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puddleshark ([personal profile] puddleshark) wrote2025-05-25 01:54 pm
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On Flower's Barrow

From Flower's Barrow looking West 2

The paths across the Army Ranges are open for the half term holidays, so I walked up to Flower's Barrow Iron Age hillfort on a fresh blustery morning.



In the car park on Whiteways Hill, a lorry was cooing to itself:

Pigeon lorry on Whiteways Hill
Lorry bearing the legend "Gloucester Federation of Southroad Flying Clubs". A pigeon race was about to start.

It was grey, and raining a little as I set off, but the clouds were moving fast on the west wind, and did not linger.

Range Walk to Flower's Barrow
The path up to Flower's Barrow, with the gorse flowers blazing away in the sunshine. It's quite a slow gentle climb, and sheltered. The gorse makes an excellent windbreak.

But once up on the ramparts of the Iron Age hillfort, it was very blowy indeed, and I had to lie down to take photos to avoid being gusted off my feet.

Worbarrow from Flower's Barrow
Looking down on Worbarrow Bay.

Worbarrow from Flower's Barrow 2
And, tucked away behind Worbarrow Bay, little Pondfield Cove where I often sit to watch the waves wash in.

From Flower's Barrow looking West 1
The southern ramparts of the hillfort continue to slowly crumble into the sea.

Ramparts, Flower's Barrow Iron Age Hillfort
Lying on the grassy ramparts, looking west.

Arish Mell from Flower's Barrow
The little bay of Arish Mell, and, in the distance, Mupe Rocks and the Isle of Portland. I did think about walking to Mupe Rocks today, but that would mean setting off from Lulworth, which is tourist trap central, and the car parking there costs an absolute fortune.

On Flower's Barrow
I always wonder about the apostrophe in Flower's Barrow... The barrow belonging to a single flower? Perhaps this is the one.

Path from Flower's Barrow to Arish Mell
I did not carry on down the path to Arish Mell. I've walked it before, and swore never again. It is a very, very long steep climb on the way back up.

Lulworth Castle from Flower's Barrow
Looking north, Lulworth Castle, and cloudshadow passing over the farms and fields.

Sat for a while in the lee of one of the ramparts, and drank coffee, trying to decipher meaning in the flight of the gulls, watching the clouds approach.

Above Flower's Barrow

Then it was time to retrace my steps, back across the ranges.

Foxgloves on the Range Walks
Foxgloves already in flower.

Insects seen on the walk back: Red-tailed Bumblebees and Thick-legged Flower Beetles on the first bramble blossoms. Speckled Wood butterflies. Lots of tiny bright yellow moths - Speckled Yellows, whose caterpillars feed on the Wood Sage which grows alongside the track.

Red-tailed Bumblebee on the Range Walks

So wonderful to be seeing Red-tailed Bumblebees! They had a disastrous year last year after the wet spring. May their numbers recover this year.
sartorias: (Default)

[personal profile] sartorias 2025-05-25 02:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Not very many trees along those cliffs
kaishin108: waves by hwm (Default)

[personal profile] kaishin108 2025-05-25 03:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh wow a pigeon race!
That would be a sight to see them all taking off. I guess they are like messenger pigeons and would make a round trip. ;-)

Lovely photos, as usual. :)
kaishin108: waves by hwm (Default)

[personal profile] kaishin108 2025-05-26 02:36 pm (UTC)(link)
That is as fast as a car, my goodness, I had no idea. Ahh right, homing pigeons.
Thanks for sharing the result of the race! :)
fox_in_me: fox.in.me (Default)

[personal profile] fox_in_me 2025-05-25 04:03 pm (UTC)(link)
I focused on b/w photo of the Bay.
It`s very deeply and beautiful. Feels some endless loking on the horizon.