Health Walk - Thursday 6th August

Photos by Michael - Please click on pictures to see a larger one - bad light so poor photos today

There were twelve of us today.  Carmel, Carole, David H, Jacqueline, Linda D, Linda E, Mary, Maureen, Michael, Paul, Sandy and Sue.

It was trying to rain

Photo 1
Who's leading today?  David.  Oh am I?  Yes.  He led us off into the Pinetum in gentle rain.

Photo 2                                                Photo 3                                                 Photo 4
The rain started to get serious

Photo 5
The Himalayan Balsam is really getting a hold

Photo 6
Sue announced that she wasn't going up into the woods and would walk along the river.  

Photo 7                                                Photo 8                                                 Photo 9
As usual Carmel wouldn't let her walk alone.

Photo 10
Entering Gravel Hole Wood

Photo 11   
The cows making sure we didn't enter the field

Photo 12
Not very much later I met a friend who I hadn't seen for a while so I got left well behind

Photos 7,8,9,10 and 12 have been fiddled, it was so dark in the woods and by now the rain was heavy.  I've not learnt the working of my new camera yet.  I could have used flash for 12 but didn't think.  I need a new lens with a larger aperture the one I've got is f3.5 and I've been used to f2.8.

I caught up with the group at the Lake, they were wondering what had happened to me.  They are used to me dropping back taking photos but this time they were starting to get worried - sorry.

With everyones' agreement we didn't go into the field but walked round the top of the dam.  As we got down on to the Picnic area the wind was driving the rain straight at us.

We walked over the Stone Bridge and along the Cycle Track to Cock Cabin Wood and the rain was becoming unpleasant and statements like "I'll have to get my jacket reproofed" were common.

We walked round the pond and eventually the Cinder Path, Sue Ryder Drive and back to the Barn where Carmel and Sue had the refreshments ready for us.  Surprisingly they had done a fairly long walk - green route.

That's the worst weather we've had on a Thursday, we usually escape serious rain.

Today's Walk

Michael Swarbrick