A silvery morning on the Tamar as we met up for a silvery day amongst the silver lead mines. Much healthier at Weir Quay now without the fumes from the 18 furnaces !!
On to the actual Weir Quay and views of elderly water craft awaiting their make overs.
Along past the fragile hulk of the Merganser at Holes Hole before climbing up and up along the woodland path through clouds of hornets and soon to the South Hooe mine and choice of paths.
At South Hooe Cottage we were welcomed by Prue and with a guide sheet in hand we followed the trail route towards a diversion through the newer orchards.
Nearing coffee time we stopped to harvest apples and bullaces as per our hosts instructions before continuing through grassy meadowland parallel to the winding Tamar's shore and views of Halton Quay and later, Pentillie Castle.
Lunch later by the newest bird hide and the reed beds engineered to soon be reclaimed by the swirling tides. Cattle egrets already spotted and many more new avian guests are expected to join the increasing insect, bird and bat populations.
Leaving the reserve there was a long climb up to Hewton where mine manager Johnson once worried about the failing health of the silver lead miners. And then we were winding our way down through more mining activity at Cotts to Weir Quay and the old silver lead factory where those furnaces roared and, in more recent times, a jam factory processed a kinder harvest from this land of riches.
Anne