Hardly daring for a dry walk in the sun we met at Bennett’s Cross in a cold howling gale after being promised record high temperatures. Hoods up & poles anchoring us to the ground we got to the Two Moors Way & continued to the road where we had to make the decision whether to gain more height & head to Hookner Tor & Grimspound but a group decision was to head for lower ground so we walked through Headland Warren Farm & were able to strip off the windproof layers & delight in warm sunshine. Heading south to Challacombe we stopped at the Billy Goat Gruff bridge & had a chat with the friendly troll under the bridge. Amazingly, someone had given him a spring clean. We had our coffee break by the pool in the company of a herd of ponies. Wonderful to see the spring foliage bursting out & smell the coconut from the gorse. Following the valley & the stream we passed the Golden Dagger mine , heading towards Vitifer mine. A sudden cry from Brenda…Hurry, Come quick, run, got us scurrying back down the track to her. No one hurt! Just a beautiful male adder. What a wonderful sight. We carried on with our walk & came across hundreds of tadpoles, a rather large leech & a newt. Birds tweeting all around us. Summer can’t be far away!
Lunch was at the Warren House Inn which served us with scrumptious food including Phil’s favourite of a foot long sausage which looked a bit like a skinned adder! A good walk, good company, good weather & good food.
Amber & Colin