Camper van trip {pt2}. Valley of the Rocks or Goats
Valley of the Rocks is a dry valley that runs parallel to the coast in north Devon, near the village of Lynton. A spot visited by tourists for years to walk and see the landscape and geology.
There is a herd of feral goats wandering, in the valley, A herd of 75 goats were recorded in the valley in the Domesday Book in 1086. In 1976 the current herd was introduced to the valley when it was realised that they had a role in controlling the vegetation growth. I have visited the valley and seen no goats other times I have had to walk up the rock outcrops to see them but when we visited this week many came down near the car park.
Returning to our campsite and as the light was starting to drop we spotted a herd of Red Deer young Stags (males) and Hinds (females). From the lane, they were interested in us as much as we were in them after a good look at each other they moved off back into the woodland.
Red Deer are the UK’s largest deer. Males have large, branching antlers, increasing in size as they get older. The Stags spotted are young animals given he had fairly small non-branching antlers. Red Deer live on moorland and mountainsides, as well as grasslands near to woodland. They are common in Scotland, particularly the Highlands and Islands. Red Deer are also found in the Lake District, Exmoor, as well as the New Forest.
A short local walk to collect our trail cameras some nice views of a Muntjac deer on one of the cameras. Introduced from China to the UK in the 20th century. Although an invasive, non-native species today they are protected in the UK under the Deer Act 1991.
Some facts about this small deer which is about the size of a medium-sized dog.
Length: 77-91cm Shoulder height: 45-52cm Weight: 10-17kg Average lifespan: 10-13 years
Wild Daffodils are now out in flower which gives a splash of colour to this dull time of year, I am glad we are moving into spring. Also known as the ‘Lent lily’ or ‘Easter lily’ this native Daffodil is smaller than many garden varieties. They are found in damp woods, fields, grassland and orchards. It is a rare plant but can be abundant in some areas.
Turnstone turn stones looking for food – they spend most of their time walking on the shore and climbing over rocks, picking out food from under stones & seaweeds
A walk along Southampton Water to Ashlett Creek a fairly bright morning but with a bitter wind.
A Rock Pipit close to the shoreline. The rock pipit is a stocky pipit, a bit larger than a meadow pipit,(sizewise it is a bit smaller than a Starling.)
In the UK two frequent garden visitors on the bird feeder and bird tables are the Blue Tit and the Great Tit. Both these birds are common in the woodlands where I took these photographs.
Avocets have started arriving at Titchfield Haven for the start of the breeding season. About 20 birds were spotted today in the rain! All a far way off but as more arrive, I am hoping for some close photographs.
Thinking of Ukraine at this difficult time and hoping for peace.
Back in 2014 on our 1st camper van tour of Scotland, we headed for the Lockerbie memorial garden the memorial to Pan Am Flight 103. On 21st December 1988 shortly after 19:00 while the aircraft was in flight over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, it was destroyed by a bomb that had been planted on board, killing all 243 passengers and 16 crew in what became known as the Lockerbie bombing. Large sections of the aircraft crashed in a residential street killing 11 residents.
After leaving the town we saw a road sign to Ukrainian POW Chapel so we followed it to find out more. Away from the town were remains of a few huts (which numbered about 40 originally). One of these huts had been converted into a chapel by the prisoners.
Looking around it was all closed up, but before we left an old car turned up and an elderly gentleman turned up and unlocked the chapel.
He told us that the camp held 400 Ukrainian prisoners of war who had fought with Germans on the Russian front against the Red Army. The hut that had been turned into a chapel was looked after by him. He also had a small museum in a caravan he took the time to tell us about the history of the camp. The prisoners left the camp during the day to work on local farms and return there at night. When the war ended the Russians occupied Ukraine. The prisoners could not return home as they would have been sent to the gulag or executed. The camp closed in 1947 and many prisoners had become part of the community. The man who looked after the chapel’s father was one of the prisoners and had married a local woman.
A few years later we visited again but the chapel was locked up. I was told with the failing health of the caretaker the chapel remained closed for a while.
Today looking online it appears services are still held at Hallmuir chapel on the first Sunday of each month and the building again is also used for marriages of members of the Ukrainian community.
The inside of this simple hut is ornate and reflects the Orthodox Catholic religion of the people who lived in the camp and built it.
Curlew bird observation and facts. Today’s bird watching walk up the Hamble River gave some really good views of some Curlews. It is an easily recognizable bird by its size and downcurved bill.
The Curlew is a large wader (in fact it is the largest European wader). It is about the size of a female pheasant. They are ground-nesting birds on wet grasslands, farmland, heath and moors this can be miles away from the coast.
Some 140,000 birds winter in the UK with about 66,000 breeding pairs
I have added the call of a Curlew over the sound on my short film.
Continued Reflections from my World. 