Saturday, 8th August 2015
Hello
After a sluggish start I suddenly found some get up and go and announced a local ramble to Loe Pool. Mr RR remembered being told about a path to some woods on the far side of the pool where, at dusk, badgers can be seen. Despite it being 9.30 in the morning we decided to hunt out said woods, so that if we felt so inclined we could go back and spot badgers at nightfall one day!
Enjoy
RRxx
Porthleven circular via Loe Pool and Chyvarloe (7 miles)
Summer showed it’s face in Porthleven today, the harbour was busy as preparations were under way for the gig racing due to start shortly. A lone cormorant flaps his way out of the harbour and off along the coast as we head through the crowds and along the coast path towards Loe Bar. Not yet mid morning and already very warm with clear skies and calm blue seas.
At Loe Bar I take off my walking sandals and go barefoot across the shingle until we reach the patches of sea holly, pretty lavender blue but spiky spiky spiky! My Reader’s Digest Wild Flower book describes the colour as metallic blue – which I suppose is true:
It also says that it used to be much more common on beaches and sand dunes, but that it has suffered from humans rooting it out to save their feet! The leaves and stalks of sea holly have thick cuticles or outer skins – an adaptation to sea shore life which prevents water loss and protects it from salty spray.
One 17th century book of herbal remedies recommends Sea holly for “restoring the aged, and amending the defects of nature in the younger” and interestingly between the 16th and 19th centuries the roots of this plant were candied and sold as a popular delicacy and aphrodisiac for the elderly!! Now there’s something to think about next time you come across some!
Moving on quickly across the Bar, we head up the coast path on the other side, looking for a track to take us inland. On the way we stop to watch a kestrel hovering overhead:
and a flock of gulls, loitering at the shoreline down below us, many of them those large, black backed gulls:
As we pause to take in the view of Halzephron ahead:
we stumble upon a track heading inland and follow it through the overgrowth – luckily not too many stinging nettles here! There are, though, hundreds of butterflies of all different varieties – but all to flighty and nervous for me to manage a photo. Reaching a lane we continue uphill to Chyvarloe Farm and find a footpath marked on the left which takes us across a field and into some woods.
It’s lovely and cool in the shade of the trees as we make our way along the well trodden path noting holes in the steep sides which may be badger setts. The path takes us downhill and we emerge alongside the lake where we turn left again and make our way back to Loe Bar and along the coast road in the midday heat to Porthleven.
Total miles walked this year – 524 (including 1 mile walked yesterday in Tremenhere Sculpture Gardens with Suzy B)
Associated artwork for Ricketyrambler by Mr RR:
http://www.andrewmajorart.co.uk
http://www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/Andrew-Major
ricketyrambler 