Environment Agency and the Somerset Vole

£2454 is the cost of saving each one of 55 water voles on the Somerset Levels. A grand total of £135,000.
Now I love to see wildlife thriving but our cat called Jack, brought home to our garden, one similar little creatures in a very lifeless state and showing signs of recent trauma. A common shrew that is not valued quite so highly.

The Common Shrew

Jack has a number of kills to his name including half a dozen mice, one wren, two pigeon, one blackbird, one starling and four sparrows and a cock pheasant. He is also quite adept at striking flying insects out of the air and performing acrobatic feats of a spirited nature, despite weighing in at a portly 2 kilos.
I should like to know if the Environment Agency has any schemes I should be aware of, to preserve the lesser known little creatures Jack might find by the Exe Estuary.

Exmoor, Brendon, A39, "Le Jog" at Porlock hill.

 Lands End to John-O-Groats rally comes through Porlock. I expected to see the famed 25% hill in use but the toll road is now used instead. However a private estate road that caravans use to by-pass Porlock is used instead for the trial. No longer a real test or spectator sport.

Sunrise at the top of Porlock

My way up here by moonlight was a goose chase due to reliance upon the GPS which led me a merry dance and a wrong turn at the Black Cat junction. Not knowing at this stage what time the climb was due to start I made haste to Minehead for fuel where Tesco has it at 1.19p per litre.

From here are views across the Bristol Channel

At Porlock the first person I asked fished out a newspaper cutting from his pocket and it read 3.15pm start so I had a long wait. To use this opportunity to its best I explored Brendon. Approached from the Watersmeet Road this proved to be a really steep, narrow climb and more of a challenge than Porlock. The Exmoor Classic Car museum at Porlock soon opened and I was fortunate to meet the enthusiastic proprietor who was pleased to show me around.

The vintage motor right at the back of the workshop was being worked on and the engine sported some long forgotten engineering quirks ; like the vacuum fuel pump which sucked its petrol up into a chamber complete with internal float and non return valves. (See caption below)

A new day in the life of  the 4/4

A public car park on a private estate

Looking down Porlock A39 and the original route not used by Le Jog

Yes - keep in a low gear is sound advice

Last of the wooden boats in Lynmouth harbour

Watersmeet

Doverhay Garage today

A place of nostalgia

The wheels are pressed sheet steel welded halves to form hollow spokes

Many man hours of work - A labour of love

Steps lead down into the inspection pit

Before the contents were sold in 2012

The original owner had sold up his collection a few years ago but what remains is interesting and to see vintage vehicles in various stages of renovation is well worth the call.

The large can top - left is the vacuum fuel pump

Le Jog   2014

This Porsche wags its tail out of the hairpin on wet leaves