Walking Long and Getting Fat

I spent Christmas away with my Stepfather at my sister's nice little house in Bristol, where I had a lovely time and ate a lot. Far too much in fact, despite trying to keep an eye on things and not go to the pub.

We just wanted to be happy together after the crappy few months we've had as family. And it worked.

In my defence, I did stay active, taking in long walks around Horsfield Common and right out to Westbury on Trim to climb the mud up to Blaise Castle while sweletering in a boil in the bag set of waterproofs as the rain hammered down.

I would have been drier if I'd walked around naked, until I got arrested at any rate.

Blaise Castle isn't a proper castle at all, but rather a mini french style chateau folly that was very popular back in the day for folk with more money than sense to plonk on their estates to say they were the big "I am". It does have an imposing setting however, and I'd quite like to live in it. There's a pub not too far away.

There was also Badock's Wood with its Bronze Age burial mound I've shown you before. Saw a lovely grey wagtail on the Trym in this little reserve. I also saw a jay, a bird I've not seen in a very long time, on the golf course.

The most stunning of our crows, but a very retiring bird.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 27.12.19