Into the sun....

A glorious day and we were down on the Lizard for midday. Sunny and warm, with the best views being into the sun....we walked from the Lizard Point carpark round to Kynance and then back across to  Lizard village via the footpath...good to see so many flowers out - lots of second flushes, including violets!

Heading out from Lizard Point.....

..into the sun!

Towards Kynance through the Wild Carrot.

Spectacular.

There were many, many Clouded Yellow Butterflies! 

Closer to Kynance.

Classic colours.

Sadly, by the time we got to the cafe, they'd sold out of pasties! 

Mount Edgecumbe and Cawsand

An absolutely lovely day with friends, as we stopped off on our way to Cornwall, great weather, scenery and company. 

We began down on the seafront near the Brittany Ferries terminal in Plymouth, before catching the Cremyll ferry across the Tamar to Mount Edgecumbe Country Park. Now I mention Brittany Ferries as in life before the blog, we spent many a happy family holiday in Northern Spain and beyond, having crossed from Plymouth to Santander. So to see the Pont Aven arriving and departing was rather special and brought back many happy memories. Next it was on to the ferry - poor Rocky - we had promised him no more ferries after Islay this year - he wasn't impressed as we took him to Gigha in September and now across the Tamar... Anyway - a very enjoyable walk through the Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, along the coastal footpath to Kingsand and Cawsand, where we sat looking out to sea enjoying a Cornish Pasty followed by a Kelly's icecream. 

Returning we walked over the top of the park, with panoramic views over Plymouth, before a cuppa in the Orangery and the return journey on the ferry .....

The Mayflower Marina.

Royal William Yard - A form royal naval victualling yard.

Here she comes! 

Some impressive manoeuvring.

Our ferry.

Looking back across the Tamar.

The country park.

Nice lanes.

Nice fungi: Orange Ping Pong Bat Fungus, Favolaschia calocera, a native of Madagascar. It is regarded as an invasive alien species. 

Looking across to Plymouth Hoe.

Looking along to Cawsand and Kingsand.

Blue skies and sea.

Cawsand. 

Typical street and a very old Post Box.

Plymouth breakwater and fort.

Distant views of Plymouth...

The Tamar and Royal Albert bridges.

Mount Edgcumbe House.

It was nice to come across a Cork Oak grove in the gardens.

Back to the Orangery for a brew. 

A brief stop off: RSPB Ham Wall

As we were passing on our way to Cornwall, we took the chance to stretch our legs at the RSPB's Ham Wall nature reserve, just off J23 of the M5. Stepping out of the car into 21 degrees and full sun, took us back to the summer - having come over Shap in distinctly autumnal conditions. Nothing spectacualr to report, but I just enjoyed seeing the familiar sights of pollarded willows, reedbeds and rhynes full of duckweed.

Silvery light on the reed beds.

Pollarded willows.

Glastonbury Tor.

Ballooning Spiderlings!

A few photos of the spiderlings that we encountered on our way back down towards Fangs Brow, after we'd been up Burnbank Fell, Blake Fell and Gavel Fell (previous blog).

Loweswater Bimble

A really nice walk out and the highlights weren't any I could have predicted. Yes the views were fabulous, the weather was great, but it was the grassland fungi and the ballooning spiderlings that stole the show! 

We set off from Fangs Brow, near Mockerkin (despite the road closures!), to do three Wainwrights: Burnbank Fell, Blake Fell and Gavel Fell. There was plenty of parking on the roadside at Fangs Brow, so we headed off along the track towards Loweswater, before taking an obvious right-hand turn straight up onto Burnbank Fell. After a steep section we were on the tops and a pleasant walk out to the summit and then on to Blake Fell and Gavel.

We then headed down to High Nook Farm, where a permissive path leads to the lakeside and a scenic walk along the shore of Loweswater and back over the fell to Fangs Brow. 

Setting off in some lovely light.

Climbing up and overlooking Loweswater and Crummock.

Looking back to Burnbank Fell from Blake Fell.

Fleetwith Pike catching the light.

Grasmoor over Mellbreak.

Looking back to Blake Fell.

A panorama from Gavel Fell.

Swaledales...

Serious horns.

The grassland fungi were spectacular.

Back down to the lake edge.

A classic view.

More Wax Caps.

And then this... Ballooning Spiderlings - but they deserve another blog!

And back to the start - looking back at the way we set off - what a good walk!