grebeman
Old Codgers Group
- Name
- Barrie
I've not been active on this forum for some time, however I was stirred into thinking about posting again following a pm from Bart (bartjeej) at the weekend asking how I was. I've recently moved house once again back to a more rural location where amongst other things I've been very occupied contributing to a parish bird survey. I'm concentrating on those area that encompass Dartmoor.
My days tend to start off with a steep climb from wherever I can park the car. This morning was no exception, my day began at the gate at the bottom of Diamond Lane, a steep and rocky path used in times past by pack ponies bringing such produce as peat, smelted tin or china clay off the moor.
1110210 by barrie.whitehall, on Flickr
As can be seen the path is challenging sloping up in places at an angle of 45 degrees
1110211 by barrie.whitehall, on Flickr
After some three hours of bird surveying my wanderings bought me to Glasscombe Corner where signs of spring are finally appearing as the wind blown beech trees sprout fresh new leaves.
1110227 by barrie.whitehall, on Flickr
Imagine my surprise when a few minutes later a team of pack ponies came past me, stepping out of the pages of history
1110233 by barrie.whitehall, on Flickr
Here they are fording the East Glazebrook
1110236 by barrie.whitehall, on Flickr
Sam who was leading them tells me they are in training for what he hopes will be a trekking enterprise where he will lead people over the moor but be able to carry all their equipment by pony. His team isn't quite ready yet. The lead pony has a longer head than the others and is probably an Exmoor, the others are Dartmoor with two of them being pedigree animals. They had noticeably shorter skulls, once it had been pointed out to me.
1110242 by barrie.whitehall, on Flickr
After a long chat they begin to wend their way home over the brow of the hill.
1110243 by barrie.whitehall, on Flickr
Bumping into these guys was the highlight of my morning, and what started out as a bird survey trip with the idea of beginning to collect a few photographs to post turned into a story that warranted posting sooner than I had expected.
Barrie
My days tend to start off with a steep climb from wherever I can park the car. This morning was no exception, my day began at the gate at the bottom of Diamond Lane, a steep and rocky path used in times past by pack ponies bringing such produce as peat, smelted tin or china clay off the moor.
As can be seen the path is challenging sloping up in places at an angle of 45 degrees
After some three hours of bird surveying my wanderings bought me to Glasscombe Corner where signs of spring are finally appearing as the wind blown beech trees sprout fresh new leaves.
Imagine my surprise when a few minutes later a team of pack ponies came past me, stepping out of the pages of history
Here they are fording the East Glazebrook
Sam who was leading them tells me they are in training for what he hopes will be a trekking enterprise where he will lead people over the moor but be able to carry all their equipment by pony. His team isn't quite ready yet. The lead pony has a longer head than the others and is probably an Exmoor, the others are Dartmoor with two of them being pedigree animals. They had noticeably shorter skulls, once it had been pointed out to me.
After a long chat they begin to wend their way home over the brow of the hill.
Bumping into these guys was the highlight of my morning, and what started out as a bird survey trip with the idea of beginning to collect a few photographs to post turned into a story that warranted posting sooner than I had expected.
Barrie