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| Foxgloves at Pentre Ifan |
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| American friends at Pentre Ifan |
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| St.Davids Cathedral |
Fetching the sheep down
This week I have been rather down, I know the reason and that I should shake it but this Sunday, the day of rest I shall find photos and rejoice in their memories.
One of my 'retirement' plans was to move to Wales and especially to Pembrokshire and Solva. All that went by the wayside in other things happening in my life and I am happy in that life. But I loved the emptiness and remoteness of Wales, though now, along with every other holiday destination in the world, the small town of Solva has been overwhelmed with holiday homes and tourists. It is probably a seaside playground now.
I am not sure what I feel about this, more people mean more movement the great stretch of the Prescili Hills will probably be the next on the list. You may not know this but at one stage during the last war there was talk of turning this area into another Salisbury Plain, where the army could practice with their armoury. Luckily someone fought against this idea and now it remains free.
Re military use of Salisbury Plain - I have seen articles highlighting that creating the military exercise area has actually preserved a lot more ecological/wildlife diversity than other uses would have, at the expense of some restrictions on access. And has made sure that it did not get concreted over for yet more housing.
ReplyDeleteWe used to travel over Salisbury plain going down to Kent. And I am sure it has been protected by its restrictions Will. The tank paraphernalia near the road was always on show with notices of course. I know they have introduced the Great Bustard there and the species seem to be thriving.
DeleteSolva is pretty much the same, so safe in your dreams, although Lower Solva does flood if high tides and heavy rainfall combine, so you might want to dream of a house further up and cope with the hill! The army has long had a practice area at Castlemartin in the south of the county - that could disturb your dreams if they are firing too.
ReplyDeleteHi, that is a relief to know, though of course being down in the dip, or on sea level there is not much land to build on. So you can still get dressed crab and stay at the Cambrian Inn ;)
DeleteSuch lush photos. Maybe at times it isn't natural and times it is, but I love photos of barren land, with only grass and no trees. Maybe sheep keep it like that, but no matter. I'm sure it's been like that for a very long time.
ReplyDeleteIt has yes Andrew, though sheep obviously wander its slope. Amongst many million others in this country who roam the difficult landscapes. But I forgot, we are going to ship lamb from Australia - the new Brexit deal, it will be very useful! ;)
ReplyDeleteDull with heavy rain here but I have one gorgeous purple and yellow bearded iris out and loads of buds - also the first foxgloves and good old osteospermum in full bloom so can't feel too downhearted. Just outside my window as I write is what was a low-growing variegated dark greeen and yellow shrub. This year it has decided to throw off the dismal shackles of the dark green and all the leaves are bright yellow. It is just like a bright lighr in the garden - wonderful on a grey day.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if that shrub is Lonicera Nitida, a small leaved shrub, yellow in spring down to green as the summer progresses, a good hedging shrub Pat. It always reminded me of privet. We are awaiting thunderstorms here, it is extraordinary how they are forecasting almost to the hour.
DeleteAs you probably know, Salisbury Plain was given to the nation by the titled owner for practicing cavalry charges. When tanks replaced horses, it was - and still is - using for tank and heavy artillery practice. Drones are taking over now so it might not be too long before vast tracks of land are not needed so much and the Great Bustards will get a bit of peace and quiet... I doubt it. I have heard that, during the Napoleonic war, much of the land was heavily wooded but it was all felled to build ships. Do you think that's true?
ReplyDeleteI don't know about tree cover, and also remembering it is chalk country which goes through Wiltshire and the downs after Avebury. It was settled in prehistoric times, and their occupation is often viewed as destroying trees for settlement. It is still rich in flora and insects as well. But all to often it is remembered for the deserted village, which was used for target practice. Is it called Umber or something.
DeleteLike you I have a longing for Wales which comes and goes and maybe one day it will be realised but for now I am happy in my quiet corner of the South Downs where the worst annoyances are the size of the tractors churning up the lane verges. I’m rereading Lark Rise to Candleford and Flora Thompson writing in the 1940s about life in the 1880s says, “People were poorer and had not the comforts, amusements or knowledge we have to-day; but they were happier. Which seems to suggest that happiness depends more upon the state of mind - and body, perhaps - than upon circumstances and events”. I need to remember this when I am feeling sad about my husband’s Parkinson’s. I remember footpath and bridleway closures around Stackpole for firing practice. I was chatting to an old man who has recently come to live in our village from Fishguard and I asked him about Dinas Head and the coastal path and the lovely coves and he said like most coastal places it had changed enormously over the last 10 years. We used to stay in an old NT farmhouse above the coastal path and even 20 years ago you could see the creep towards second home ownership and the subsequent collapse of local communities from which they never recover. But it’s a lovely day here after heavy overnight rain and I am off soon to help at the Bignor fete which takes place every other year in the grounds of Bignor Park (a pink Regency house which keeps afloat by hosting weddings and surrounded by beautiful gardens which open for the NGS). Hopefully the fete will once again raise enough money to keep our five ancient churches open for business for the next two years. Sarah in Sussex
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, I have seen Castlemartin, but never walked over it. There were landing strips nearer the coast on St. David's Head. I remember a Bristol archaeologist - Grimes surveyed it during WW2 for landing places. Second home ownership has destroyed community life all over the country. They don't burn down second homes in Wales now though. We are never going to get back to the old days, we just move on sadly. I think with your husband's illness that comfort must be found in the balance of the mind and maybe you will move or maybe not. But you seem to be quite happy with your garden and wild meadow., they must surely be a comfort.
DeleteChurches are closing everywhere, vicars may have five churches to attend to, so that services are much longer apart. The church in Normanby was in the process of closing. Sometimes they only open for baptisms, weddings or funerals, all rare events in villages people have moved away from. Blame it on the car.
I have a longing to see more of Wales than the tiny bit around Cardiff and St. Brides I visited years ago (and get back to that craft center in old railway cars.) Glad they did not make it a firing range. Thank you for the beautiful photos, they improved my Sunday and hope looking through them has done the same for yours.
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you. There are a couple of weaving mills in the Pembrokeshire area. One is at Middle Mill, with its own wheel which make rugs. The other somewhere in the back water, traditionally made rugs. I shall probably do some photos of those as well.
DeleteWhat a grand open space that last picture is! I swear that I could almost hear the wind.
ReplyDeleteThis is the range where prehistoric man journeyed over from Ireland to the mainland, at least that is what I like to think Debby.
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