Where'er You Walk...

Many of my friends and family are documenting their daily walks on Facebook or in their blogs. I love their photographs - of distant views, and close-ups of blossoms and butterflies, and pictures of their happy families enjoying the sunshine and the open air. 
I'm not very good at this - I frequently take so long to get a picture that Bob is half a mile up the footpath. We are very blessed to have so many lovely areas to visit round here, on the edge of the New Forest [my friend Pauline takes wonderful pictures of the trees and the skyline] Here are a few of my attempts - and notes to explain

The highly ornate design of the Lady Wimborne Bridge at Canford Magna reflects the power of landowners over British railway companies in the 19th century. Wealthy Sir John Guest, owner of ironworks in Wales, purchased Canford Manor near Wimborne – and had the bridge built to carry the new railway over the drive to his house – so that the carriages could get to his property without interruption. It is now a Grade II listed structure

Brockenhurst is the largest village in the New Forest - the ford runs through the middle of this picturesque place. Usually heaving with tourists on a warm May afternoon, it was incredibly quiet when we visited - all the gift shops and tearooms were closed because of Covid19.

'Stephen's Castle' is an Iron Age barrow at the top of an old quarry near Verwood, a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Legend has it that Stephen was a local tribal chief of great strength. He was supposed to have hurled the 'Stephen stone' half a mile into Ringwood Forest, no mean feat as the stone weighs around 3 tonnes! The barrow was excavated in 1828, and human remains dating back to the Iron Age were found. Verwood once had a thriving pottery and brick industry which stemmed from the abundance of clay, and fuelled by the gorse and birch on the heaths. The quarry work was abandoned in Victorian Times.

Walking through these places with Bob reminded me of Handel's solo from the opera Semele. My mother was particularly fond of this piece, sung by the contralto Kathleen Ferrier.[I don't think Mum had a clue what the opera was about!]

Where'er you walk, cool gales shall fan the glade

Trees where you sit, shall crowd into a shade

Where'er you tread, the blushing flowers shall rise

And all things flourish, where'er you turn your eyes

And hello to all the new followers who have joined since Easter - I cannot keep up with you all, but it is lovely to know that you're enjoying reading this. Wherever you are, keep well, keep safe and be kind. [and Remember To Be A Lert, We Need Lerts]