There and Back

Just looked out of the window and sitting on the lawn was this Sparrowhawk having just brought down his prey which was still struggling to get away. Brutal as it might seem, this is nature and repeated millions of times all over the planet by numerous creature, every day. Images taken with Nikon D5500 and Nikon 18-200 mm lens. Home      Forward        Back

Today we decided to walk along the coastal path and just soak up the glorious day. This looked like a lovely long beach with the prospect of a walk along a short part of the Coastal path. We were not disappointed as, on a glorious day, we arrived at Sandymouth. As you can see, there were very few people about, apart from the odd couple walking along the Coastal path like us, toward Northcott Mouth.  A walk back along the beach was planned but was abandoned when, on composing this picture, we were surprised by a fast incoming tide and ended up with very wet feet. It was funny though!  The reason we were taking picture of this particular rock formation was the apparent presence of `coral` formations on it? Anyway, back up onto the cliffs and trying to dry out the feet on the way back.  This little creature posed for a few moments.  A cup of coffee and a sandwich of crab (a bit disappointing), and we made our way t...

There were a few places that we had earmarked for today and the first ones were really just plucked from the map - `Picturesque village.` Well, we had to have a look at that one! The village in question, on the edge of Bodmin, was Altarnum which had this wonderful packhorse bridge, and a magnificent church, perched at the top of the village. Well worth a visit. A packhorse bridge is a bridge intended to carry pack horses (horses loaded with side bags or panniers) across a river or stream. Typically a packhorse bridge consists of one or more narrow (one horse wide) masonry arches, and has low parapets so as not to interfere with the horse's panniers. Multi-arched examples sometimes have triangular cutwaters that are extended upwards to form pedestrian refuges.  Packhorse bridges were often built on the trade routes (often called packhorse routes) that formed major transport arteries across Europe and Great Britain until the coming of the turnpike roads and canals...

Set on a large natural mound, Launceston Castle dominates the surrounding landscape. Begun soon after the Norman Conquest, its focus is an unusual keep consisting of a 13th-century round tower built by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, inside an earlier circular shell-keep. The tower top can be reached via an internal staircase but once reached, offers breathtaking views of the historic town and countryside. (See below) Once the administrative headquarters for the Earl of Cornwall, it was a significant location where control could be kept over the various estates in the area. The castle has a colourful history as a prison of which George Fox, founder of the Quakers, was the most famous prisoner. He suffered harsh confinement here in 1656. Launceston Castle was also used as the base for the Cornish Royalist defence of the county Prince Charles was officially proclaimed Duke of Cornwall at Launceston Castle in 1973. As part of his feudal dues there was a pair of white gloves,...

One of the reasons we found accommodation in this area of North Cornwall, was the proximity of Tintagel Castle. Many great images have been taken off the area and many legends abound, so a visit was definitely for today. The many legends are centered around the mythical King Arthur, and I, like most boys, was introduced to him at an early age. History and legend are inseparable at Tintagel. During the so-called Dark Ages (about the 5th to the 7th centuries AD) it was an important stronghold, and probably a residence of rulers of Cornwall. Many fragments of luxury pottery imported from the Mediterranean were left behind by those who lived here.  Today, the mystical tale of King Arthur is one of the great themes of British literature. But is there any truth behind the myth and why has it become so influential throughout the centuries? The King Arthur that we know today is a collection of different legends, written by different authors, at different times. They ...