In a Vase on Monday - The Four Seasons

 

As this is the Twelfth Anniversary of In a Vase on Monday, created by Cathy to encourage us to pick flowers every week, she set the challenge of including a Pun and a Prop.

I interpreted this challenge by calling my vase The Four Seasons and using a diary as a prop. The posy includes Primrose for Spring, Salvia Hot Lips for Summer, Teasel for Autumn and berries for Winter which are all flowering at the same time.

In a Vase on Monday is a weekly tradition started by Cathy. Click on the link to find out what is still flowering in gardens At the end of September and perhaps post a vase of your own.

A circular walk at Ravenscar

 

Ravenscar

There are many interesting walks from Ravenscar and the one we chose runs parallel to the coast and begins at the café/tourist information point which. We were making for Boggle Hole where we knew there was a café and we had heard of a farmer who keeps peacocks.

It was a pleasant walk along the gorse lined Cinder Path and we came across many walkers and cyclists. We spoke to a couple of cyclists from Milton Keynes, a photographer from the Yorkshire Post who was looking for Stoup Brow Farm and a man who told us of a quicker way to reach the beach at Boggle Hole* which, he warned us, was steep and especially challenging on the return journey. We had checked the tides and knew we could return to Ravenscar via the beach; a reverse of a journey we had made as teenagers.

*Some people believed that boggles, also known as hobgoblins were small mischievous types of goblins that lived in caves along the North Yorkshire Coastline and on remote areas in the moorland. It was said that these boggles had magical healing powers. Often mothers would bring their sick children down to the hob holes hoping that the boggles would cure them of their ailments.

The descent to the beach began on a proper road which took us past a farm where we again saw Jonathan, the photographer. He was a passenger in a green electric farm vehicle emerging from Stoup Brow Farm and, another coincidence, peacocks a plenty could be seen perched on hay bales, rooftops and strutting about the farm.

The way to the beach was indeed steep and the descent included hundreds of steps. When reaching the bridge at the bottom of the steps, I was horrified to see a similar number of steps rising up to reach the village. We decided to take the return route along the beach, thinking it would be flatter and therefore easier. How wrong we were!

The first part of the journey was easy enough walking over the sand, pebbles and shells. Although the cliffs were sheer and high, we could see where we were heading; access to Raven Hall via the golf course. The shingle gave way to sheets of uneven stone with seaweed and rock pools followed by large boulders which we had to scramble across. On, between and under these boulders seal pups were resting and occasionally emitting barks which frightened the dog. Seal pups can’t rest vertically in the water like the older ones, so need a resting period before re-entering the water. Having heard that young seals are rarely dangerous, I was still too cautious to stop and take photos.

We had to go round the headland until we reached the path. By this time we seemed to be the only walkers around. When I say path, it was a track at a very steep angle until we reached some steps and then some more steps and then a very steep path where the wind would have blown me over had there not been a bannister to hold on to.

Eventually we reached the hotel only to find that the bar and restaurant with the sea view was now a wedding venue and the branding had been changed to Grand Villa Heights. The bar/restaurant had be relocated to the side of the hotel and served lovely and very welcome soup and a stottie.

We have been using this hotel since 1969 and have regularly taken our children and grandchildren. It has recently changed. There is no longer a golf course or a paddling pool but there are now holiday chalets. However, there is still the amazing view from the gardens and the indoor pool for guests.

The view from the gardens

The history of Raven Hall and Ravenscar is very interesting indeed. There were plans for the village to become the Blackpool of the East Coast and infrastructure was installed before the money ran out and Raven Hall has been used as a film set.

For walkers, cyclists, photographers and nature lovers, Ravenscar is well worth a visit.

In a Vase on Monday

 

Slim pickings this week.  A Dahlia which has flowered at long last, variegated Vinca and Weigela and Winter Jasmine.

Also, my kind of fireworks taken at Golden Acre Park, West Yorkshire:

In a Vase on Monday is a weekly tradition started by Cathy. Click on the link to find out what is still flowering in gardens At the end of September and perhaps post a vase of your own.

In a vase on Monday

 

I couldn't find many flowers today, but put together variegated Ivy, Sedum and the highly scented Honeysuckle which has flourished since the last rains.

Note to self:  Plant some more colourful Asters and some Japanese Anemones to extend the season.

 In a Vase on Monday is a weekly tradition started by Cathy. Click on the link to find out what is still flowering in gardens At the end of September and perhaps post a vase of your own.

 

In a Vase on Monday

 

Some autumnal flowers from the garden; Cotinus, Sedum, Aster and the sweet-smelling Abelia.  The Monstera plant just photobombed the shot.

In a Vase on Monday is a weekly tradition started by Cathy.

A wee trip to bonnie Scotland

 First stop Penrith, England

Carlisle

 The Cathedral

 The Cloisters

 The Castle.  Not the best view from across a busy road

Then on to the Scottish Borders of Dumfries and Galloway where there are many castles and abbeys bearing witness to its skirmishes.  Dumfries was supposed to be our first stop, but parking was difficult so we  went on the Castle Douglas.

 The high clock tower od Castle Douglas

Next was Kirkudbright  (pronounced kir-coo-bree by the Scots)  at the mouth of the River Dee.  The town is full of art galleries that the dog prevented us from visiting.

Onwards to Stranraer via Newton Stewart, Girvan with a view of the island of Ailsa Craig,  and the prestigious golf clubs of Turnberry, owned by Donald Trump, and the golf club of Royal Troon.

 Ailsa Craig

The Ferry to Ireland used to leave from Stranraer but now goes from a little further up the coast.

On our return journey we stopped at Alloway the birthplace, now museum of Robbie Burns.

We drove through such beautiful scenery of coast, lochs, forests and mountains that I often forgot to  take photos!

A Busy July

 Bamburgh Castle

We spent an enjoyable break in Northumberland where we spotted dolphins in the North Sea at Seahouses.

A few days later, further down the coast at https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/bempton-cliffs we saw two pufflings

It was my privilege to judge Filey and Hunmanby train station for Yorkshire in Bloom

During a week in Mallorca, we hired a car to Manacor market before making our way to Palma. We we parked near the harbour opposite the cathedral which was surprisingly only 2 euros for three hours and allowed us to wander around the old town.

One day we took the bus from Sa Como, the resort where we stayed, to Cala Millor and walked back. We thought it was a paved promenade but the route took us by the sea and through woodland to a castle. Here was a lovely bar like finding an oasis, before resuming our journey.

The next day took we took a bus in the other direction to visit Porto Cristo, where Nadal resides.

The hotel was next to a very pleasant beach where the clear and mostly calm sea made swimming a delight.

Back in th UK we did a new-to-us walk, the Brandesburton circular. Most of the route was on paths which took us through the countryside until we turned on to the road for the return journey which was a bit hairy due to the speed of the traffic.