Always nice to start with some good news and some really good news today - congratulations.
A coolish morning to head out from Bel Tor. Down the lane to Dr. Blackall's and on the way some lovely white cattle with brown ears and feet and calves - White Galloways or British White?. Round above the Dart with all the trees aglow - are they brown or are they grey? And down to Leigh Tor and even more down to Spitchwick for a nice spot for a cup of tea and birthday treats. Out along and then steadily up through Great Wood to the manor. The house we so admired a few years ago is now complete with its wonderful cedar cladding and shingles all softly mellowing in. Uppety up to Leusdon Church with its memorial to Lt. Struben from the manor, a Dragoon who then joined the Royal Flying Corps and was shot down in the 1st Word War. Even a bit more up to Ponsworthy and then (not surprisingly) even more up to the moor and back to the cars. On to Badger's Holt which made a jolly fine spot for lunch.
(No matter what anyone says there certainly was a lot, lot more up than down.)