  with the onset of the bad weather,

And the garden benches definitely too cold to sit

A favourite photo at the end of the peragoda,

A winter scene with a frame all of its own.

A Winter's Tale, Part 1

This past weekend took me to a favourite local place,

Hestercombe Gardens.

An anual membership was enabling me to

enjoy taking photos from each changing season,

& today was no exception.

Although reminders of the Autumn,

with cold weather & the occasional snow shower,

both seasons seem to mingle together!

For the South West of England,

this cold weather with the hint of snow was certainly early.

But, other parts of the UK is suffering,

 even more significantly with the snow!

The gardens is situated on the edge of the Quantock Hills,

& because the main town is in a valley,

the small amount of snowfall we had,

still lingered here,

 but it's bitterly cold,

with no signs of improvement at the moment.

But, with the elements of the weather,

the gardens certainly take on a new demension.

A complete contrast to the previous seasons,

nevertheless,

the scenes were still stunning.

The cold weather was leaving everything literally frozen,

even many of the plants had lost there vitality.

Such as this fern above....

And yet, the waterfuall was a surprise.

The noise it produced,

 left no one in any doubt this was in full flow.

Only in recent previous weeks,

before the rain had set in,

this had been just a trickle.

Now, everyone was walking briskly,

 & wrapped up warmly. . . .

Part of the lake was slightly frozen, but with the sun now lower,

caused a beautiful landscape before meeting up with the formal garden.

Pedal Power

Back to my travels to the Netherlands,

during our stay in Amsterdam,

it was often a battle

 to cross the road with not only motor vehicles,

 but competing with trams & bicycles.

Whilst sat comfortable outside one of the main cafes,

spoilt for choice in Rembrandt Square,

 it was just a relaxing time to take in the sights.

The taxi bicycles were really something different. 

 Definitely pedal power needed!

In almost any space at a railing,

 on one of the many bridges or outside residents dwellings,

bikes were parked up everywhere.

Eventhough cycling is free,

 the tram is really good value way

of getting around the city for sightseeing.

But, to reinforce the popularity of cycling,

even a barge was spied catering for parked up bikes!

The Netherlands boast a huge extensive network of cycle lanes,

 which really does make you feel more confident when cycling around.

But their landscape is very flat,

 which is of benefit if you decide  to use pedal power.

I use to love cycling when I was younger,

 but with even more traffic on the road in the UK,

I am reluctant to do so now.

Although English councils here,

 have made an effort to instigate some cycle lanes,

these are not consistent & 

it is still not as safe as I would like,

a great shame.

Hallloween

Resting places of a Grave Yard looking out to sea,

views taken on recent coastal walks of the North Devon coast.

Remote & distance enough from the village of Morte,

I'm sure it will be spooky enough on a dark Halloween night....

The huge gates to Morte Point,

 & the village church,

 also reflects sinister images.

Mencing rock formations add to the aptmosphere of  a dark spooky night.

Happy Halloween

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Lets hope there isn't too many creepy, scary moments for the vulnerable & elderly,

 with children or teenagers at their doors in the darkness of night!