First walk in weeks
Apr. 17th, 2005 03:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fivemackFor several weekends, either the weather or I have been gloomy enough that I haven't walked.
When preparing the maps of the flooded Severn Valley, I noticed Bredon Hill, which would form a strategic outpost half-way up the valley, guarding the approaches to the Gloucester Strait.
It's 25km away, but I have a bicycle, so off I went. This map shows the route; this shows the view from the top. It's said you can see eleven counties. There's a nice hill-fort at the summit, with two rings of ditches.
Lots of wildlife; spring's good for that. Many small birds (coal-tit, and a couple of the kind with yellow wing-flashes); some interesting larger birds (green woodpecker on the way down; an owl in a field by the side of a road as I cycled back home at dusk); pheasants all over the wooded bits; over the 50km by bike, must have seen a dozen this-year's rabbits running into the verge. There was an odd farm in Little Washbourne, which kept a splendidly-maned pony and three medium-sized lambs in a field; the pony amused itself by galloping around the field chasing the lambs. I managed to capture a homage to Muybridge, though the lack of shadow means you need a little convincing that the horse is actually off the ground.
Lambs everywhere, arranged most photogenically.
When preparing the maps of the flooded Severn Valley, I noticed Bredon Hill, which would form a strategic outpost half-way up the valley, guarding the approaches to the Gloucester Strait.
It's 25km away, but I have a bicycle, so off I went. This map shows the route; this shows the view from the top. It's said you can see eleven counties. There's a nice hill-fort at the summit, with two rings of ditches.
Lots of wildlife; spring's good for that. Many small birds (coal-tit, and a couple of the kind with yellow wing-flashes); some interesting larger birds (green woodpecker on the way down; an owl in a field by the side of a road as I cycled back home at dusk); pheasants all over the wooded bits; over the 50km by bike, must have seen a dozen this-year's rabbits running into the verge. There was an odd farm in Little Washbourne, which kept a splendidly-maned pony and three medium-sized lambs in a field; the pony amused itself by galloping around the field chasing the lambs. I managed to capture a homage to Muybridge, though the lack of shadow means you need a little convincing that the horse is actually off the ground.
Lambs everywhere, arranged most photogenically.
AEH
Date: 2005-04-18 11:32 am (UTC)The bells they sound so clear;
Round both the shires they ring them
In steeples far and near,
A happy noise to hear.
Here of a Sunday morning
My love and I would lie,
And see the coloured counties,
And hear the larks so high
About us in the sky.
The bells would ring to call her
In valleys miles away:
‘Come all to church, good people;
Good people, come and pray.’
But here my love would stay.
And I would turn and answer
Among the springing thyme,
‘Oh, peal upon our wedding,
And we will hear the chime,
And come to church in time.’
But when the snows at Christmas
On Bredon top were strown,
My love rose up so early
And stole out unbeknown
And went to church alone.
They tolled the one bell only,
Groom there was none to see,
The mourners followed after,
And so to church went she,
And would not wait for me.
The bells they sound on Bredon,
And still the steeples hum.
‘Come all to church, good people,’—
Oh, noisy bells, be dumb;
I hear you, I will come.
On a more positive note, I am very pleased by the playful horse. It is currently disporting as my desktop background. Ah, spring!