Scorhill Stone Circle, Dartmoor

Scorhill Stone Circle lies on the eastern edge of the moor, at GR654874, near Gidleigh.  It is one of the best on Dartmoor and has not been restored.  It is however, missing quite a few stones which were used for gateposts and leat bank reinforcement before their use was discovered and stopped.

A view on a wind-swept Autumn day:

Sunrise and mist over High Dartmoor

Set my son off on a solo ten tors trek first thing on Saturday morning, from Okehampton Camp.  Volatile weather which made for some very atmospheric photos:

Fistral Beach, Newquay - Blustery Beaches in Black and White

Spent the weekend in Newquay at Fistral Beach and acquainted myself with the coves, caves and rocks around the headland.  Rather blustery though; my plans for peaceful sunsets with long exposures did not materialise.  However, being so close to the greatest wilderness on Earth is always a tonic.

I probably should come clean now and admit that I'm in a deeply satisfying monochrome phase.

Beardown Man, Dartmoor - Still Standing after 4000 Years

Bagged a few more tors yesterday, in the dregs of Hurricane Gonzalo.  I have to say, trudging up to Beardown Tors and Conies Down Tors in 50mph gusting head winds was less enjoyable than I imagined.  Scooped six tors in a 10 mile walk from Two Bridges.

Beardown Man stands next to Devil's Tor and is pretty remote.  It is the second tallest menhir on Dartmoor and was placed there in the Bronze Age, about 4000 years ago.  I have to say that he is splendid.  In profile the 3.5m standing stone looks almost head-like (depends what's in your hip-flask), but really, it's only called "man" from the Celtic word "maen" meaning stone.  Either way, I felt obliged to bid him good morning and farewell.  Strange really.

Beardown Man on Dartmoor - Bronze Age

This next shot shows that there was a bit of a breeze blowing:

The River Lyd near Widgery & Brat Tor on Dartmoor

A very murky morning.  Missing the sun.  Tramped along the River Lyd which was flowing well from the recent rain.

I'm rather pleased with this one:

River Lyd on Dartmoor

Tavistock Goose Fair 2014 - The Funfair Returns

It comes around quickly doesn't it?  No sooner does the yellow grease chalk marks fade from the pavements, they are renewed for the Goose Fair stallholders again.

As before we shied away from Goose Fair proper (unlike the rain), except for spinning around the temporary one-way systems in Tavistock on a mad dash to taxi offspring from one destination to another, fortified with en route pasties.

No, we waited until the weekend before venturing into the world of bright colourful lights spinning around airbrushed images of 1980s movie stars and accompanied by musak and robotic DJ invitations to ride.

It seemed quiet this year...

Still, out came the tripod, camera and anorak for a few more photographs of blurred lines:

Tavistock - Goose Fair Funfair next to River Tavy

Great Staple Tor and Roos Tor after the Rain

The heavy rain on Saturday morning scuttled off to London and left crisp, clear skies over Dartmoor. Perfect clouds and cloud shadows made for some interesting landscapes.

Great Staple Tor, Dartmoor

View from Roos Tor, Dartmoor