SCORHILL TOR ON A MISSION AND A VISITOR

A beautiful, cold, crisp and sunny day, so Snippet and I set out on a longer than usual walk in search of Betty and the herd. I thought I'd seen them at a distance on the other side of the valley near Scorhill Tor (pronounced scorrill) so we set off down to the river. On the way, we saw these lovely ponies basking:

Ridiculous hair-do

Snippet was having a great time rushing around at full speed in the parched grass.

Over the river and up the other side, looking back upstream.....

....and over to Kestor in the distance

The pony herd does not include Betty. Some of them look familiar but I am disappointed.

I climb Scorhill Tor, which isn't difficult, and look back over the valley where I can just glimpse our house between the trees. We can just see the tor from our bedroom window.  And then over to the high moor. I so rarely come over here; it's nice to get a different perspective. I was hoping for some reptile sightings given the strength of the sun, but was disappointed there too. 

I rushed home as I was meeting partner at the potential house for us and my Mum. It would have been fantastic for us, but the section for my mum was dark and cold and North facing. Not good for my Mother who feels the cold and loves the light. Never mind.....we'll keep looking. 

The last couple of days have brought a visitor over the mud filled cattle grid and up the drive. She has taken up residence in a scrubby bit of land next to the holiday home bungalow up here. The owners only visit rarely so she is safe grazing there. She is VERY heavily pregnant and looks about to pop. She's causing some chaos at night, invading unfenced bits of garden, but ours isn't one of them and I'm sort of hoping she has the foal in here. She looks very like number one foal's mum from last year but I'm not sure. Here she is:

I'll leave you with Trigger looking furry this morning in the sunshine. No signs of summer coat yet. It would normally be coming out in hanks by now. Until next time...