Linocut course

This morning was another single colour lino cutting course and we had a great time in the two and a half hours we had available ....

I love the hare! 

The first layer in a reduction print pumpkin.

A previous workshop's results and below ...

Round Derwentwater

After a damp journey back from Pembrokeshire, the road beside the Severn from Newtown to Oswestry was 'interesting' - flooded, we decided to walk round Derwentwater today. A great walk and stretch of the legs, but really busy - especially compared to Pembrokeshire. We kind of forgot it was the half term weekend and everyone comes to Cumbria to see the autumn colours! Lunch the Chalet in Portinscale is to be recommended!

General views.

Derwentwater and the Millenium stone.

Borrowdale.

Beech leaves.

Autumn colours - Blencathra and Friar's Crag; Borrowdale.

Alpacas at Portinscale.

The last of the summer's butterflies in Pembrokeshire

It was lovely to have some warm sun again earlier in the week; the ivy flowers gave off a heady scent and the red admirals were enjoying the nectar...and there was even one last remaining, scratty - very scratty, painted lady. Sadly, after yesterday and today, I fear they may be no more and summer is well and truly over.

Pembrokeshire - seal pups

On our walk from Caerfai round to St Justinian, every suitable cove had seal pups in - great to see.

We had time to watch a bull seal coming in to see the mum and pup - pup rushed up the beach and mum wasn't impressed by the bull's visit and gave him a good bite and shove off before appearing to accept his presence.

Caerfai to St Justinian

Another glorious day and a long walk from Caerfai round the coast to St Justinian and back through St Davids. Many more good views of choughs and rather unexpectedly a snow bunting that was totally unbothered by our presence. All the available stoney inlets had rather podgy seal pups in too, which was great given that when we came here two years ago there had been stormy weather and many, many fatalities. Cracking views as always.

Small copper; hedgerow red campion and hawkbits; snow bunting and chough. 

Portuguese man-of -war and by-the-wind-sailor

Just loved finding these on the beach yesterday.

Marloes round walk

Yesterday was a stunning day, light and weatherwise. We parked up at the National Trust car park behind Marloes Sands and went down to the beach; a quick walk out in fantastic light. We didn't have enough time to look for fossils as the tide was coming in rapidly, but you couldn't miss the sheets of ripple marked rocks of the older Skomer volcanic group, or the fabulous vertical strata of the Silurian corallifereous group. It was great to find a Portuguese man-of-war and the by-the-wind-sailor on the tide line too (next blog)! We then continued around the coast past Rainy Rock and Deadman's Bay out round Wooltack Point and back along the lane to the car park. Lots of choughs; waves of jackdaws streamed through the sky; lazing seals and fabulous coastline. What's not to like?

Views....

...and more views.

Seals.

Beautiful colours and forms.

Jackdaws.

Caerfai golden hour walk

It was too early to settle in after our walk yesterday, so a quick cuppa and then out for golden hour. Great light and I'd really like another evening photographing through seed heads - fingers crossed!

Porthgain textures

Porthgain has such an interesting recent history. At the same time slate and roads stone were quarried and bricks were made. Slate cutting was from 1850 - 1910 and there was a tram line from Abereiddy to Porthgain to carry the material from the Blue Lagoon to the harbour.  Brick making was from 1889 - 1912 and the brick making and drying sheds are still in existence. Road stone was quarried between 1889 - 1931 and the crushers and hoppers are still evident. The brick walls from the past and the fishing equipment of the present provide some lovely textures to photograph.

Artists impression of Porthgain in the past. 

Textures....

Patterns.

Abereiddy to Porthgain

A short but enjoyable walk. We parked up at the ever decreasing carpark at Abereiddy and had a quick scrat for graptolites - plenty around, before walking past the Blue Lagoon, which is currently shut as there is a seal pup in there, but there were good views from the cliff top. Then onto Porthgain where we had an extremely good fish and chip lunch in the highly rated Shed Bistro before our return walk.

Graptolites....

Beautiful coloured rocks behind the Blue Lagoon.

The Lagoon...

The seal pup.

Superb coastline.

Stone chats, crow, meadow pipit and goldfinch.

Porthgain. 

St Davids Cathedral

I always enjoy a wander around this spectacular cathedral, but today was special as it was sunny and the light streamed through the windows. Usually it's a grey day, but today we finished our walk relatively early and so had time to look around on a nice day rather than killing time on a wet day!

Reconstructed medieval tiles ...