Happy New Year

 

The calm between the Storms

It was very wet and windy ovenight, but the weather forecast said that we would have a few bright spells this morning , so we met up with karen and taivas for a walk. The sun was shining and there was very little wind as we set off. We chose the right time to walk as by the time we got back to the car we could feel the wind beginning to get up and the skies were darkening. By early afternoon the rain was tipping down again and the wind howling, it was also very dark! More storms are coming overnight and tomorrow!

Three dogs by the swamp 

The swamp at Shatterford

We want treats 

shatterford

the little bridges at shatterford 

Shatterford 

Three stooges 

Missy with her ball 

careful Taivas you might fall in 

Raffles in the water. 

Biscuit time at the end of our walk. 

Visiting Dartmoor

We have been to Dartmoor for a couple of days, visiting my sister. dartmmor is another of England's national parks. There are vast areas of open moorland with rocky outcrops know as tors and then there are steep valleys with fast flowing rivers. Dotted over the moor are little villages. Dartmoor is fll of interesting historical stes with many ancient crosses and evidence of early settlements.

In the morning we walked round decoy Pond.

 

Here is Alpha or Gismo..don't you think she looks like a gremlin? She is 15 years old and a grumpy old lady.
 

Saddletor. dartmoor is covered in these rocky outcrops , which all have names. people play a game in England called letterboxing. Hidden in the countryside are waterproof boxes with rubberstamps and ink pads in, and people go around looking for them and collecting the stamps Linda has found one here. Whilst we were on Saddletor we found at least 4 different ones.

Views of dartmoor from Saddletor

Going down to Widecombe in the Moor on dartmoor. This is a little village nestling in the moor made famous in the song Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
 

Dartmoor Ponies are another of our native wild ponies. They are stockier and have thicker coats to suit the rougher more open surroundings in which they live.