What I Wanted to Post Last Night

I wanted to post this last night but my internet connection was playing up a little.

***

I had a bad day today. By the time I left work I was grumpy, even though I got the rare treat of leaving early. I think my boss knew I was pissed off and as everyone else had had a late start or early finish or long lunch at some point in the week, it was my turn, whether I wanted it or not.

I do believe the moon's mad dance this week has had an effect on me but also I am missing F. It is one of those weeks where, most days, if I am lucky, i get to see him for five minutes as he gets in just before I go to work. I hate it. I miss him. And having had five minutes this morning, I wasn't expecting to see him until first thinf Sunday morning.

I did however get an unexpected treat and I did see him and it was lovely. I found myself somewhere that strictly speaking, I shouldn't have been but it was beautiful.

Cornwall is long and thin with a backbone of granite. Near me the granite forms a long ridge parallel to the coast. I found myself on a shoulder of this ridge at one end of it which had fantastic views down into and across the valley to the distant hills. A beautiful spot with a view but not exposed rough granite or wind torn like many places with a view here.

The sun was still up and I could see birds using the air flow of the valley for their travels - a road in the sky. I watched magpies in the fields, foraging in pairs. I watched crows and seagulls and pigeons.

It felt like a special spot in some way...

I had to leave, even though I didn't want to, but I didn't want to go home. I drove aimlessly and found myself at Treslothan Church. This church was built by the Pendarves family with a model village around it. Little remains of the grand estates of this family and their mansion is long gone but the church and village remain.

The church has two entrances by road and I pulled in one and parked by the war memorial. I wandered around the graveyard soaking up the ambience and sense of peace. These places are mine. I think the graveyards are more mine than the buildings themselves for it is the land I am connected to and view as sacred.

Some one had placed a hydranges bloom on the grave of a child who died over a hundred years ago. A huge mausoleum stood to the Pendarves. An area with more recent memorial stones, a bird bath, compost bin and bench stood in a lovely secluded area. Another path lead round the back where a set of stone steps could be seen leading down to a door below ground level.

I felt better and left. I turned back onto the 'main' road (this is so far off the beaten track main road is a bit of a joke)and took the next right. I realised my error as soon as I had as I was in the other entrance to the church. I wish I had continued down instead of turning as I might have realised that there was a well there... but nevermind...

I continued wandering aimlessly and found myself passing alongside Treslothan Wood towards Pendarves Wood. I suddenly noticed a field entrance and felt compelled to turn in as some small rodent jumped across and away. Getting out of the car I realised that this field was the one between the two woods within which Carwynnen Quoit stands...

A Quoit is an old burial chamber where several stones support a stone on top to make a chamber. The outer covering tends to have gone, just leaving the stones behind. I have looked for it before, in fact the first time I came here and discovered the two woods was on the occasion I first tried to find it. And there it was across the field, a jumbled pile of rocks. The land has been bought by a trust that intends to restore the fallen quoit to it's previous position...

I would love to have gone and had a look but leaving a car blocking a gate isn't the best thing to do....

So on I went but I still didn't want to go home.

The sky was painted orange, rust and terracota by this time but I decided to go to Pendarves Wood. What possessed me I have no idea. I don't find walking alone, in the dark, in the woods a comfortable idea. There were points when I was very nervous and remembering that the woods are haunted by one of the Pendarves family on horseback was not the best thing. The woods are full of streams and in places the noises they make sounds a little like hoof beats...

In places the path was muddy and in others dark. In some places it gre narrow and overgrown. The wood is long and thin with one main path. In the middle is a lake that you pass by and the other side of this the path is rougher and it branches so you can do a loop. I decided to only go as far as the lake, which isn't that far bit it sure felt a long and scary way tonight.

I had a beautiful encounter on the way there. A rustling and I stopped as a beast crossed the path slowly a few yards ahead of me, flashing white and grey fur. It realised I was there but continued, it didn't care. It was going to walk exactly where it had intended so after crossing it turned right and walked parrallel to the path and right by me, as nonchalant as can be. I have seen badgers while driving and also in captivity but I have never ever seen one in the flesh like this. Awestruck is not the word....

At the lake I saw bats swooping and a swan feeding. Small black birds landed on the water, running across it in flurries. They could have been moorhens or coots. The last light tinged the water silver. I paused a short while, as long as my nerve held anyway...

The lake is drained by a waterfall into a stream and the light hit the top. I can't really describe it. Stood on the bridge admiring the light I had a very strong urge to get down and scoop water and put it on my forehead. I did....

I walked back and got in my car and locked my doors before driving off.

It was dark but I couldn't see the moon which was a disappointment as everyone has been raving about this full moon and how beautiful it is, including my lovely F. I caught the odd glimpse that let me know it was hiding low in the sky. I didn't want to go home but I couldn't drive by and not go see her... I didn't feel too guilty about going to Pendarves Wood because I would never have seen the badger with her and also it is a nature reserve where dogs are not welcome.

I decided to get her and go to the top of big hill and admire the moon. She was overjoyed. On the way up the hill in the car we saw a fox. She cavorted on top of the hill in joy. I could see the lights of five towns. The air was beautiful and clear. The lights of the closest towns didn't shimmer from pollution. I could see lights on the horizon, distant ships at sea. I could see lights flickering above the horizon and eventually came to the conclusion they were flying lanterns sent out to see....

I sat on the granite as she snuffled in the gorse and after a while we left and came home.

It was a beautiful evening and I think I shall have more to