Today our walk was real. The write up of the virtual walk is on our blog spot April 7th and features links and information relevant to today's walk.
Today we started from Zoar and walked back towards Horndon. We looped into the Zoar Chapel yard drawn in by the amazing quantity of betony. A sea of purple amongst dewstrewn Yorkshire Fog Grass. The chapel built 1904 may be converted to a holiday let.
Sharp left at Horndon we joined the path towards Horndon clambridge before climbing the stile on to the leatpath and Creason Woods. Plenty of real fish!!
At Hillbridge we took the footpath over the fields then stile and road to Brousentor Farm and down into Baggator valley. Avoiding Coffin Wood we stayed on the permissive path past the WD 31 stone and the very ancient beech and sycamore trees. Soon we came to the clam over the Tavy at Standon Steps. We checked A.K's 60 year old photo of the local little girl next to the 1946 POW stone and a quick hunt ensued to find the concrete plaque on the bridge's plinth. This plaque can only be seen once you have crossed the river east to west.
Access is possible if you have big boots and long legs hence the lovely closeup photo.
Very exciting and interesting.
Lunchtime followed in field with views back towards Baggator but peaceful reflection was quickly disturbed by a cry of "Look..a cougar !!" We all jumped up to see over the wall. A distant large pale gold creature with a big tail wove, slunk and trotted through the rushes bordering the bank. A flock of sheep in the field of direction gathered together in alarm and as the long longtailed creature neared them they rushed to the opposite corner of field. As it entered their field they stared rigid with horror before charging towards it en masse. It disappeared from our sight but the sheep continued to stand with a very discomforted air about them.
All very exciting and no cameras or binoculars ! Sometimes you just have to be there !
We joined the Lichway towards Willsworthy and on to Hillbridge and along the bridle path by Chilly Wood back to the cars at Zoar. A very enjoyable 6 miles.
Anne