A small but
select group of four musketeers this week met outside The Olde Plough (STILL sadly
closed on Tuesdays) for our annual circular tour of the Bere peninsula. It was
jury service preventing Jane from joining us last time, this time she was
present but had an important appointment at the optician’s. This was really
fortuitous as the weather gods had not been available when I petitioned them,
hence it was pouring with rain during most of the walk.
Undaunted,
we strode purposefully past the church and village well and up towards the
station. Here, the leader took the radical decision to omit the muddy fields
walk and we made our way by road past farms and bee hives at Ormonde house.
Opposite this, we plunged down to the Pokelogan (house up a creek) at Liphill
Quay. Here I had hoped we would find some estuary birds, but we were
disappointed.
We
re-emerged on the road to Weir Quay, where the hedgerows are a mass of pink
campion, cow parsley, elderflower and blackberry blossom. There are hops
growing too, apparently there since the Benedictine monks from Buckland Abbey
planted them for holy brewing purposes….. Sadly, there was no sign of the
myriad butterflies and other insects usually busy there.
Rather than
sit in the rain for coffee, we took shelter in Fern Cottage (chez Rowley) and
collected Bella for her walk, in the pouring rain. We cut through old mine
workings up to Cotts, then through fields, over Furzehill bridge and past the
rather strange farm at Wottons. A couple of muddy fields and apple orchards
later, we emerged at Harlings farm where a café is reputed to be opening
dreckly – now June apparently, but had been promised for March…ah well, next
time.
Despite
being soaked, the musketeers were in good spirits and we made muddy progress
through Hallowell woods and down to the Tavy. It should have been lunchtime,
but we agreed that a car picnic was the answer and Jane had time to get to her
appointment. We clocked up 7.5 soggy miles and Bella about 4 – she slept for
the rest of the afternoon.
Many thanks
for the cheery company, Jane, Phil and Raz. It was great to be able to lead a
walk after eight months.
Liz Rowley
