Memaloose Hills Hike, and Christmas (18-59)

December 31, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Memaloose Hills Hike, Oregon 12/27/2018

We went east through the gorge again to the sunny Memaloose Hills, and walked 3.2 miles, 600 feet, through the dormant winter landscape. (Hike #65 for 2018). This area is known for abundant wildflowers in spring.

View north, with a peak at Mt Adams, from the upper trailhead on old highway 30.

Ponderosa bark

Trail up to the lower viewpoint.

Chatfield Hill – our upper destination

Dan heading up Chatfield Hill in the dormant winter.

Same view in springtime….

View to the east and lower viewpoint.

View to the west from the top

Northern view toward Mt Adams

Mt Adams

Mt Hood

An apple tree and Mt Adams, on the return hike.

Apple tree

Dalles Dam

Another hiker reported seeing bald eagles at the Dalles Dam, so we drove to the Visitor Center to see them. We walked some of the paths in that area and saw interesting views of the infrastructure, but no bald eagles.

Under the freeway bridge

Looking toward the dam

A dusting of snow in the hills

Mt Hood in the distance

Zooming in – Mt Hood and The Dalles.

Bald eagles should be here

Fishing platforms

Another westward view in the low winter light.

Driving Landscape Views

I snapped photos from the freeway as we drove back through the gorge. There are great views of our hiking spots on the Washington side of the Columbia River, and I thought I did fairly well at freeway-speed photography!

Lyle Cherry Orchard

Lyle, Washington

Catherine Creek

Rowland Wall

The slope above Coyote Wall

Coyote Wall

Snow dusting the black-fringed cliffs above Cascade Locks

Corbett Point

Closer view of Vista House

Knitting

I knit a star ornament for my friend who has made the costumes for a local production of Mary Poppins, I finally finished seaming the Ivy Cardigan, and I finished another round washcloth.

Mary Poppins Star

Ivy Cardigan

Wash cloth

Christmas

Lovely quiet Christmas with family and friends.

Our tree.

My only new ornament – from the Jane Austen Museum in Bath, England.

Viburnum in my garden

Lyle Cherry Orchard, Washington (18-58)

December 18, 2018December 18, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

December 15, 2018

Once again we escape east of the Cascades to dry skies, a bit of sun, no wind, at Lyle Cherry Orchard. Quiet on the trail today. (5.2 miles/1250 feet, hike #64 for 2018)

Approach trail, up the first set of cliffs.

View from the Convict Road to the east

View from the Convict Road north – we are going up those cliffs to the top!

Hiking up to the second tier..

We could see the new trail reroute partially cut by WTA workers that will make the upper cliff ascent farther from the cliff edge and less steep in gradient. And lots of native plant seedlings in place.

Those lines in the slope ahead are the new trail, in progress, with a gentler gradient than the steep track we will climb today.

Looking back at the flagged new trail, not cut yet.

Lunch stop near the top…

The trail continues in and out of the woods along the top of the cliffs to the remnants of a cherry orchard…

View to the east from the grasslands near the cherry orchard.

One of the old cherry trees

Cherry tree in foreground, Lyle Peak above – our trail doesn’t go there.

We head back down…

View west toward Lyle

Closer view of the terrane we hiked, and the Convict Road Viewpoint on the lower left.

Convict Road viewpoint – where we stood looking up this morning. The grey background is the Columbia River, not the sky!

A spot of sun on the way down.

GPS track

Crafting

Another knit dishcloth,

and I’m now adding backstitch detail to Jane Austen’s cross stitched house….

Exploring Exmoor, North Devon and Somerset, UK (18-57)

December 11, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Day 13 May 8, 2018 Lynton, Lynmouth, Dunster, and Porlock

We began this day walking from our lodging down the steep poetry- and flower-lined path to Lynmouth.

Almost to the beach at the bottom of the cliff.

There we visited the Exmoor National Park Visitors Center and made plans to visit Dunster and Porlock, to the east of us. Lynmouth is the intersection of four trail systems in Exmoor, marked by this sculpture of a walker, and the trail signs.

Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railroad

As we walked down the path to Lynmouth, we had crossed the tracks of the Cliff Railroad several times.

The Cliff Railroad is a Victorian era funicular with two counterbalanced cars connected by cables and pulleys that simultaneously rise or fall as water is released from the water tank of the lower car. The cars each have 700 gallon water tanks. The tank is refilled from a stream at the top of the cliff, and released to the stream at the bottom of the cliff. The power is completely passive – just gravity imbalance created by the weight differential between the two cars. The railway has been in continuous operation since 1890.

We returned to Lynton via the Railroad, a much easier way to climb this 500 foot cliff than going back up the path.

Dunster

We walked through the medieval town of Dunster. Dunster Castle, on the hill overlooking the town, dates back to at least 1086, shortly after the Norman conquest in 1066.

Dunster Castle

We walked around some of the castle grounds.

Stables

Gardens

The Yarn Market, where trade in cloth was conducted, is about 400 years old.

Dunster Castle and the Dunster Yarn Market.

The Water Mill is about 200 years old. We looked at the machinery, but the mill wasn’t in operation today.

The water wheel

One of the flour mills.

Castle gardens near the mill

More Gunnera manicata, the giant Brazilian rhubarb, growing along the mill stream.

The 15th century Gallox Bridge crosses the River Avill.

Thatched roofs.

Porlock Marsh

We drove back west to Porlock, where the National Park Guide had recommended a wildlife walk across the marsh.

The path to the marsh.

Boardwalks across the marsh

Looking back toward town.

View out to the Bristol Channel from the top of the berm.

View to the east from the top of the shingled berm.

We did not see any wildlife, perhaps because the tide was out, just the shingled beach and the wide views, but it was good to stretch our legs.

My quilter’s eye noticed geometric patterns in the architecture in Porlock.

We stopped at an overlook for the wide view of Porlock. From here, we headed back to Lynton for the dinner.

Our Victorian Lodgings in Lynton:

My husband had selected this lodging, so I hadn’t realized before arriving that we would be staying in a converted Victorian manor house, built by a London mogul for his wife in 1870. The home was built on a ledge blasted from the cliff.

A large ammonite embedded near the entryway.

The decor is Victorian, and most of the rooms are situated around a large communal open staircase and balcony, invoking the setting of an Agatha Christie novel.

Our living room.

Central stairway

There were few other guests during this off season visit, but I would guess the patio tea service would be popular with walkers going to the Valley of Rocks from the Cliff Railway in the summer.

Our balcony and stairs leading down to the patio where tea is served with an amazing view.

Our self-catering apartment had updated plumbing and kitchen, with a private, very tiny balcony and spiral staircase, and a tremendous view across the bay to Countisbury Hill and Lynmouth Bay. We enjoyed the location and historical ambiance.

Winter trees at Tryon Creek, OR (18-56)

December 11, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

December 9, 2018 Tryon Creek State Park

After two weeks of clear, cold, windy days our clouds have returned, warming us up enough for a short hike through Tryon Creek State Park. It was mostly empty on the trails, unlike in spring when the trillium are in full bloom. Bare trees, stream reflections and a sunbreaks marked the woods this day. (2.2 miles, 200 feet, #63)

Crafting, etc

I finally cast on a new pair of socks.

I have finished the cross stitching on Jane Austen’s House – that has been my evening work lately. Next, back stitching and french knots.

I have done some pre-winter clean up in the garden. We have our Christmas tree standing in the living room, as yet unadorned. I went to see the latest Fantastic Beasts movie with one of my sons at a midweek matinee, and we were the only viewers in the theater. We both enjoyed the movie. Otherwise, I am trying to finish up my blog posts about our UK trip last spring by the end of the year – there are so many photos to sort through – it really was an amazing trip! I am enjoying reliving those experiences.

Valley of Rocks and Woodlands Walk, Lynton, Devon, UK (18-55)

December 7, 2018December 7, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Day 12, May 7, 2018

Today we walked a loop trail along the Southwest Coast Path through the Valley of Rocks, then circled back on the hills above the town of Lynton.

Valley of Rocks: The sun position was better today as we retraced our steps into the Valley of Rocks. We climbed up one of the promontories

Looking back to the east.

Castle Rock and westward view.

Steep cliffs here.

Quartzite and Slate of the Devonian Lynton Formation

Gorse

Beyond the rocks, the path continues on the road past Lee Abbey.

Lee Abbey

Gardens

Sheep

Fog wafting by

Old door

View down to Lee Bay

More sheep

View back to the Abbey

A house along the road

Lee Bay again

Horses riding up the road near Lee Abbey.

Our trail descended to circle around Crock Point, with the fog settling in on us.

Steep steps down the primrose path.

Foggy meadow on Crock Point,

and foggy views beyond the hedgerows.

Plenty of flowers,

And then the fog lifted.

Next our trail wound through Croscombe and Bonhill Woods where we crossed The Lee on Bonhill Bridge.

Our path was lined with bluebells in Croscombe Wood.

Bluebells and Campion

A twisted tree, ferns and bluebells – so very green in here!

Another steep staircase in Bonhill Woods down to the stream.

Bonhill Bridge across The Lee.

The Lee

As we entered the Six Acre Wood we could see back to the Valley of Rocks.

A small check dam along the way seemed like water sprite habitat.

Our trial emerged onto the slopes of South Cleave, from which we could look down upon the Valley of Rocks and our earlier path.

Trail up South Cleave.

Looking down on Lee Abbey.

Looking down on Lee Bay.

Valley of Rocks below.

Another view west from South Cleave.

Our path led us down hill and through Lynton before circling back to our lodgings.

Downtown Lynton.

View over the rooftops to Lynmouth Bay.

Sign showing the paths and the Cliff Railway down to Lynmouth – on tomorrow’s agenda.

Southwest Coast Path Website Map for our Walk. We walked about 7.5 miles, 700 feet elevation.

Evening view of Countisbury Hill and Lynmouth Bay from our little balcony:

Fowey to Lynton via The Cheesewring at Minions (18-54)

December 3, 2018December 3, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Day 11, May 6, 2018

We packed up and left our lovely cottage at Fowey. Our next destination was another four day self catering apartment, this time in a Victorian cliffside mansion in Lynton, on the north coast of Devon. Our drive took us near Bodmin Moor. We found an interesting stop along the way near the village of Minions. There were three ancient stone circles called The Hurlers, a rock formation called the Cheesewring, and baby animals in the farm pastures. For a travel day we did fairly well. We stocked up on groceries in Okehampton, then continued north on the winding roads that led to our cliffside perch in Lynton.

Minions and the Cheesewring

We parked in the carpark and looked at signs about the history of this locale and the three ancient stone circles called The Hurlers that have been partially reconstructed.

We walked through the stone circles and across the pastures, noticing a nearby tin mine. This whole area was a tin and copper mining center in the late 1800’s.

Landscape view of Stowe’s Hill and The Hurlers.

Tin mine

The Hurlers

Looking toward Stowe’s Hill.

Looking back toward Minions.

We continued on to Stowe’s Hill, where the landmark known as The Cheesewring – a ‘stack’ of weathered granite slabs is perched above a quarry.

Stowe’s Hill in the distance.

Getting closer – quarry on the right side.

The Cheesewring

The Cheesewring is fenced off from the quarry below.

Rock climbers in the quarry.

Beyond The Cheesewring, the top of Stowe’s Hill is also made of a stack of weathered granite slabs.

Looking back at The Cheesewring from the top of Stowe’s Hill.

Dan at the top of Stowe’s Hill; The Cheesewring beyond.

We walked back down the hill and around the standing stones and cow herd in the pasture, admiring the foal and the lambs.

Lynton

After a stop in Okehampton for lunch and groceries,

Driving view of Okehampton

we made our way to Lynton. Lady google directed us along narrow streets through the town and seemingly to the cliff edge, then through these iron gates

Entrance to our lodgings.

to the former mansion, now guesthouse with tea service, called Villa Spaldi. Our self catering apartment, furnished in old, formal style, had everything we would need for our next few days of exploring, and a fabulous view across the bay.

Villa Spaldi

Eastward view over Lynmouth from our little balcony.

After settling in, we took an evening walk along the SW Coast Path to the west toward the Valley of Rocks. The sun was low, and we planned to come back this way for more exploring tomorrow.