Thursday 2 March 2017

Mind the Gap..!

Gill came to stay, and finally after months of  deafening silence and total inactivity on my blog I thought I had better take it up again! That, combined with recent queries from friends both locally and from afar enquiring, ever so politely, if  "Everything is OK"?  has prompted me to come out of my stupor. The biggest motivator is guilt! but also knowing the very few followers I have really do look regularly to see if I've posted anything.
Yes, everything is OK and I'm truly sorry for the gap. A small health issue in the winter, now resolved, set me back a bit. Then Christmas, then January (nobody does anything in January surely?!) and now I'm trying to come up with some new ideas for cards and prints to go in Cabinet opening for the season in April.
My friend Gill looks good in a force 9 gale! We took her on a  local walk recommended by a friend
It's difficult to describe the walk. It starts at the end of our lane. I think the Estate owner had it made, for people staying in the big Estate house
A rough track, hacked into the hillside
It takes you up to one of the many gorges deep in the hillside carrying water cascading to the river below.
It didn't disappoint. In true highland fashion it was rough and ready, haphazard and very beautiful
A length of blue rope tied to trees shows the way over the waterfall!
They haven't bothered with silly old safety barriers
I'm sure there are many people capable of climbing into a gorge, but for us it was a real treat and an experience to follow a track, however basic, to help us scramble round and enjoy this very beautiful awe inspiring landscape.
We felt quite small and enclosed as we contemplated the forces of nature
On the track continued
I love the hap hazard abundance of growth here. Moss, trees, rocks, roots, bracken and ferns. All manner of plant life slip sliding to the bottom of the gorge
Finally we came up out on the other side of the gorge. We loved it. Gill said they wouldn't do that in Surrey. They might, but I suspect there would be much more attention paid to rules regulations and safety

10 comments:

Mac n' Janet said...

Glad you're back with your wonderful photos. Quite a hike, but my fear of heights would never have allowed it.

Lucille said...

I followed that hike with some trepidation! We found a similar roughly hewn walk down in Sussex. It was off a more formal route through a country park and unexpectedly wild and rugged. In fact it has since suffered a land slip and been reconstructed by persons unknown. There are signs warning people not to go down it or at least at their own risk and it opens eventually onto a secret beach. So secret that naturists have claimed it with more warning signs to that effect.
Nice to see you emerging from your blog hibernation.

Sue C. said...

I'm so glad you're back - I love your blog and have followed it for a few years now - although I'm not good at leaving comments. I'm trying harder now I have a blog. The walks you feature always look amazing. Stunning scenery.

old_black said...

Ok, parts of the walk are rough, and large amounts seem pretty scary to me, but a lot of resources have obviously been allocated to this project, with (it seems to me to be) very good results. What a wonderful walk this is! And how great it is that I can experience this via your blog!!

annie hoff said...

It was quite hairy in places Janet, especially crossing the waterfall! I remember Lucille wonderful rough treks over land slips on the Isle of Wight near Blackgang chine as a child. Thank you Sue, I'm glad to be back too. Yes, old black I think they have been imaginative in making this track and done it in such away that it hasn't scarred the landscape, it's very beautiful.

Unknown said...

Looks like a great walk. We will have to do that next time we visit!

Sue C. said...

Hi Annie,
Thank you for saying hello on my blog. It seems we lived fairly close in Surrey (Lightwater) but our move away was not as far as yours, but Somerset is good walking country too - just not quite as dramatic as your local area!

Diane said...

Hi Annie! Fantastic to have you back blogging again although I'm sure you needed your well earned rest. Your trek definitely looked rather scary but what awesome scenery & such fabulous photos! What a relief to know that you are both in good health despite you're blip. I have been one of those checking daily & must admit I was starting to get worried. I hope that you receive this message as I've been trying for a little while. Lots of love to you both, Di XX

BeeThain said...

Dear Annie

So glad to have your blog back. Like others I have checked regularly, but guessed/hoped you were having fun with your art life. Sorry if your health has taken a dip and hoping you have had a full recovery. Very much looking forward to seeing you again some time. But meanwhile, lovely to share these wonderful photos of wonderful places.

Bovey Belle said...

Those photos have just made our bit of West Wales look very flat! What a fabulous walk and such wonderful scenery. We have good views here, but it's always nice to see someone else's.

I think your legs are fitter than mine . . .

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