Alphabet Thursdays - A is for Aardvark

Image found: deviantart.com

In the countryside we are not amongst the hubbub of busy shopping life. In fact, if you need to have a good old shopping session you have to travel 20-40 minutes to get anywhere where the population density of shoppers increases.

In the sticks, we don't have much but what we do have near is fantastic. Brampton Bryan in Herefordshire, where, as a young girl I grew up and what a place to grow up. With wide expanses of fields, rivers to swim in, trees to climb, nature at it's best. An absolute dream for a wild child such as myself.

From the top of the hill in Brampton Bryan Park.

Leo loving the snow in Brampton Bryan Park (2013)

This tiny village (found on route, in between Ludlow to Knighton and when I say in the sticks, I mean that unless you are on EE, phone signal in this area is poor to non existent, as we are so technologically advanced out here-so be prepared), is now home to a number of craft businesses, artists, cafe and bookshop with Brampton Bryan Hall and Castle right in the heart of the village. 

Brampton Bryan Castle

As the image says A is for Aardvark and Aardvark is certainly what they have in Brampton Bryan. The wonderful, friendly bookshop Aardvark Books. 

Check out their website: aardvark-books

A true gem of a bookshop which is a must see if you visit this glorious part of Herefordshire (and yes we are in Herefordshire not Shropshire here, we are on the border on Herefordshire, Shropshire and Powys and it's to do with where our post gets sorted, in Craven Arms in Shropshire, hence the Shropshire address but we are definitely Herefordshire, after much debating with college bus passes etc). 

You can sit down and have coffee and cake, even read a book in their cafe or outside in the warm summer months. There are comfy chairs scattered all around, so you could hide away and immerse yourself in a book too. They even have an area set up for kids to read and play in, with events and activities often put on for them. 

There are thousands of books to behold. The smell is wonderful, old and new books fill your senses and if you love books this is heaven. 

I have spent many hours here wandering up and down the aisles of books shelves, unable to contain my excitement of having so many books to choose from and more often then not I go home with a huge armful of books, to add to the already mountainous collection containing no space for more.

Other activities are held in the car park such as flea markets, art exhibits, food festivals, music events, book signings and the infamous Scarecrow weekend. So lots to do all year round.  

Aardvark Books

The Bookery

Manor Farm

Brampton Bryan

Bucknell

Shropshire

SY7 0DH

Find them on facebook: AardvarkBooks

Warren Wood Walk

We like to take our dogs to various woodlands so that we get a change of scenery and so do they. One of the walks we did this year - before we got Loki, so it means we're going to have to go back again with him; shame that. Was to see a beautiful waterfall called Water Break its Neck which is situated in the New Radnor Forest - Warren Wood.

Once a large moorland with rabbit Warrens all over, trees were planted by it's Victorian owners and became and has become a popular tourist spot due to this beautiful waterfall and rightly so. 

At the top of our tick-list for walks is, of course, the dog aspect. We enjoy going places where the dogs can roam freely and all their senses can come alive. Especially if there is a place with lots of squirrels - they love to chase them squirrels believing they will climb that tree, they will get up there and the chase will continue. Leads have their place but in the woods, they most certainly don't for us.

There are three different walks to take around the woods and all are waymarked:

Water-Break-Its-Neck Trail

A short circular steady climb walk about 3/4 mile or 1 km from the car park, takes you to a viewing point where you can observe this beautiful waterfall, Water Break It's Neck from above.

Waterfall Walk 

A straight forward short, level walk about 1/3 mile or 1/2 km from the car park, where you can view the Waterfall from below. 

Warren Wood

A circular walk about 1.5 miles or 2.3 km from the car park includes a climb of 170m or 560ft. 

The first walk we took was the Waterfall walk.

This walk is a gentle one alongside a stream, which Leo loved splashing around in. 

The pathway is surrounded by a steep sided gorge. 

The sides of the gorge are covered with numerous species of ferns, mosses and lichens.

   

Some of which even covered whole trees.

At the bottom of the waterfall and the view from below.

Another attraction to the waterfall are the names left behind to the right of where Nath is standing hidden in plain view amongst the greenery visitors have left their marks.

We decided to leave our own.

The second part of our walk we ventured through the woodlands for about 2 hours. Will document this another time when we go back again with the new addition to our family, Loki.

Directions:

Warren Wood car park is off the A44 between Kington and Llandrindod Wells. It is a small car park with room for 8-10 cars. From the New Radnor direction, look out, after a mile for a brown advance warning sign for parking and information on your right. Turn here and go through the first parking area, up a narrow, windy and bumpy road for Warren Wood car park.

Information thanks to:

naturalresources.wales/out-and-about/places-to-go/mid-wales/radnor-forest

The OS grid reference is SO 187 598.

Walking and Singing in the Rain

Even on rainy days the boys need a good walk. 

So gearing up to go out into the down pour I look like a bag of spuds. Scarf on, hat on, gloves on, thick warm waterproof trousers on, cushy jumper on, massive waterproof rain coat on and those good old waterproof walking boots on.




Being out in the sticks there are ample places to go walking, big expanses of fields, woodland, river walks, hill walks but on a day like to day a field walk will do just fine. Only problem is finding one without sheep or cows in it.





So we try one of our favourite fields at the end of Mill Lane in Leintwardine. This can be a circular walk if you like as the fields conjoin and lead you to Jay Lane that joins you back on to High Street.

Approximate map of route.

Leo is a long hair blue merle Border Collie (or Sheepdog) and Loki is a short hair blue merle Border Collie x Kelpie. I need to do more research into the Kelpie breed as Loki's habits and mannerisms minimally resemble Leo's.

A collie will circle you as you walk, almost as if they are herding you. Even if Leo is at the other end of the field he will still circle my movements. Loki on the other hand likes to dart about to and fro, running to me and then back to Leo as likes to be very close to you; where as Leo keeps his distance. Also when we play fetch, Leo will crawl low to the ground waiting for the signal from you to go but Loki is always standing focused on the object being thrown. So I'm assuming he is more Kelpie in manner then Collie. But I'll get back to that later after I've spent the time looking into Kelpie behaviour.

This big expanse of field is great for my two dogs.
We walk zig zagged across the field in order to encourage them to exert more energy and think about where I am in comparison to them. Both always keep an eye on me so if I change direction they always make sure they are in my line of sight and never behind. But this field does prove challenging, there are mini 'streams' and puddles everywhere, due to the rain, some you can jump over others are to wide to even try.

But they love it though. Splashing and paddling through them and having a cheeky little drink. 

Getting them to pose on this log was a task as all they want to do is run around some more. This log we used for some of Loki's training. To teach him Over. He did it but I'm not sure if he got it, as he was just copying and chasing Leo around. It's easier with two people for training two dogs, the other person can control the one dog and get them to stay but on your own it's a bit more difficult as they both think I'm talking to them and follow the commands regardless. Either way it was funny and they loved doing it, clever boys.

These rainy day walks initially create a sense of dread, not wanting to go and walk out in the down pour of rain. Yet once you get out there with two happy dogs, loving every second of it, frolicking freely; it brings a sense of joy and satisfaction. Giving you time to enjoy their company and the beauty of the outside come rain or shine. Back home and time to dry them off. Loki is not amused.

Word Search: I had to look up what the word was for a small gathering/area of trees using google. I thought it was coppice but that means:

noun

1. 1.

   an area of woodland in which the trees or shrubs are periodically cut back to ground level to stimulate growth and provide firewood or timber.

   "coppices of oak were cultivated"

verb

1. 1.

   cut back (a tree or shrub) to ground level periodically to stimulate growth.

   "coppiced timber"

The word I was looking for was a copse:

noun

1. a small group of trees.

or a spinney:

noun

BRITISH

1. a small area of trees and bushes.

In the middle of this field is a copse or spinney which we like to walk through. A mini forest walk to suffice until the next big forest walk.

For more Leintwardine Info and walks: https://leintwardine.wordpress.com/walks-around-leintwardine/