tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2009-11-11:/Many of us spend a great deal of our lives indoors - in the office, factory, retailer or kitchen. The Great Outdoors can be a very refreshing change whether getting exercise in the open air or enjoying seeing creatures in the wild. This blog is a record of some of my experiences & views past and present.MokoFeed2009-11-11T12:28:30+01:00tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2009-05-23:/2009/05/23/new-website-for-hillwalkers-6162557/Oregano2009-05-23T10:04:18+02:002009-05-23T10:04:18+02:00 <p>There is a <a href="http://www.prominentpeaks.org.uk/Default.aspx">new website</a> for hillwalkers listing 1564 peaks in the UK. It provides a lot of links to maps (Google, Streetmap and Get-a-Map) and to the Geograph website for photos.</p> <p><a href="http://prominentpeaks.org.uk"><br> <img src="http://prominentpeaks.org.uk/images/ukpp_logo100.png" border="0" alt="UK prominent peaks logo" width="100" height="100"></a></p> <p>Most lists of hills in the last century or so have been using criteria based in feet, e.g. the summit height. Such lists include the Munros, Corbetts and Hewitts. This website uses prominence in metres which is compatible with modern Ordnance Survey maps.</p> <p>I have been a fan of using prominence as it is usually a pretty good indicator of how distinct a hill or mountain is. A good example is <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/11/10/sugar-loaf-height-596-m-prominence-413-m-5008032/">Sugar Loaf</a> in South Wales which is a mere 596 metres high yet commands views in all directions due to its high prominence of 413 m.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2009/05/23/new-website-for-hillwalkers-6162557/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2009-01-20:/2009/01/20/rime-5414740/Oregano2009-01-20T21:26:51+01:002009-01-21T01:23:03+01:00 <p>One of my real pleasures over the last month was to see rime in many places. When we lived in Oberbayern it was quite common that there would be a month of freezing fog in the November-January timeframe and the rime on trees and bushes would be very spectacular. With mild southern English winters I have seen little rime in the last decade.</p> <p> <a title="Hitland rime 2" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/hitland_rime_2/3161318"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/318/3161318_1063f68f7c_m.jpeg" alt="Hitland rime 2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br>Around the New Year we really enjoyed seeing the rime on vegitation in Hitland. Much of the vegetation near frozen waterways had a good half centimetre of rime.</p> <p><a title="rime on grass" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/rime_on_grass/3151387"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/387/3151387_5eda59e311_m.jpeg" alt="rime on grass" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>When walking in South Wales there were some interesting looking grasses such as those above on the Rhiw yr Ysgyfarnog ridge in the Brecon Beacons. Like in Hitland there was a clear blue sky so I could enjoy the contrast between the rime and the sunshine.</p> <p><a title="rime 5" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/rime_5/3156908"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/908/3156908_850a1d7bdb_m.jpeg" alt="rime 5" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Back in the south of England the rime was very evident on the downs with a thick covering on bushes and trees two weekends ago. Sadly it all melted on 11th January.</p> <p>Nevertheless I have seem more rime this winter than for a decade.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2009/01/20/rime-5414740/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2009-01-19:/2009/01/19/fan-fawr-734-m-5405686/Oregano2009-01-19T14:57:28+01:002009-01-19T14:57:28+01:00 <p>On a <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/11/04/pen-y-fan-height-886-m-prominence-671-m-4982867">previous trip</a> to South Wales we drove from Brecon to the M4 using the A470. From that road we got a great view of Craig Cerrig-gleisiad with Fan Fawr beyond. The light was beginning to fade and Fan Fawr had a good covering of snow. I thought it would be fun to return to Fan Fawr 34 years after crossing the Fforest Fawr by foot.</p> <p> <a title="Fan Fawr" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/fan_fawr/3151383"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/383/3151383_35cb6d121a_m.jpeg" alt="Fan Fawr" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>I had originally planned to park below Craig Cerrig-gleisiad but since there were plenty of  parking spaces at Storey Arms, I decided to stop there. There was a path leading directly westward and after going up the slope from Storey Arms, the view to Fan Fawr opens up. With Storey Arms being at a height of 439 m, it is not a very difficult walk to the summit with just under 300 metres of ascent. There is a cairn at the summit but the trig point is about 700 metres further to the south west.</p> <p><a title="Fan Fawr trig point" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/fan_fawr_trig_point/3151382"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/382/3151382_1859cd03f3_m.jpeg" alt="Fan Fawr trig point" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>There were showers passing to the south west.</p> <p>Since I had arrived around midday and had four hours of good light I did not descend to the reservoir below but instead walked round the side of Fan Fawr 'haggis style' gradually descending to the saddle between Fan Fawr and Craig Cerrig-gleisiad.<a title="Fforest Fawr grass" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/fforest_fawr_grass/3156988"> <br> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/988/3156988_068321a23f_m.jpeg" alt="Fforest Fawr grass" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>The sun broke through and the yellow grass reminded me of what I had seen as a teenager. This time though the ground was frozen so there was no squelching through wet ground.</p> <p><a title="towards Brecon" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/towards_brecon/3156994"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/994/3156994_996fd50261_m.jpeg" alt="towards Brecon" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>From Craig Cerrig-gleisiad there was an interesting view to the north. The cloud base was about 800 m but there was fog covering Brecon and surrounding villages. There was a slice of good visibility sandwiched between cloud and fog.</p> <p>I walked north to the trig point at Fan Frynych and then headed back towards Storey Arms. After Craig Cerrig-gleisiad, I looked for the Beacons Way path but initially found nothing. The cloudbase lifted and it was possible to glimpse Corn Du and Pen y Fan across the valley.</p> <p>Above Craig y Fro, I picked up a path that led across a few frozen streams. There were some interesting partially frozen waterfalls.</p> <p><a title="frozen waterfall" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/frozen_waterfall/3151384"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/384/3151384_dfaa254ef8_m.jpeg" alt="frozen waterfall" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>This one I particularly liked due to its large icicles and the running water below. Between this waterfall and the A470 there were a total of 4 frozen falls.</p> <p><a title="frozen waterfall 2" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/frozen_waterfall_2/3151385"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/385/3151385_8d6c21ebd9_m.jpeg" alt="frozen waterfall 2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>This waterfall was fairly close to the road. I was about 100 metres from the road when I managed to slip on some snow-covered grass and land hard on my tailbone. I felt the jolt right through my spine to my head...but did not actually see stars!</p> <p>I got back to my car by 16:00 so completed the walk on time. It was not hard walking but I just enjoyed the emptiness...I only saw one walker all day.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2009/01/19/fan-fawr-734-m-5405686/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2009-01-19:/2009/01/19/fforest-fawr-5405549/Oregano2009-01-19T14:32:37+01:002009-01-19T14:32:37+01:00 <p>The Fforest Fawr is an upland area in the Brecon Beacons National Park. It lies between the Brecon Beacons in the east and the Black Mountain (Fan Brycheiniog) in the west and has summits that are not so high.</p> <p><a title="Fforest fawr" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/fforest_fawr/3156906"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/906/3156906_faaee3cef6_m.jpeg" alt="Fforest fawr" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>The picture above shows two of the summits - Fan Nedd (left) and Fan Gyhirych (right) seen from Craig Gwaun Taf. The easternmost summit - Fan Fawr - lies above Storey Arms on the A470.</p> <p>When I was 17, I planned a walking trip that started in Llangadog in the West, then went up onto the Black Mountain escarpment. We camped at Llyn y Fan Fach then continued over Fan Brycheiniog along a line that is similar to the Beacons Way.</p> <p>We headed across the Fforest Fawr although I do not think we ascended any of the summits. I recall walking through often somewhat boggy ground with brown/yellow grass. Unfortunately I no longer have a record of our route.</p> <p>We had planned to go over the Brecon Beacons and down to Crickhowell, then to do a bit of the Black Mountains before picking up a train at Abergaveny. I ended up letting down the group by feeling unwell above Storey Arms. We decided to abandon the trip and hitched down to Merthyr Tydfil station. I have not been in this area again until this month.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2009/01/19/fforest-fawr-5405549/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2009-01-16:/2009/01/16/icy-hitland-5387773/Oregano2009-01-16T10:48:07+01:002009-01-16T10:48:07+01:00 <p>For the New Year we returned to the Netherlands and stayed again with my brother-in-law. The temperatures were down to -7C so ice formed nicely and was thick enough to skate on. We took another walk through the Hitland polder.</p> <p><a title="Icy Hitland" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/icy_hitland/3146613"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/613/3146613_d84f0156af_m.jpeg" alt="Icy Hitland" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>There were loads of families out skating with skaters ranging from kids who could barely walk to the elderly.</p> <p><a title="Hitland ducks" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/hitland_ducks/3146606"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/606/3146606_a6a5196856_m.jpeg" alt="Hitland ducks" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>There were plenty of water birds about such as these ducks which had found a small patch of unfrozen water. There were also hundreds of coots and geese in the polder and plenty of swans and herons.</p> <p><a title="Hitland reeds" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/hitland_reeds/3146608"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/608/3146608_4bd57e5331_m.jpeg" alt="Hitland reeds" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>There were plenty of contrasts:- the agricultural land and the fields, the frozen expanses of water and the open ones. What you do not realise is that the "ditches" between fields are actually over two metres deep.<br><a title="Hitland rime 1" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/hitland_rime_1/3146609"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/609/3146609_d6ad70844c_m.jpeg" alt="Hitland rime 1" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>I enjoyed the rime that was very visible on the vegetation and was several millimetres in size.</p> <p><a title="Hitland speedskaters" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/hitland_speedskaters/3146611"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/611/3146611_f76fa63467_m.jpeg" alt="Hitland speedskaters" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>I enjoyed seeing older people out on the ice (though I cannot skate myself). Some such as the trio here were very skilled and synchronised. They young guy on the left was going at tremendous speed and I assume skated competitively.</p> <p><a title="swans and duck" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/swans_and_duck/3146614"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/614/3146614_61d9a8fa2a_m.jpeg" alt="swans and duck" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>As the light began to fade, few birds remained in the water - these swans and duck were exceptions. On the other side of the path (and across a short ditch) there was a field full of coots.</p> <p><a title="Hitland sunset" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/hitland_sunset/3146612"> <img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/612/3146612_325639be74_m.jpeg" alt="Hitland sunset" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>The Sun set just as we left Hitland.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2009/01/16/icy-hitland-5387773/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-11-10:/2008/11/10/sugar-loaf-height-596-m-prominence-413-m-5008032/Oregano2008-11-10T07:54:03+01:002009-05-23T10:11:50+02:00 <p>After a day walking in the Brecon Beacons and great dining in Monmouth we had a further day to enjoy in South Wales. We went to church on the Sunday morning and decided to return to Abergaveny to walk up Sugar Loaf. It would be a good day to warm down before returning to work.</p> <p><a title="Sugarloaf from A40" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/sugarloaf_from_a40/2968261"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/261/2968261_2497282351_m.jpg" alt="Sugarloaf from A40" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Sugar Loaf is an outlier in the Black Mountains. It is not that high - 596 metres - compared with the highest point in the Black Mountains (Waun Fach at 811 m). Nevertheless what it lacks in height it has in distinctiveness. It is visible from many places such as the A40 between Raglan and Abergaveny above. Its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topographic_prominence">topographic prominence</a> (413 metres) or the drop between the Sugar Loaf summit and higher peaks is high.</p> <p>We took the tiny single track road up to the National Trust car park at Grid Reference SO 268 166. We passed several cars but the lack of passing places made this difficult. One driver seemed to find this very difficult as he could not reverse straight!</p> <p><a title="Sugarloaf path" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/sugarloaf_path/2968262"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/262/2968262_07db8872bf_m.jpg" alt="Sugarloaf path" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>The path from the car park goes up through bracken covered heath rising gently up to the Mynydd Lllanwenarth ridge from which you can see the summit. You can then take one of the paths heading first NNW then NE to the Sugar Loaf summit. Alternatively you can take a more direct line going into the Den Fach valley and up the other side.</p> <p><a title="view to Black Mountains" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/view_to_black_mountains/2968263"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/263/2968263_d8540502bd_m.jpg" alt="view to Black Mountains" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>We had a great view North and West over the Black Mountains. The cloudbase was down to at most 700 metres so the summits of the Brecon Beacons were not visible.</p> <p>We took a different way down to the car park. It was a leisurely two hour walk and sadly after that we had to head off home.</p> <p>Sugar Loaf is a P200 Prominent Peak.</p> <p> <a href="http://prominentpeaks.org.uk"><br> <img src="http://prominentpeaks.org.uk/images/ukpp_banner_20.png" border="0" alt="UK prominent peaks banner" width="103" height="20"></a></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/11/10/sugar-loaf-height-596-m-prominence-413-m-5008032/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-11-04:/2008/11/04/pen-y-fan-height-886-m-prominence-671-m-4982867/Oregano2008-11-04T15:12:43+01:002009-05-23T10:16:58+02:00 <p>This is part 2 of our 1 November walk, part 1 is <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/11/04/cribyn-height-795-m-prominence-130-m-4982172">here</a></p> <p>The descent to the col between Cribyn and <a href="http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm?mapAction=gaz&gazName=g&gazString=SO012215">Pen y Fan</a> was uneventful although the visibility was getting worse. At the col there was little wind and a few people had stopped for lunch. The ascent up again to Pen y Fan was icy along the path. However I was amazed to see two young guys in Army uniform literally jogging down the other way.</p> <p><a title="on Pen y Fan" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/on_pen_y_fan/2960027"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/027/2960027_eb98321ce1_m.jpg" alt="on Pen y Fan" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>We reached the top of Pen y Fan and the visibility was very poor - perhaps down to 15 metres. The summit is quite flat although I knew that from pictures I had seen before the walk. However one problem was that it was hard to work out where the path was to the Cefn Cwm Llwch path. We decided to stick to our original plan which was to carry on to Corn Du.</p> <p><a title="Pen y Fan 273588_a9c59aa7-by-Phil-Jolliff" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/pen_y_fan_273588_a9c59aa7_by_phil_jolliff/2959676"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/676/2959676_613ff513f8_m.jpg" alt="Pen y Fan 273588_a9c59aa7-by-Phil-Jolliff" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>© Copyright <a title="View profile" href="http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/8271">Phil Jolliff</a> and licensed for reuse under this <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>.</p> <p>The picture above downloaded from the Geograph website shows what Pen y Fan would look like without cloud.</p> <p>We plodded on towards Corn Du following the footprints and checking our bearing by compass. There were quite a lot of people who were on the summit ridge.</p> <p><a title="Corn Du 273590_2dc11333-by-Phil-Jolliff" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/corn_du_273590_2dc11333_by_phil_jolliff/2959674"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/674/2959674_c82d446a24_m.jpg" alt="Corn Du 273590_2dc11333-by-Phil-Jolliff" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>© Copyright <a title="View profile" href="http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/8271">Phil Jolliff</a> and licensed for reuse under this <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>.</p> <p>As can be seen by this photo in better conditions, the path to Corn Du is very straightforward. Given the visibility we decided not to take the steep path down but headed SW on the Storey Arms path before taking a dog's leg north towards the Obelisk. Following the edge of Craig Cwm Llwch.</p> <p><a title="Llyn Cwm Llwch" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/llyn_cwm_llwch/2960028"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/028/2960028_200e3e78de_m.jpg" alt="Llyn Cwm Llwch" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>At around a height of 700 metres we came out below the clouds and had a view down to Llyn Cwm Llwch. There was a gale force wind blowing over the edge; though thankfully it was blowing away from the edge. A detail I failed to notice when taking this photo is the moraine behind the tarn. The moraine is the set of uneven ridges.</p> <p>We then descended into the valley below Pen Milan. It was actually a relief to get out of the wind although the summit ridge had been exciting. There was the muddy path down towards the nearest road - ironically although Mrs O and I had managed to avoid slipping in the snow and ice we both slithered onto our backs on muddy slopes.</p> <p>We had about 2 km to follow anlong the road back to the National Trust car park. We took 5 hours and 45 minutes in total with just a 10 minute coffee break atop Pen y Fan. Under better conditions we would have moved faster and probably spent more time resting on the summit ridge but perhaps would have taken the same amount of time in total.</p> <p>Pen y Fan is a P500 Prominent Peak</p> <p> <a href="http://prominentpeaks.org.uk"><br> <img src="http://prominentpeaks.org.uk/images/ukpp_banner_50.png" border="0" alt="UK prominent peaks banner" width="258" height="50"></a></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/11/04/pen-y-fan-height-886-m-prominence-671-m-4982867/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-11-04:/2008/11/04/cribyn-height-795-m-prominence-130-m-4982172/Oregano2008-11-04T12:45:50+01:002008-11-05T09:54:19+01:00 <p> <a title="towards Cribyn" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/towards_cribyn/2959696"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/696/2959696_36047632d9_m.jpg" alt="towards Cribyn" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>After an overnight stay in <a href="http://oddsends.blog.co.uk/2008/11/04/monmouth-4981926">Monmouth</a> and fortified by a Prego breakfast, we drove to Brecon and parked at the National Trust car park below Pen y Fan. We had not previously walked in the Brecon Beacons and we wanted to walk there as it is our closest mountain range. The plan was to start with <a title="Cribyn map" href="http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm?mapAction=gaz&gazName=g&gazString=SO023213">Cribyn</a> then move on along the ridge to Pen y Fan and possibly Corn Du. This posting is the first of two on the walk.</p> <p>We set out from the car park actually descending then heading east before picking up a road and path towards Cribyn. On one of the roads Mrs O disturbed a buzzard on the road and it flew off over the woods.</p> <p> <a title="tame start" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/tame_start/2959697"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/697/2959697_7541d06cc3_m.jpg" alt="tame start" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>The Met Office mountain forecast warned of strong winds and sub zero temperatures on the summits. However in the walk from the car park across to Bailea the conditions looked pretty tame. Snow was down to about 500 metres and the cloudbase seemed to be around 600 metres.</p> <p>We went up the path that follows the Bryn Teg ridge and came up to the snowline. On the way we disturbed a bird that was reminiscent of a curlew but definitiely had a straight beak; we assume it was a woodcock or snipe. It did not seem that cold and the snow was initially soft. We came up into the cloud and initially there was 50-100 m visibility. There was presumably a stone path but it was hard to see with the snow. The main path looked icy so a lot of people had gone into the snow on either side. However you must be careful as there is a substantial drop to the right. Some walkers were really slowing down.</p> <p> <a title="Cribyn ice crystals 2" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/cribyn_ice_crystals_2/2959698"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/698/2959698_4de152d0ea_m.jpg" alt="Cribyn ice crystals 2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>Closer to the summit we were exposed to a very strong NE wind. This made you feel substantially colder. There were also amazing formations in the snow which had been shaped by the wind. Occasionally the crystals would break off in the wind.</p> <p> <a title="Cribyn summit" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/cribyn_summit/2959699"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/699/2959699_c6f2a4177f_m.jpg" alt="Cribyn summit" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>By the time we reached the summit we were getting the full force of the wind. With a significantly increased wind chill we did not feel like hanging around so followed the path towards Pen y Fan. Some walkers raced down through the soft snow though they kept very well clear of the north facing edge.</p> <p> <a title="Cribyn 140880_7e7da178-by-Nigel-Davies" href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/cribyn_140880_7e7da178_by_nigel_davies/2959675"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/675/2959675_1a3a50c695_m.jpg" alt="Cribyn 140880_7e7da178-by-Nigel-Davies" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>   © Copyright <a title="View profile" href="http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/860">Nigel Davies</a> and licensed for reuse under this <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>.</p> <p>After returning I looked for photos of Cribyn on the <a href="http://www.geograph.org.uk">Geograph website</a> that had something approximating to the conditions we had on 1st November. The above photo shows the route we took to the summit on the left then the onward path towards Pen y Fan on the right. It is also interesting to see the substantial drop!</p> <p>Click <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/11/04/pen-y-fan-height-886-m-prominence-671-m-4982867">here</a> for part 2 of the walk.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/11/04/cribyn-height-795-m-prominence-130-m-4982172/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-10-04:/2008/10/04/throstle-4819296/Oregano2008-10-04T11:14:15+02:002008-10-04T11:14:15+02:00 <p>I watch very little TV and am not a fan of quiz shows. I went into the living room last week when 'Who wants to be a millionaire' was running. The question was "what is a Throstle"? I am aware of less well known words for some UK birds e.g. '<em>windhover</em>' for kestrel but had never heard the word <em>throsle</em> before.</p> <p>However it sounds very much like the modern German <em><a href="http://www.medienwerkstatt-online.de/lws_wissen/vorlagen/showcard.php?id=896&edit=0">Drossel</a></em> which is the word for song thrush. Since many older English and modern German words share a common root I assumed that was what the <em>throstle</em> was.</p> <p>The answer proved to be correct! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/10/04/throstle-4819296/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-09-08:/2008/09/08/cabo-corvoeiro-4699468/Oregano2008-09-08T17:35:53+02:002008-09-09T11:16:49+02:00 <p>The point at the western end of the Peniche peninsular is <a href="http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabo_Carvoeiro">Cabo Carvoeiro</a> which is a few hundred metres away from a lighthouse. The whole peninsular - at least west of the town walls - has interesting rocks. There were some very interesting small formations near here.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/rocks_at_cabo_corvoeiro/2794718" title="rocks at cabo corvoeiro"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/718/2794718_f5b26f7832_m.jpg" alt="rocks at cabo corvoeiro" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>The rocks reminded me of something from the US south west, e.g. the sort of formation that you see east of Las Vegas or in Southern Utah. However they are a mere metre high. I wonder how they got this shape given that they are at the top of a small cliff. They were interesting to walk through though sadly littered - including human excrement!</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/near_cabo_corvoeiro/2794719" title="near cabo corvoeiro"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/719/2794719_62d48665df_m.jpg" alt="near cabo corvoeiro" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>About 50 metres offshore was this splendid stack; Nau dos Corvos. Sometimes the waves shot up to the full height. This suggests that some waves might spray over the top of the cliff too. In the left distance you can just see Berlenga island. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/09/08/cabo-corvoeiro-4699468/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-08-31:/2008/08/31/eveningvisitor-4661732/Oregano2008-08-31T14:29:47+02:002008-08-31T14:29:47+02:00 <p>Last night we had dinner with some Portuguese friends and my son went outside into the terrace of our rental villa. He found there was a visitor on the wall.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/praying_mantis_1/2773204" title="praying mantis 1"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/204/2773204_4d0a3ea378_m.jpg" alt="praying mantis 1" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>I have never seen a praying mantis before but from descriptions I am sure this is what we saw. It was a good 10 cm long and had powerful forelegs.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/praying_mantis_2/2773205" title="praying mantis 2"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/205/2773205_7ccd93840c_m.jpg" alt="praying mantis 2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>As a child I liked Gerald Durrel's books on his childhood in Corfu ('My family and other animals' & 'Birds, beasts and relatives'). I recall him describing a deadly encounter between a praying mantis and a gecko in his bedroom. I recall him saying that the forelegs were used as deadly weapons that would draw blood...though I recall that the bloodied gecko finally won. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/08/31/eveningvisitor-4661732/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-08-16:/2008/08/16/coastal-walk-near-porthleven-4595788/Oregano2008-08-16T11:24:37+02:002008-08-16T11:26:49+02:00 <p>I love the coast of the UK, in particular the SW peninsular. Many years ago as a student, in the early 1980s, I walked the coastal path from Plymouth to Penzance in two stages. More recently, in middle age, I have walked numerous fragments of the N Cornwall path and the path between Lands End and Penzance.</p> <p>Walking the coast path on a day or half day has the disadvantage that you sometimes need to retrace your steps. Mrs O and I wanted to do a section near Porthleven but found that we could complement the coast path with an inland stretch to make a round trip. We decided to start the walk at the National Trust car park near Rinsey (grid reference SW 592 271)</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/coast_path_in_mist/2734855" title="Coast path in mist"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/855/2734855_6ead676752_m.jpg" alt="Coast path in mist" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Although there was sunshine inland, the coast path was engulfed in a sea mist. We duly decided to start with the inland leg. We headed along public footpaths WNW towards Breage.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/old_barn/2734857" title="old barn"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/857/2734857_044233acfc_m.jpg" alt="old barn" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>We passed this run down cottage/barn near Calvorry farm. At Breage we took the footpath next to the junior school and headed across more fields SW towards Porthleven. </p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/porthleven_2/2734858" title="Porthleven 2"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/858/2734858_29545a6872_m.jpg" alt="Porthleven 2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>There was a good, but hazy view towards the Lizard. The footpath crossed some barley fields with the ears swaying gently in the breeze. Further down the hill we passed a gate and saw that there were horses in the field. We stopped at the gate and the horses approached us. Bizarrely they were also followed by a deer. I assume it belonged to the farm and I do not know what variety it was; it had no antlers but seemed larger than a roe deer.</p> <p>In Porthleven we stopped for a refreshing drink at a pub overlooking the harbour then started on the Coast Path. The path was fairly up and down and even at this stage of the day there was still some mist that had not quite cleared.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/coastal_path/2734856" title="coastal path"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/856/2734856_4aefdd9774_m.jpg" alt="coastal path" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>In my early 20s, I walked the entire South Cornish Coast path from Plymouth to Penzance. This section was walked in incessant rain and I do not recall any of the sights. I had not appreciated that there were tin mines built into the cliff much like those near St Just. At a small bay we saw firstly kestrels hunting along the cliff edge, then a pair of peregrine falcons that were doing spectacular v-shaped dives chasing gulls then later each other.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/bees_on_thistle/2734854" title="bees on thistle"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/854/2734854_ae7e3e5aac_m.jpg" alt="bees on thistle" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>The insect lif was rich too. There were plenty of scimitar moths and bumble bees. We finally made it back to the car park after a switchback walk in what was turning out to be a hot day. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/08/16/coastal-walk-near-porthleven-4595788/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-07-03:/2008/07/03/black-kites-again-4396239/Oregano2008-07-03T02:37:43+02:002008-07-03T02:37:43+02:00 <p>Anybody in India will think I am daft posting this. After all black kites are as common in India as say wood pigeons in th UK. However I am posting this as they are quite rare in Europe. I have only seen them in the Danube valley in Bavaria or in the Camargue in France.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/black_kite2/2634064" title="black kite2"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/064/2634064_1482753be6_m.jpg" alt="black kite2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Like the (for us in the UK) more familiar red kites they have a slighltly larger than buzzards and a more distinct 'finger' feather pattern at the wing tips. There is a forking of the tail but less pronounced than with the red kite.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/black_kite/2634065" title="black kite"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/065/2634065_ffc4243d88_m.jpg" alt="black kite" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>The head is a lighter colour than the body and there are pale patches on the wing undersides. However these contrasts in colour are much less distinct than with a red kite. The general impression is of a dark brown bird.</p> <p>I went with a colleague to the science museum in Hyderabad which is on the top of a rock outcrop. It was quite common to see 20 kites overflying at different heights. Despite that I did not find it easy to photograph them. He said that they performed the very useful function of eating rats.</p> <p>Overelooking the city there was one point when there appeared to be a massive flock of several hundred kites over one district. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take our cameras into the museum so no photo was possible. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/07/03/black-kites-again-4396239/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-06-03:/2008/06/03/may-bugs-4263510/Oregano2008-06-03T15:58:12+02:002008-06-03T15:58:12+02:00 <p>Mrs O and I went to the Netherlands last week to visit some of her relatives. We stayed in a campsite in some woods to the east of Zwolle in Overijssel. My sister-in-law was complaining about May bugs or <em>Maikäfer</em> which were visible in large numbers flying above the grass.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/maybug/2567080" title="maybug"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/080/2567080_8d0eed6777_m.jpg" alt="maybug" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <br>Although I had heard of them in both the UK and Gemany I do not recall seeing them. The young ones such as that above was a bit over a centimetre long with brown wingcases and a greenish head and shoulder. Having returned to the UK I realise that they are also called <a href="http://www.uksafari.com/cockchafer.htm">cockchafers</a> here.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/maybug2/2567081" title="maybug2"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/081/2567081_ec683616ba_m.jpg" alt="maybug2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <br>They fly around noisily and seemed to get everywhere including the picnic table (above). They seem to have a fascinating <a href="http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/education/WildFileCockchafer.html">life cycle</a> of three years with two of those spent underground as grubs. They have been regarded as a pestilence at times due to their ability to eat green leaves - and hence crops.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/large_maybug2/2567079" title="large maybug2"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/079/2567079_7e5e81fba6_m.jpg" alt="large maybug2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>The fully grown ones were a good 3 cm in size like this one crawling slowly across a tile. However once they reach this size they did not seem to last very long. There were a good deal of dead ones lying around. Interestingly you can tell the <a href="http://www.uksafari.com/cockchafer3.htm">sex</a> by the number of 'leaves' in the antenna - I counted six on this one so it is presumably a female.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dead_maybug/2567078" title="dead maybug"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/078/2567078_4ba250b8f8_m.jpg" alt="dead maybug" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/06/03/may-bugs-4263510/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-05-17:/2008/05/17/and-then-there-were-none-4185871/Oregano2008-05-17T13:46:52+02:002008-05-17T13:46:52+02:00 <p>I need to relate the final part of the great tit story. All seven chicks left the nestbox on Wednesday when I was on a business trip to Munich.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/great_tits_gone/2533200" title="great tits gone"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/200/2533200_f34273a646_m.jpg" alt="great tits gone" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Mrs Oregano saw the family flying together and perching on the fence or walnut tree. So a successful brood! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/05/17/and-then-there-were-none-4185871/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-05-10:/2008/05/10/nest-after-another-week-4156247/Oregano2008-05-10T15:57:03+02:002008-05-10T15:57:03+02:00 <p>I took a look in the nesting box again today</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/great_tit4/2518992" title="great tit4"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/992/2518992_677b531735_m.jpeg" alt="great tit4" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <br>The tits now have a complete set of feathers and have grown further. I sometims have the feeling that those on top get most of the food.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/great_tit_3/2518993" title="great tit 3"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/993/2518993_cf0c766dd5_m.jpeg" alt="great tit 3" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <br>The parents are busy shuttling food back to the nest. We have counted seven chicks. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/05/10/nest-after-another-week-4156247/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-05-03:/2008/05/03/great-tits-after-a-week-4125837/Oregano2008-05-03T12:43:03+02:002008-05-03T12:43:03+02:00 <p>I had earlier posted a picture of our nest box from last Saturday with some <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/04/29/great-tit-nest-4112400">tiny great tit chicks</a>.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/great_tits2/2504246" title="great tits2"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/246/2504246_53380175bf_m.jpeg" alt="great tits2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <br>A week later they have grown a lot and look absolutely piled up in the nest! It's hard to know how many chicks are there...but clearly the feet are well developed, wings beginning to form and head, wing and leg feathers are in evidence. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/05/03/great-tits-after-a-week-4125837/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-04-30:/2008/04/30/upping-copse-4113977/Oregano2008-04-30T12:15:59+02:002008-04-30T18:12:21+02:00 <p>We were blessed with good weather last weekend and thought it would be a good time to look for bluebells. For round who are not in the UK this is a spectacular event lasting for about 2+ weeks around the beginning of May. This time we went to Upping Copse and were not disappointed.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/bluebells4/2498240" title="bluebells4"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/240/2498240_036c6bc83a_m.jpg" alt="bluebells4" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Bluebells seem to need a critical mass of shade to thrive. We had earlier been in another deciduous wood which was sparser and where virtually no bluebells were visible but instead brambles and bracken.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/bluebells3/2498235" title="bluebells3"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/235/2498235_01ca0a96c2_m.jpg" alt="bluebells3" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Other plants that grow well in similar conditions are wild garlic and dog's mercury.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/bluebells2/2498239" title="bluebells2"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/239/2498239_5a052a5b64_m.jpg" alt="bluebells2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Fallen trees in varying stages of decay also made the walk interesting.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/peacock_butterfly/2498237" title="peacock butterfly"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/237/2498237_a27d56604e_m.jpg" alt="peacock butterfly" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>We also saw a fair number of woodland ferns unfolding and a few butterflies. We saw brimstones, small whites, peacocks (like the one above) and a large white.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/bluebells1/2499320" title="bluebells1"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/320/2499320_fe2b17983d_m.jpg" alt="bluebells1" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>It is strange to think that a week or so ago this scene would have looked mainly green and that it will revert to green again in a few weeks. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/04/30/upping-copse-4113977/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-04-29:/2008/04/30/great-tit-nest-4112400/Oregano2008-04-30T00:38:01+02:002008-04-30T00:38:01+02:00 <p>We have had a nesting box on the side of our house for about 5 years. The design was supposed to encourage house sparrows - ironically something that I recall the RSPB nestboxes of the late 1960s sought to avoid! - but has been inhabited by tits. On three occasions blue tits have nested but with only one successful brood. Last year a pair of great tits nested successfully.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/great_tits/2498241" title="great tits"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/241/2498241_4eed56e36e_m.jpg" alt="great tits" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>We try to avoid peeking in - the last thing we want is for the parents to panic and abandon their brood - but last Saturday we saw that they brood has hatched. Both parents are working hard to bring in food. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/04/30/great-tit-nest-4112400/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-04-26:/2008/04/26/nightfall-visitor-4096574/Oregano2008-04-26T09:45:01+02:002008-04-26T09:45:01+02:00 <p>Having previously seen evidence of previous visits on our decking, we got a glipse of this visitor at nightfall yesterday.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/hedgehog/2490308" title="hedgehog"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/308/2490308_74f2d2bf1b_m.jpg" alt="hedgehog" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/04/26/nightfall-visitor-4096574/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-04-26:/2008/04/26/pigeon-predator-4096406/Oregano2008-04-26T08:55:57+02:002008-04-26T08:55:57+02:00 <p>I am fed up with the number of wood pigeons and collared doves we have in our town. They are constantly trying to build nests on window sills and other unsuitable locations and in winter hoover up large quantities of bird food when we put out. An elderly neighbour even claimed that with a warmer climate they are breeding three times a year! A probelm of course is the absence of predators. OK, I have seen the odd one being eaten by a sparrowhawk but a wood pigeon is stretching things a bit even for a female.</p> <p>Two weekends ago when we were on our way to church one of my sons said "that screeching sounds like a peregrine". He was right, there was one perched on the church roof. I have never seen one in this area of England before. Hopefully, it will be not short of prey here! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/04/26/pigeon-predator-4096406/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-04-01:/2008/04/01/ducks-invade-pond-3979783/Oregano2008-04-01T10:23:08+02:002008-04-01T10:23:08+02:00 <p>We have a little garden pond about 3 metres long and one metre wide. About five weeks ago there was a large gathering of frogs for spawning and the shallow end of the pond was full of frogspawn. Last weekend we noticed that there was very little frogspawn left and suspected it was ducks that had eaten it.</p> <p>At this time of the year large numbers of mallards wander off in pairs from our local river and seem to explore parts of the town where they never normally go. Yesterday I found a male and female settled on my pond. The spawn has disappeared completely and the water has gone from clear to muddy.... so no little frogs this year. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/04/01/ducks-invade-pond-3979783/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-03-22:/2008/03/22/hen-harriers-hunting-3922139/Oregano2008-03-22T19:54:38+01:002008-03-22T19:59:44+01:00 <p>When we lived in the Munich area we saw many different sorts of birds of prey. They were mainly buzzards, sparrow hawks and kestrels but there were interesting summer and winter visitors. The first time I recognised a hen harrier was in January 1995 when out to a favourite raptor-watching area SE of Munich with my son.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/first_hen_harrier/2423455" title="first hen harrier"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/455/2423455_c622358c25_m.jpg" alt="first hen harrier" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>He said "Dad, there is a gull over there", but from the low flight over the ground (which I knew had plenty of voles and mice as the buzzards and kestrels hunted them I did not think it was a gull. Also the bird had a long tail quite unlike a gull. I had a long lens with me so took the photo above - which sadly is not sharp - but you see the long grey wings with black wingtips, a white band at the base of the tail and a long grey tail.</p> <p>I concluded that it was a male hen harrier but was surprised as Germany has very few breeding pairs. On getting home and reading a book on raptors I realised that it was probably a bird that was wintering from Sweden or Finland. Quite a few migrate southward to Germany for the winter. In subsequent winters we would see harriers from late October to about mid March.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/hen_harrier/2423456" title="hen harrier"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/456/2423456_555b4fae56_m.jpg" alt="hen harrier" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>The hen harrier has a wingspan similar to that of a common buzzard - just over a metre - but is more slimly built and has a much longer tail. The female (like that above) is a similar brown to a buzzard but has the white band at the base of the tail like the male.</p> <p>While buzzards hunt from soaring or from a perch, hen harriers tend to fly low over the ground alternating between flapping and gliding. Occasionally they will strike something on the ground showing their long legs. </p> <p>This weekend I found an old video recording (analog I'm afraid) from November 2005 showing a male then a female hen harrier hunting. I was with a friend and our boys were very excited to see the harriers!</p> <p>Note that the male harrier strikes something on the ground at around 0:18 and 0:39. Unusually the male gains height and hovers 2:49-2:53 before rapidly dropping and resuming his hunt at ground level.</p> <p>At 2:15 the male poos. Note that like buzzards and hawks, harriers squirt their poo while falcons let it drop!</p> <p>Enjoy...</p>  <br> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/03/22/hen-harriers-hunting-3922139/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-03-22:/2008/03/22/some-signs-of-spring-3920177/Oregano2008-03-22T12:14:03+01:002008-03-22T12:14:03+01:00 <p>Well, the wind has been howling for the last two days and there have been a number of sleet showers. Nevertheless there are a few signs of Spring. Yesterday on a walk by local ponds we saw our first house martin. We also saw a little egret which while exotic a decade ago now seems firmly established in this country. Also in our garden pond the first king cup is in flower. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/03/22/some-signs-of-spring-3920177/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-03-20:/2008/03/20/big-burn-walk-3910434/Oregano2008-03-20T16:39:01+01:002008-04-09T12:25:34+02:00 <p>Just outside Golspie <a href="http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm?mapAction=gaz&gazName=g&gazString=NC838010">just off the A9</a> there is a short but interesting walk called "Big Burn". It is not very long - only taking 25 minutes to get to the top and the same back again - but it is multi-faceted and interesting. We did this walk first thing last Sunday when the weather was sunny.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/big_burn/2418899" title="big burn"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/899/2418899_c286300e3d_m.jpg" alt="big burn" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>You start out near the car park and the valley is wider. On either side of the park there was wild garlic sprouting. The woods are deciduous.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/railway_bridge/2418904" title="railway bridge"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/904/2418904_d9ed1acb0a_m.jpg" alt="railway bridge" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Passing under the railway bridge you get a feel for the scale of the gorge you are going into. The railway must be a good 40 metres above the river. The odd little stream tumbles down the slopes.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/stream_and_wild_garlic/2418905" title="stream and wild garlic"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/905/2418905_25eda789cb_m.jpg" alt="stream and wild garlic" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <br>In this case there was a healthy crop of wild garlic growing. Further along the gorge widens and there are some large deciduous trees with spectacular lichen growths.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/litchen_at_big_burn/2418901" title="litchen at big burn"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/901/2418901_030a208776_m.jpg" alt="litchen at big burn" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/litchen_at_big_burn_2/2418902" title="litchen at big burn 2"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/902/2418902_356f06cb0e_m.jpg" alt="litchen at big burn 2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/big_burn_gorge/2418900" title="big burn gorge"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/900/2418900_8b71fdfa21_m.jpg" alt="big burn gorge" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>About halfway up the walk the gorge narrows considerably and is vertical on each side. It is darker and damp.<br>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/small_waterfall/2418949" title="small waterfall"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/949/2418949_dbfdf86838_m.jpg" alt="small waterfall" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>From this waterfall there is the feeling of being in a temperate rainforest with lots of mosses, ferns, etc.</p>  <br> <p>The path leads further upstream to a viewing point at the foot of the larger waterfall.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/larger_waterfall/2418908" title="larger waterfall"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/908/2418908_b6a34364b2_m.jpg" alt="larger waterfall" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>We saw a grey wagtail near the stream at the foot of the fall but later saw a <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/d/dipper/index.asp">dipper</a> perched on the log. The video below is not very good but at least records the event. A dipper is interesting because it dives into streams and walks along the bottom looking for food. We have seen dippers in very few places (Spitzingsee in the Bavarian Alps, Rum and along the River Awe near Taynuilt).</p>  <br> <br>Retracing the path for about 200 metres you can then take a branch uphill to the top of the waterfall. Along the way you see fantastic looking wisps of lichen over 10 cm long.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/litchen_wisps/2418903" title="litchen wisps"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/903/2418903_d8d337732d_m.jpg" alt="litchen wisps" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> There is only one place where I have seen longer wisps of lichen and that is Valepp in Oberbayern on the German-Austrian border. There there were growths at least a 30 cm long hanging from Birch trees.</p> <p>A little further on there is a bridge over the stream from which you can see the top of the waterfall. A short walk but very varied indeed!<br>  </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/03/20/big-burn-walk-3910434/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-03-19:/2008/03/19/litchen-at-little-ferry-3903900/Oregano2008-03-19T10:10:56+01:002008-04-09T12:27:15+02:00 <p>Some of the most spectacular lichen I have seen has been in the woods of Easter Ross or East Sutherland. I recall exploring a birch wood next to where my granny lived as a child and seeing amazing grey lichen.</p> <p>At the weekend we did some walks by the sand dunes and conifer woods near <a href="http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm?mapAction=gaz&gazName=g&gazString=NH806958">Little Ferry</a>, Sutherland. I was amazed to see so much lichen actually on the sand dunes mixed with heather and other vegetation.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/litchen_in_dunes/2414335" title="litchen in dunes"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/335/2414335_dfaff117d4_m.jpg" alt="litchen in dunes" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>The woods were more spectacular with the firs almost looking loaded down with lichen (not literally true I am sure!).</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/litchen_on_fir_1/2414336" title="litchen on fir 1"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/336/2414336_b227da571b_m.jpg" alt="litchen on fir 1" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Close up was interesting too.</p> <br>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/litchen_on_fir_2/2414337" title="litchen on fir 2"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/337/2414337_248c5c8802_m.jpg" alt="litchen on fir 2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>The lichen appeared as "bushes" coming out of the branch a few centimetres high.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/balblair_wood/2414334" title="Balblair wood"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/334/2414334_a515e365d8_m.jpg" alt="Balblair wood" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>When constrasted with the darkness of the conifer woods some trees had a ghost-like appearance.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/03/19/litchen-at-little-ferry-3903900/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-03-18:/2008/03/18/litchen-3900246/Oregano2008-03-18T15:28:24+01:002008-04-09T12:29:39+02:00 <p>I have always enjoyed looking at lichen. However, I have never bought a book on the subject and cannot even name one sort! What fascinates me is the microcosm of life you can see in a small space with varying textures and colours.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/litchen_on_rock/2414343" title="litchen on rock"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/343/2414343_70c2aa87a4_m.jpg" alt="litchen on rock" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Four years ago we had a family trip to Scotland and visited the Isle of Handa in West Sutherland. We mainly went there for the amazing variety of seabirds e.g. tysties or black guillemots, great skuas, etc. However I was fascinated that so many rocks such as the one above, simply had microgardens of lichen growing on them.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/litchen_on_trunk/2414338" title="litchen on trunk"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/338/2414338_0f89b6721e_m.jpg" alt="litchen on trunk" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Tree trunks are no different and can yield fascinating details such as these from a medium sized fruit tree.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/litchen_on_trunk2/2414383" title="litchen on trunk2"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/383/2414383_fece42510a_m.jpg" alt="litchen on trunk2" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Further up the tree there are at least three varieties of grey-green lichen - a bush-like one, a "leafy" one and a flat spreading one.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/yellow_litchen_on_trunk/2414340" title="yellow litchen on trunk"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/340/2414340_ea7affb5c4_m.jpg" alt="yellow litchen on trunk" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Although a lot of lichens are grey or grey-green I love the bright yellow ones such as this one. St Ives in Cornwall has grey buildings roofed with slate. They could look dull were it not for the contrast with the bright yellow lichens.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/litchen_on_roof/2414376" title="litchen on roof"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/376/2414376_4c1488768e_m.jpg" alt="litchen on roof" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>Closer to home, when we moved to our present town we thought that there was a lack in imagination by the inhabitants due to a uniform darkish brown roof colour. We wanted a warm red roof tile and chose our tiles accordingly - they were originally close to the colour at the very top of the lower tile ridge.</p> <p>However eight years since our house was built, our roof has changed colour dramatically. It is now a dark brown with grey, white and yellow spodges. Again this is lichen - OK there is moss there too!</p> <p>However, one of the best things about litchen is that it is a good indicator of clean air. It does not survive with pollution. Some of the best examples of lichen I have seen have been in places with great air e.g. the Oberbayern (Bavarian Alps), Cornwall and the Northern Highlands.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/03/18/litchen-3900246/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-03-18:/2008/03/18/big-skies-3899464/Oregano2008-03-18T12:31:10+01:002008-03-18T21:44:47+01:00 <p>After taking the <a href="http://oddsends.blog.co.uk/2008/03/18/caledonian-sleeper-london-to-inverness-3899121">sleeper</a> to Inverness, we had a long weekend that included travelling on the Black Isle, Tarbat Ness peninsular and East Sutherland areas.</p> <p>In the US they talk of the "big skies" of Montana. Well, I have never been to Montana but I assume this refers to being able to see vast distances and have the sky framed by mountains. I have often thought this about the area around Inverness where low-lying agricultural land is framed by Highland peaks.</p> <p>You get the "big sky" feeling coming in on the train or A9 towards Inverness from Carrbridge. Similarly if you drive over the Black Isle you will often get a fantastic clear view towards peaks in the distance but be impressed by the scale of things with firths, smaller hills and fields in between.</p> <p>After Inverness we drove to Cromary and got good views towards the North and West. Cromarty is an interesting historic village. It also has a good view out to the North Sea between the Sutors.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/sutors_of_cromarty/2414031" title="Sutors of Cromarty"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/031/2414031_cdf64a4907_m.jpg" alt="Sutors of Cromarty" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>BTW, if you ever go to Cromarty I can recommend the bakery. They make excellent oatcakes - which are far better than the mass-produced ones - including garlic and herb ones and good cakes.</p> <p>In the next peninsular that stretches north of the Cromarty Firth to Tarbat Ness you also get great views inland.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/ben_wyvis_from_tarrel/2414032" title="Ben Wyvis from Tarrel"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/032/2414032_da016abb95_m.jpg" alt="Ben Wyvis from Tarrel" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>This view west towards Ben Wyvis and beyond was taken at an elevation of about 50 metres but the height is just enough to give scale to the land between where we were and the mountains. We enjoyed the sound of skylarks in the area.</p>   <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/towards_tain/2414033" title="towards Tain"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/033/2414033_87cffb81f3_m.jpg" alt="towards Tain" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> Outside Portmahomack there is a great view to the Northwest to Tain and the mountains beyond. Here the elevation where we stood was a mere 30 m but it is possible to see the big sands outside Tain. Unfortunately the scale of the view is hard to capture in a photo; they eye can comprehend far more than a camera!</p> <p>Travelling further North the next peninsular is at Dornoch, bordered on the North side by Loch Fleet. When we were driving past Embo there were showers and sunshine producing occasional rainbows.</p>  <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/loch_fleet/2414071" title="loch fleet"><img src="http://data3.blog.de/media/071/2414071_b42121c39a_m.jpg" alt="loch fleet" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a> <p>At low tide near Skelbo and opposite Little Ferry, Loch Fleet looks deceptively shallow but has strong currents. On the sandbank in the middle we counted 16 seals on a further bank maybe 30 more. In a previous year we saw an Osprey near here. Buzzards are plentiful presumably profiting from the numerous rabbits in the sand dunes. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/03/18/big-skies-3899464/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-03-06:/2008/03/06/some-signs-of-spring-3826596/Oregano2008-03-06T18:57:39+01:002008-03-06T18:57:39+01:00 <p>I should have written this post on Sunday 24th February. However we had a house full of guests and I forgot about it. On 23rd we had our first frogspawn of the year. Frogs had been very active in the pond in the preceding weeks (or at least when the pond was not frozen over)and the females (I presume) were looking very bloated.</p> <p>On the 24th we took our Dutch guests for a walk on the Hampshire downs and while the plants higher up are behind those of our town we were seing signs of Spring. Firstly when we got out of our van, we saw 4 buzzards skydancing (courtship display). Buzzards usually soar in an extremely laid back way. However in the mating season they are positively vigorous, flapping hard to gain height then doing V-shaped dives to impress prospective partners.</p> <p>Later we saw 3 roe deer and a red kite. At the summit we saw a kite again soaring below us on the edge of the scarp slope. In the woods the lords and ladies had already shot up leaves while the wild garlic was not yet visible. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/03/06/some-signs-of-spring-3826596/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>tag:outdoors.blog.co.uk,2008-03-05:/2008/03/05/berkshire-red-kites-3820787/Oregano2008-03-05T16:23:02+01:002008-03-05T16:23:02+01:00 <p>Reporting something seen on the M4 driving from Reading to Heathrow somehow goes against the spirit of an "outdoors" blog. Nevertheless this posting definitely does not belong on the other ones!</p> <p>Since returning to the UK in 1998, I have been delighted to see an increasing number of red kites. In the early 1990s I saw some - on a visit from Bavaria - in the Chilterns and saw loads in the Stuttgart area and between Lyon and Grenoble. I have often seen them in the Hampshire downs and over the last two years between Basingstoke and Reading.</p> <p>Today there was one over the M4 just west of the Maidenhead exit. Great the the reintroduction is working! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://outdoors.blog.co.uk/2008/03/05/berkshire-red-kites-3820787/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>