Saturday, December 29, 2007

AROUND MY VILLAGE....

With some help, I’ve redesigned my blog, I hope you like it...... To personalise it a little bit more, I wanted to find a nice picture for the header that embraces the beautiful scenery that surrounds our village.

I wasn’t long in finding a few pictures I’d taken in October and realising that I had not posted them before, decided one of these would be perfect.

Why not join me as I go through these pictures and together we’ll enjoy a favourite walk of mine....

Just out of the village the lane takes a turn to the left, it gradually starts to get a little steeper now, but you’ll hardly notice for your attention will be drawn to the magnificent views that unfold with every turn we take.

We are heading in an easterly direction and I ask you to imagine the scene of the sun rising over the mountains. The air is quite still and only the bleating of sheep in the distance can be heard. The remote farms in the upland regions are usually small and many of the owners keep hardy Welsh Mountain sheep that roam freely on the hillside pastures in the summer and are brought down to the lower slopes for the winter. Nowadays farmers find it easier to cover their land on a scrambler or quad bike, but years ago shepherds would stay on the mountain to tend their sheep, what a hard life that must have been.

I’ll leave you now to enjoy the views for the pictures express in a far better way than any words I can use......

Hope you enjoy! You can click on the pictures for more detail.






Cattle grids like this are a common sight around our village. They allow vehicles to have easy access, but hoofed animals are prevented from straying.















There is no day in the year when the gorse is not in flower, hence the saying..... 'When gorse is out of season, then kissing is out of fashion'.
















Walking on..... more vistas open up












High up in the foothills of the mountain remote farmsteads are to be found tucked into sheltered places.















The valley is dominated by the great cliff which towers above the flat bed of the valley.... this is the only inland place in Britain where a colony of cormorants breed. Geologists have proved that once this would have been a sea cliff when the sea water covered the valley.

19 comments:

Sigrun said...

Marion, what a great photograph above! Wonderful.
Have you got my letter?
Wish you a good new year, Greatings to Uli.

Sigrun

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Yes, I like your re-designed blog!! I get tired of mine too and want to change it!! You know that i always love seeing your beautiful country!! It looks so peaceful and serene!! Our neighborhood is quiet for a subdivision in the States!! But of course it is nothing like where you live!! Beautiful!!
I hope that you had a good holiday and looking forward to this new year of 2008!! It just amazes me that we are looking at 2008!! I think it is something else!!
Have a great day!!

Sandy

Lis vom Lindenhof said...

Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing and I wish you a happy new year
Lis

Val said...

Wonderful photos! If I could change my Dorset village, it would be to be near hills that could be called mountains. So uplifting.

Thanks!

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Marion, I so enjoyed the walk with you. The countryside is so beautiful and unspoiled. I can imagine how quiet it is, with just the sound of sheep bleating in the distance. Lovely!

Your new blog design is great. I love what you have to say in your profile too (I think you've changed it?) How interesting to have renovated the old police station....

Oh, and I also found it interesting about the cormorants.

Thank you for sharing. I look forward to seeing more of your beautiful location in the future.

mrspao said...

Happy New Year! I like your new look. Your walk looks wonderful.

Barbara said...

Marion what beautiful photos. I see you have managed to change your template. So beautiful. I also like your new profile photo.
Blessings for the coming year.

Anonymous said...

Hi Marion

Your blog looks terrific! Your photographs show the stunning scenery and I can understand why this is a favourite walk ~ how I long to pull on a pair of hiking boots and join you...

Sending best wishes for a safe and happy New Year.

Marie x

TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe said...

Marion, Marion, Marion I'm stunned, the photos are just gordeous. I just want to be there! The blog looks very nice and click to enlarge works fine. I have a problem with what I don't know what I do wrong, any tip? Happy New Year 2008 best wishes from Tyra in Vaxholm.

Betty said...

Dear Friend Marion,

You know I caught a scent of the sheep up ahead....I guess just wishful thinking and remembering my little flock of sheep...

Every photograph gives me a clearer idea of your surroundings...beautiful scenery...

We've had 3 inches of rain over the weekend...so thankful....

I need to do some customizing on my blog.....help, Amy......

Love to you, Betty

Betty said...

By the way, I'm not familiar with gorse, so we're in trouble aren't we?
Can we get a cutting?.....Betty

Mountain Mama said...

Just as soon as I saw the top picture of the lovely landscape I knew I'd be staying a while, so I got a drink and some animal cookies and settled down to enjoy myself on this new year's eve. I have often wondered why it is that we can sometimes see a place or a picture of a particular place and feel as if we have been there, only we know we haven't.

Your pictures always make me feel like this.
I like the picture of the gorse too. I heard it had thorns but had never seen a picture that so clearly showed them. OUCH!
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful countryside. I have thoroughly enjoyed looking.
Happy new year.

Strawberry Lane said...

Beautiful, beautiful photos. What a lovely area!

Happy New Year!

Willow said...

What wonderful photos! I feel like I'm right there with you on the walk. I certainly would love to see it all.
I like your new format and template. I called The Professor over to show him your banner photo.

Vintage to Victorian said...

Just lovely. We had some wonderful holidays in North Wales when I was young and some vague Welsh roots, too. Seeing your photos makes me want to revisit - now!!!

Happy New Year!
Sue

Wurzerl said...

Dear Marion. Congratulations - a great new design, I love it. And the pictures of the landscape are wonderful as always.
Happy New Year Wurzerl

Joanne said...

Marion,
Happy New Year! Your blog is beautiful! And you've inspired me to get mine up and running again... and to get back to Wales ASAP!

Kerri said...

I truly love these country walks you take us on, and would dearly love to go with you in person Marion! Your countryside looks so serene and unspoiled. I think I can hear the sheep bleating too :) That steep walk looks like good exercise!
Ross and I found the gorse interesting. Is it very prickly? It certainly looks to be.
I love your new 'look'. The header picture is a perfect depiction of your little corner.
As always your descriptions and interesting tidbits of information make for great reading. Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos.
Here's to good health, a joyous 2008 filled with rich blessings for you and John...and growing friendship!
xoxo

Rhondi said...

Hi. This is my first visit to your blog. I came here from a comment someone left somewhere out in blogland. I got lost! Thank youfor the lovely walk in your village. It is beautiful. We visited Wales a long time ago and stayed with someone who lived in Powys. We loved the beauty of the countryside and the rolling hills.