The Battery, with its pair of canon, (from yesterday's post).
And to start Day 3- we couldn't have asked for more glorious weather, full sun with a cooling breeze, sunscreen essential. Romas and Vicky headed off early for another long hike while Peter and I set off a little later with our picnic.
We set off up the central track which runs the entire length of the island. At one time there were 400 acres of wheat being grown on the island but now only a few fields of hay are grown as winter feed for the sheep and ponies.
The plateau is typical moorland but as you travel north the soil thins to about an inch deep above the underlying granite and more of the rocks poke through. It does not take much visitor pressure for first the vegetation to be worn down, then it dies, the soil blows/washes away and the bare rock is left. You would think that granite is a very strong rock but on Lundy it very quickly breaks down to a gravel with pieces the size of a pea. Just right for painfully getting into your sandals.
At Halfway wall we followed the wall to the east coast where we could see and hear seals far below us. We watched several swimming along and hunting for fish in the seaweed. To see the basking sharks (2nd largest fish in the world) that inhabit the sea here you need to be further out in a boat.
Right at the northern point there was a large group of seals sunbathing out on the rocks. This lot (400ft below us) were also 'singing' as they jostled for the best positions.We found ourselves a sheltered spot at the top of the cliffs to eat our lunch and scan the sea birds with our binoculars. Next time we might have the sense to take an identification book with us as our identification skills are somewhat lacking.
After our picnic I left Peter at the top of the cliff and climbed down the many steps to the North Lighthouse. Nowadays it is fully automated so no-one actually lives there but the lighthouses are vital as Lundy sits in a busy shipping lane and many ships have been wrecked off its shores.
Down at the level of the lighthouse are the tracks of an old trolley system as this was an alternative landing site with the first stretch being vertically up the cliff pulled by steel hawsers the remains of which still dangle from the cliff. I knew that 3 people had gone down ahead of me so I looked for them and found some more steps leading down to the water's edge. These were not so well maintained as the lighthouse steps with most of the handrails rusted away. But the descent was worth it. Several seals were bobbing about in the water watching the people watching them. These people left after a while but I stayed and tried calling in the seals by whistling tunes to them. And it worked! as soon as I started whistling seal heads popped up until eventually there were 10 seals listening to me the nearest of which was about 20ft away.
It was a great photo opportunity, I didn't know I could whistle and take photos at the same time!
Just in the right hand corner you can see the seaweed that was fringing the rock I was sitting on.
Being so close I was able to get some good clear pictures.
And I love the way you can see down into the water and see the seal's body. Its front flippers were gently wafting to keep it in position.
I had written in the log book that I wasn't that excited by seeing seals as we often see them on our walks around Morte Point but never have I been able to get so close and get such wonderful pictures.
And to start Day 3- we couldn't have asked for more glorious weather, full sun with a cooling breeze, sunscreen essential. Romas and Vicky headed off early for another long hike while Peter and I set off a little later with our picnic.
We set off up the central track which runs the entire length of the island. At one time there were 400 acres of wheat being grown on the island but now only a few fields of hay are grown as winter feed for the sheep and ponies.
The plateau is typical moorland but as you travel north the soil thins to about an inch deep above the underlying granite and more of the rocks poke through. It does not take much visitor pressure for first the vegetation to be worn down, then it dies, the soil blows/washes away and the bare rock is left. You would think that granite is a very strong rock but on Lundy it very quickly breaks down to a gravel with pieces the size of a pea. Just right for painfully getting into your sandals.
At Halfway wall we followed the wall to the east coast where we could see and hear seals far below us. We watched several swimming along and hunting for fish in the seaweed. To see the basking sharks (2nd largest fish in the world) that inhabit the sea here you need to be further out in a boat.
Right at the northern point there was a large group of seals sunbathing out on the rocks. This lot (400ft below us) were also 'singing' as they jostled for the best positions.We found ourselves a sheltered spot at the top of the cliffs to eat our lunch and scan the sea birds with our binoculars. Next time we might have the sense to take an identification book with us as our identification skills are somewhat lacking.
After our picnic I left Peter at the top of the cliff and climbed down the many steps to the North Lighthouse. Nowadays it is fully automated so no-one actually lives there but the lighthouses are vital as Lundy sits in a busy shipping lane and many ships have been wrecked off its shores.
Down at the level of the lighthouse are the tracks of an old trolley system as this was an alternative landing site with the first stretch being vertically up the cliff pulled by steel hawsers the remains of which still dangle from the cliff. I knew that 3 people had gone down ahead of me so I looked for them and found some more steps leading down to the water's edge. These were not so well maintained as the lighthouse steps with most of the handrails rusted away. But the descent was worth it. Several seals were bobbing about in the water watching the people watching them. These people left after a while but I stayed and tried calling in the seals by whistling tunes to them. And it worked! as soon as I started whistling seal heads popped up until eventually there were 10 seals listening to me the nearest of which was about 20ft away.
It was a great photo opportunity, I didn't know I could whistle and take photos at the same time!
Just in the right hand corner you can see the seaweed that was fringing the rock I was sitting on.
Being so close I was able to get some good clear pictures.
And I love the way you can see down into the water and see the seal's body. Its front flippers were gently wafting to keep it in position.
I had written in the log book that I wasn't that excited by seeing seals as we often see them on our walks around Morte Point but never have I been able to get so close and get such wonderful pictures. And at this point I shall leave you, dear reader, before attempting the 400ft of steps back up to the top of the cliff.
1 comment:
Wow, what a very beautiful day you had! The photos of the seals are fabulous and the water so clear. How marvellous to get so close and how fun that they responded to you whistling!
Post a Comment