St Aldhelm's Head

[puddleshark]

Another grey morning. Went walking in the cold westerly wind, along the chalk track to St Aldhelm's Head and the sea.



Last time I took this walk, the fields were full of skylark song. Now the fields are empty but a for a crow or two.


And a charm of goldfinches in the hedge.


I'm trying to plan all my walks along chalk tracks or gravel tracks at the moment. The fields are sodden.


In a crevice in a fence post, the snails are partying.


Followed the coast path a little way along the cliffs. Now and then there was a break in the cloud, patches of blue sky, cloudshadow passing over the distant headlands. But it was mostly too dull a day for landscape photography.



A peregrine falcon was hunting above the cliffs, circling against the cloud, making spectacular wings-folded dives.



On the way back, passing St Aldhelm's Chapel, I went inside, sat for a while on a bench in the damp and the heavy darkness, listening to the wind blow.

Comments

[stormehowl]

The snails! I love it! And the last picture is so festive and feels so old as well.

[benicek]

I feel for the snails.

[puddleshark]

Heh!

It looks like a bit of a crush.

[puddleshark]

That was such a beautiful arrangement in the last picture - all the seasonal leaves and berries. And the red and green against the darkness inside the chapel.

[benicek]

What date is that chapel?

[puddleshark]

The chapel is twelfth century, built within a circular enclosure that is thought to be Early Christian. But it's quite a strange building for a chapel, with the corners rather the walls aligned to the cardinal directions. There's a modern marble altar inside that just does not line up with the building at all.

[heleninwales]

The photo of the snails is fascinating. I didn't know they congregated like that.

[puddleshark]

Me neither! But I suppose that's because they're usually better hidden during the day.

[mallorys_camera]

Wow! Those snails are wild!

[puddleshark]

I've never seen snails clustered like that in plain sight before. I suppose with all the rain we've had lately, it has been a bumper year for snails...

[kaishin108]

Wow these photos.
Lots of snails, an old chapel and that first photo is just gorgeous with those shadows. :)

[puddleshark]

Thanks!

The cloud took pity on me, and broke just long enough for me to snatch a shot of cloudshadow moving over the cliffs!

[larryhammer]

Is that a snail party or a snail dorm? Or even a snail hostel?

[puddleshark]

An LJ friend tells me that the collective noun for a gathering of snails is a "rout".

So they might be having a rout-party. Possibly with cards, and gambling.

[larryhammer]

I suspect that only a hardened gamester should attempt to play piquet with a snail.

[puddleshark]

LOL