Sorry..................

Sorry, no pics today. The weather was awful! SO wet! So what did we do? Well there should have been photos of a vintage steam rally, but Steve didn't fancy getting the car stuck in a muddy field! So instead we went on our favourite steam railway. Steve bought a rover ticket for the day and we spent a lovely afternoon going up and down the line. I have never drunk so much Ginger Beer! Non alcoholic, of course!
Here's a link to the train site............
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/


From the train, you can see this castle, Dunster Castle.................
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-dunstercastle.htm
As you can see, it is now owned by The National Trust. For more information on its history and some more pics, you can click on the following link..............
http://exmoorencyclopedia.org.uk/contents-list/36-d/335-dunster-castle.html
One day we will go and have a proper look at the castle and I will be able to post my own photos.


Knitting........
I have taken up the Tour De Fleece challenge. This is predominantly a spinning activity. although many who don't spin, set themselves a knitting I have finished 3 shawls and a baby cardie since the bike race started. Shawl 3 still needs blocking (soaking, stretching out, and pinning and then left to dry naturally), but here are the first 2.

 This pattern is called the Swallowtail and is designed by Evelyn A. Clark . Surprisingly. the shawl pictured below, is taken from the same pattern. The one above, is in silk yarn, the one below is a self striping sock yarn.

Sorry!

Sorry this post is late! I promised you pics a few days ago and some were supposed to appear after Sunday. Hmm.............slight problem there..........................I managed to delete them all! We had a lovely day, the weather I think was possibly the warmest it has been so far this year. The pics I took of Steve were some of the best ever!

So yesterday, I repeated the trip. But as Steve was not with me, it was not the same! The weather was not the same... it was cold, windy and at one point there was rain in the air, but fortunately it never came to much. I did have a couple of chats to some of the people I met along the way. One lady is in the process of trying to move and told me a brief story about how her Dad was torpedoed in the war. Another group of people on the next table to me in a cafe, turned out to be from Brighton, where I worked before I was married, it's a small world and SO interesting.

So, first, here are some images from yesterday (you'll have to imagine DH was there, and the sun was firstly present, secondly warm!)

Watchet

They tried for ages to get this boat into the water, but I think the tide was too low. I don't have a picture, but they did succeed.

This museum is only one tiny room, but so interesting, we visited last month when it hammered down with rain! The building also comprises a chapel, upstairs and an old police cell, which can be seen from the other end.

                              Don't you just love the natural yarn-like colours in this sea scape? 

Not the best picture, but the subject is very dear to the family's heart! We are all lovers of steam! This is the West Somerset Railway.

Another change in the weather and this was today . One of Dad's favourite local places. I know I have covered this in a previous post, but I have tried to show you some other angles today.

Glastonbury Abbey

The herb garden, where all the plants are clearly marked with their names and what their use was during the time when the medieval monks were here. This site was their cider house.

 Two pictures of the Abbot's kitchen. Designed with the tower at the top to suck the smoke from the fires, one at each of the four corners, out of the kitchen.     

                                 The monks source of cider apples. They had their own orchard.

It is still spring here and there are many beautiful flowers still in bloom. Some are cultivated, some are wild, but there are no weeds here, they are all doing their own thing!

Celandine

                              Primrose                                 

                                               

                                               

                                                                         Apple Blossom

Daisies

                                                 One Dad and his dog Billy                                                                   

             

Just a couple more images, the first one of the main arches, the second looking out to Glastonbury Parish Church.

Another Hill Walk

Today's walk was slightly different, in that Brean is a big tourist area. Our other walks so far, may be visited by holiday-makers, but are slightly off the beaten track. Brean Down is the last of the Mendip Hills before you reach the Bristol Channel Our path today was well worn and defined without being way marked. From the summit Bristol can be seen in the distance, along with the Severn Bridge, which is a gateway to Wales.Looking inland,you can see right over the Levels.



Looking towards the beginning of our walk



If you look between the two larger buildings, you can just see the steps that have been cut into the rock for walkers. You can also see the zig-zag path where the steps continue almost to the top of hill. Once you reach the top, there is a walk of about 2 miles.
Looking inland, both Brent Knoll and Crook Peak are visible. Below, in the centre is Brent Knoll. In the distance to the left, is Glastonbury Tor.



Looking inland towards the Levels

 We visited towards late afternoon, otherwise we would have taken a shot of the fort, right at the end of the headland. The fort was built back in the 1850's under the rule of Napoleon 111. It is one of four forts built to protect the Bristol Channel from invasion from the French. Although well armoured, no shots were ever fired from the fort. However, at 5am on July 6th, 1900, there was a huge explosion .  Gunner Haines had fired his rifle into the ventilator of the  magazine of the large No. 3 gun,resulting his death. One wonders what led him to do such a rather stupid thing! 



Looking towards Weston-Super-Mare

 If you zoom in on the picture above, you can see Weston-Super-Mare. You can clearly see the old pier, to the left. In the centre is the new pier, the old one burnt down just over 2 years ago, follow the coastline along to the right and you will see the the wheel. It is owned by the same company as the new pier and was built as an extra attraction while the pier was being rebuilt. My Dad was staying with us just before the fire and we visited the pier the day after. Dad had become very excited when he realized how close Weston was by train, he said he remembered as a boy, rollerskating down the prom and visiting the pier! The reason for the fire was given as a fault in the fish and chip bar on the board walk. The smoke from the fire could be seen as far away as Bridgwater and even further afield!

Looking across the Bristol Channel to Wales. Zoom in and you can see The Millennium Stadium (rugby)in Cardiff.

The sunsetting over Brean Sands

Then we had a quick dash back to the car park which closes at 5pm. If you don't get back before closing, there is a £75 fine to retrieve your car!
Where to next week?