Travels in sunny Somerset last week ...

What a cosy hideaway is 'Little Brook' cottage in Coxley (near Wells) ....

 

 

 

 

 

Along the A39 in Coxley is Littlewell, "an outlying spring of naturally filtered water, falling on the Mendips and forced up by hydraulic pressure through fissures in the limestone.  It rises in the field across the road, and was piped across to provide this purpose-built public water source in 'time immemorial' - probably the 19th century, when such public investments became common.  Until after the middle of the 20th century, when the water mains were installed, it was the only drinking water source for Coxley people without their own wells and for passers-by.  Restored by the landowners for the benefit of Coxley in 2004".

 

 

 

 

 

Coxley livestock....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Coxley steed....."are you sure you haven't got any carrots?".....

 

 

"I'd better come over to check....."

 

 

 

Deer Leap in the Mendips near Priddy.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Priddy......

"These hurdles are a symbolic reconstruction of the original collection.  They were stored here to form the pens for the Sheep Fair which moved from Wells to Priddy in 1348 at the outbreak of the Black Death.  The hurdle stack was destroyed by fire on 28th April 2013 and rebuilt by volunteers".

 

 

Ebbor Gorge National Nature Reserve .....

 

 

 

Beloved Glastonbury from the scenic view point at Ebbor Gorge .....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pixie barked a few times at the willow bears ... in the shady woods they must have appeared real to her!

 

 

A view of The Tor from near Wells ....

 

 

Maesbury Castle - a hilltop settlement from the Iron Age above Croscombe on the Mendips....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting up at 2am to watch the Supermoon eclipse thinking that I'll be a dear old cup of tea by the time the next one comes round.....

 

 

 

 

Burrington Combe ....... a carboniferous limestone gorge...

 

 

The Rock of Ages .... legend has it that this rock inspired the Rev A M Toplady to write the hymn around 1762 after he sheltered here in a storm...

 

 

 

climbing to the top of the combe for views over Bristol airport ....!

 

 

 

Monk's Steps at Kewstoke are an ancient set of stone steps leading from St Paul's church and up through the woods on Monk's Hill.  Although the origins of the steps are unknown, the presence of man in the adjacent woodland on Worlebury Hill can be traced back to the Iron Age!

 

 

 

St Paul's, Kewstoke ... dating from the 12th century, the tower being built in 1395.  In 1849 a reliquary was found in St Paul's that is believed to have come originally from the priory and to contain the Blood of Thomas Becket.

 

 

... and then on to see the sea at Sand Bay... where we met a nice local lady who was wearing the same shoes as me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beloved Glastonbury .......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crook Peak, above Compton Bishop....  just wondering whether to ascend the tricky north face or take the easier route!.....

 

 

 

Crook Peak from Loxton churchyard.....

 

 

.. our ascent up Crook Peak....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's a we bit of a breeze....

 

 

 

... and on reaching the top ...  Pixie reminds me of Mark Wallington's dog called Boogie, especially as her ears at times were almost wrapped around her neck in the strong easterly wind ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stanton Drew Stone Circles date to the Late Neolithic ..... there are three stone circles at this site, The Great Circle is the second largest in the country (after Avebury).  The Great Circle had nine timber rings enclosed by the stones and encircled by a very large ditch.

 

 

This stone seems to have a face.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stanton Drew church ....a quick visit even though I haven't any ancestors from this part of the world (old habits die hard!).....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chew Valley Lake......