Wednesday 11 March 2015

Early spring walk to Penpole Point - and Penpole Dial


I thought I'd take you  on a walk. Yesterday was  a beautiful early spring day, so late in the afternoon I packed my sketching bag and headed up to Kings Weston. I decided to walk up to Penpole Point, through the wood.


 Celandines carpet the woodland floor like tiny golden stars.



I found the first signs of  spring cleaning activity at our badger sett, under the ancient lime trees - the badgers know spring is here.


The woods were filled with bird song, and squirrels busy scurrying about; or  like this one - doing a spot of  sunbathing!



Woodpigeons  cooed lazily and enjoyed the sunny hillside of Shirehampton Park.


 And tiny white violets covered the ground along the footpath.

David Martyn
David Martyn
The beautiful old stone compass dial on the hill top looked wonderful in the afternoon sunshine. It's been here for at least 400 years, acting as a navigation point for  ships entering the Port of Bristol. Although the trees  and scrub have hidden much of the view it's still a much loved local landmark; our wonderful KWAG conservation volunteers have done loads of work to clear the brambles and this image gives  you an idea of what it was originally like when the hillside was clear. I bet it could tell a few stories! Here it is, painted in 1840 by Joseph Walter, with the view across to the city and port of Bristol - what a change!