Autumn colours on Dartmoor

Helen and me enjoy a Sunday jaunt across the moor to see the kaleidoscope of tints along our favourite woodland trail and an all day breakfast at the Fox Tor Cafe. Its busy feeding dozens of lycra clad cyclists, racing about the moor from Plymouth. It's halloween and many are wearing fancy fascinators of the devilish kind. The run alongside the Dart from Ashburton to Poundsgate is not to be missed at this time, and in the Morgan 4/4 the canopy of russets and gold leaf a real joy.

Shame on Westminster

As a parent and grandparent the realisation that Britain is plagued by a minority of  predatory deviants who target children horrifies me. 

When those in power promise to act, but fail to put their words into action, the conclusion must be that the powerful are choosing to leave an open door for themselves and their fellow abusers to continue as before.  Two years ago some important amendments to Section 67 of the 2015 Serious Crime Act were promised. A simple modification to a straightforward existing act and doable at the stroke of a pen.  Prompted by the N.S.P.C.C. David Cameron promised to do just that.  Nineteen months later no amendment has occurred.

Government ministers have it in their power to act, but now are seen to be dragging their feet. Their members having closed ranks in desperate efforts to preserve their reputation. So desperate, that whatever historic cases remain undisclosed, these must be of such proportions that UK governance would be exposed as nothing more than a disgraced club of ill repute.

Read the Independant Newspaper to follow this ongoing issue here. 

67

    Sexual communication with a child

After section 15 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 insert—

“15ASexual communication with a child

(1)A person aged 18 or over (A) commits an offence if—

(a)for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, A intentionally communicates with another person (B),

(b)the communication is sexual or is intended to encourage B to make (whether to A or to another) a communication that is sexual, and

(c)B is under 16 and A does not reasonably believe that B is 16 or over.

(2)For the purposes of this section, a communication is sexual if—

(a)any part of it relates to sexual activity, or

(b)a reasonable person would, in all the circumstances but regardless of any person's purpose, consider any part of the communication to be sexual;

and in paragraph (a) “sexual activity” means an activity that a reasonable person would, in 
all the circumstances but regardless of any person's purpose, consider to be sexual.

(3)A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine or both;

(b)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.”

Letting off Steam - All's well that ends well.

What better place to vent some heat exchange than a scenic train ride alongside the Dart Estuary. A gentle ride to the marina and ferry trip to Dartmouth- walking stick in hand, back pain and all.
Soup and crusty bread is all I can manage this Saturday morning. The Doctor in the Accident and Emergency department did say to try and keep mobile. Take five deep breaths every half hour or so, to clear the lungs, and don't be afraid to take paracetamol, ibuprofen or your preferred pain killer.
Thanks, but no thanks!  I prefer to listen to the messages my body returns to my stubborn head. Harbouring self doubt and fear that someone or something is about to stray into my path and cause another visit to A&E.
Hercules is the name of the engine, just shy of 100 years old, still hauling this lovely cream painted coach built train. Now full of the expectant and the excited and chuffing along the green valleys to Kingswear from Paignton and back, several time a day.

Live steam.

A few days later and I am happy once more: One replacement Volvo V70 bought and paid for with insurance money from the Allianz Plc. Insurers of first choice. The dear lady with whom I found myself in potentially mortal A379 road combat, survives the ordeal and is as sorry as me, that we found ourselves on a collision course.  Eleven days of sore ribs but now able to laugh once more.

     

Reversing to re-attach to the train for the return journey.  The bruised octogenarian lady is recovering from her bruises and able to walk to the village post office as well as I can.  Her transport out of the village by free bus pass. I still have the choice if the need should arise.

Volvo V70 Estate write off.

At 5.20 pm. yesterday, (Tuesday) at the wheel of my lovely Volvo, travelling into Exeter, I had the misfortune to collide with a local Citroen being driven by an elderly lady, without due care and attention. Heading for me on her wrong side and with both vehicles travelling at about 30 mph my avoiding action included steering into the hedge to my left which canted the Volvo up on that side to about 30 deg.
Conscious  throughout, I was subjected to some instant traumatic noisy impact as the air bags deployed. The smoky mist of venting refrigerant from the air conditioning immediately began to fill the cab. All windows were closed. My reaction was to open the driver's door which proved difficult. It required my swivelling through 90 deg so that I could put my full force with both legs against the door after releasing the seat belt.
Both myself and the lady were wearing belts and the airbag deployed in the Citroen as well the Volvo.
Both vehicles sustained extensive damage due to the frontal impact. Mine lost a wheel plus a large sector of its offside suspension; I shall be seeking a replacement with a similar specification and less than the 150,000 mileage.
After being taken to the RD&E  hospital for a check over, my injury includes bruised  or cracked ribs and a sore neck.  Mobility has been seriously slowed up but recovery should occur in about a week or two. I was advised by the medics that adrenalin in my  blood would be subduing the pain and that pain would increase during the following weeks before subsiding. 

The waiting areas of our crowded emergency department are constantly busy here as they are in most places and the medics are the very best.

One  conversation overheard in the corridor: a man sat beside his wife, phoning  a friend about a dog incident during which his hand was bitten. Apologising for the dogs behaviour as was the other dog owner in responce. It would seem that one dog's ear was bitten off, because he said to the friend: "Be sure not to get the ear sewn on back to front".

Remember:  Wear a seat belt - Think about what to do in scenario before it happens. In the seconds before impact - take all avoiding action possible. Don't freeze up in panic. 

Be aware the roads are used by the elderly, the inexperienced, the intoxicated, the aggressive, even the suicidal.  In the wrong place at the wrong time you too may be faced with such a choice.  Even if you have driven many hundreds of thousands of miles - be safe and keep others safe. 

Newlyn and Moushole for cream tea

Two cream teas in one day and two steak pasties apiece to keep our energetic walking schedule fuelled. Botallack tin mine seen on a dull day.  Newlyn without the crush of visitors, gift shops and studios unlike St Ives but nonetheless interesting. The round trip back to Sennen and the B&B via the Merry Maidens stone circle beside the B3315.

Newlyn  has such unspoilt cottages as these with their cobbled lanes and granite pathways. Many well fed cats keep watch - spot the tabby here.

Mousehole

St Ives and Sennen for soggy chips

The A30 was clear of hold ups and good progress was made to St Ives for a Beef Pasty and coffee. As we chose to park up on the harbour wall, an all day ticket was required and our stay extended for Helen to browse the Barbara Hepworth Museum, while I wandered to the lifeboat station and snapped photos of  boats at low tide.  Signs into the town indicate access only to permitted vehicles (through these narrow cobbled streets);  such permission was granted by myself on the premise of the indicators being too vague.
From St Ives the favourite drive (without crossing the channel) is this one along the coast to Sennen, via Zennor and St Just.
Once in Sennen our B&B is checked out OK but the fish and chips for tea beside the harbour only rated a six out of ten (on the Great British Bake-off scale  -  four). However the sunset from our window is dramatic and compensation enough.

On the harbour wall

Low tide St Ives

Cobbled street

A stiff easterly breeze blows onshore

Gig high and dry - Of the moulded polyester and glass variety.

The Dolphin Inn, Dartmouth

Dartmouth on Tuesday (Market Day) and lunch at the Dolphin enjoyed by Helen, me and our little and not so little offspring. One teething grandson put up a valiant struggle until his little belly was full once more and the pub quickly emptied as ears were shattered. The food is good and the welcome very warm.
Crossing by the lower ferry we find this blue Audi R8 beside the Morgan and both of us disembarked without bottoming out. What a blast from the windowed V10 on startup !
The ferryman said a previous Morgan had just crossed earlier and by chance we parked up beside the Racing green Le Mans 62 at the car park. A lovely +8 from Somerset.

In good company heading towards Dartmouth on the lower ferry

My humble 4/4 beside the +8 

External hood linkage

Morgan 4/4 river crossing

Sunday afternoon under a blue sky and a taste of black cherry ice cream at Sidmouth - as busy a day as we saw all summer.  The lanes of deepest Devon taken through Yettington and Pinn.  The Tamarisk and Cyclamen in bloom and a pair of parapenters floating high above the cliffs
On the way home a detour to deliver a card at Longdown saw us in previously unexplored territory.  The ford at Ide is a narrow stream bed pictured here. 

Low tide at Sidmouth

Tamarisk

Parapenters

Cyclamen

The ford at Ide

Driving along the stream bed

Turn left here into deep water under the bridge--Not recommended

Cathedral Top Bar Bee Hive

Winter stores are building up with eight combs showing promise of a healthy colony. The Veroa mite has, so far, not been detected which suggests that the original swarm collected on 17th July from a garden in Kingsteignton is not yet harbouring the parasite.   The bees were dusted in icing sugar in August and a tray of Apiguard (Thymol) given mid September.
To improve heat retention within the hive a small carpet square has been draped over the unoccupied bars and the follower boards faced in insulating layers of Balsa wood. The entrance is restricted down to about 1 3/4" and sugar syrup fed.  Pollen continues to be brought in.

5th of October update on a sunny afternoon at 19 deg C.   Pollen  incoming and bees flying strongly. Syrup feeder jars replenished and plenty of honey now being sealed.

Two additional Cathedral horizontal top bar hives almost completed now ready for next year.  A queen excluder and several bars with foundation wax inserted into saw cuts recesses and window follower boards have also been prepared shown below.

Bars with foundation wax in place, Queen excluder and a window follower board