Ashwater to Bradworthy, Monday May 15th

Ivan Buxton, who came to Coombe Mill and brought me back to the place where I finished on Sunday. He also"did a cameron" again and took my heavier baggage on to Bradworthy.	I started the walk feeling fresh and keen - I`ve walked this part before and love the countryside on the quiet back roads between Ashwater and Holsworthy. I stopped briefly to take a few photographs, this is one of Ashwater School - good to see a village school that is still open.
I couldn`t resist a photo of this recycling shed. It appeared to be also the school car park.	Thorney Cross, almost a mile from where I had started.
Another view of the tower that marks the site where the Swingdon Turbine could be. I believe this tower is 20 metres high (not absolutely sure about this.) It is nearly a mile away, so you can imagine how a large turbine would dominate this landscape.	After Sandymoor Cross the landscape became more undulating, here the road goes down into a valley. The banks were far bluer (with bluebells) than they look in the photo.
Flowers on the bank, bluebells, stitchwort and pink campions again.	A glimpse into an orchard beside the road
Approaching Clawford, where there is a fishing lake. Near Holsworthy, it began to rain. I managed this snap of Holsworthy Church (on the right), then had to put my camera away. I had a quick cup of tea in a cafe,
From Holsworthy I took the road to Chilworthy and Bradworthy. The road through Chilsworthy was busier, and I had to keep my wits about me. It was more a main road village, and I didn`t take many photos during this part of the walk. Once again I was on a high plateau, with limited views, and poor visibility (low lying cloud.)	This part of the walk wasn`t so much fun, and I began to feel tired. Up ahead of me a car slowed and several other cars overtook it. I suddenly realised it was Ivan, and his wife Diane, on their way home after leaving my bags at Bradworthy. It was really good to see them. They said they had spotted me in Holsworthy as well. I had about four miles still to go, but only two more before I could turn off onto a quieter road. I kept expecting to see the turbines, but there was a hill in between that obscured them from view. Finally, I breasted the hill and saw the turbines for the first time, waggling eerily in the mist, like grey wraiths.
I may not like turbines, but I did feel a kind of excitement as I paaroached them. The last mile or so had been rather a drag, and now I had something yto look at I felt less tired. They didn`t seem So big, in the distance, in the mist. I didn`t realise how far away they were still. Several times I had spoken to Marie Hutchings on my mobile - she is the lady who lives closest to the turbines, and she had very kindly offered to put me up while I was in the area. She had told me to take a left turn, and I did that when I reached Instaple Cross. It was a terrific relief to be off the busy road. The road I took now was very quiet and narrow, but a car came by. It was Sarah Payne, from Bradworthy, who had come down to Brent Tor. She offered me a lift to Marie`s. I explained that I wanted to walk the whole way, so she drove off. Then of course I wished I`d asked her the directions at the next cross roads, Jenn`s Cross - photo on the right. Luckily, I took the right road.
As I approached, they looked bigger and bigger. Oddly, only two were turning - it isn`t apparent from the photographs obviously,	I passed a couple of cottages and wondered how the people living in them felt, being dominated by these vast structures. The wind was making a roaring noise through the hedgerows and I couldn`t really tell if the turbines were making noise as well as I approached them.
This is the gate to the turbine site. The trees behind the turbines give you some idea of the scale. They are not large by modern standards (about 260ft high I think) but they looked very large to me.	I did hear a swishing sound as I walked by, but couldn`t say it was overloud. It was masked by the general noise of the wind. I walked on, to the corner of the road, where I believed marie`s bungalow to be. I have to admit my heart sank as I approached, it had an unkempt look about it, with junk in the yard. I went up to the door, and knocked, then suddenly realised that there were weeds on the step. It was empty and deserted. That is when I was very glad that I had a mobile with me. Marie answered at once - her house was half a mile further on, down in the valley and then up the next hill. I had walked about 15 miles, so I was very glad when I arrived at her house at last, to a warm welcome, and an especially welcome cup of tea. She showed me round her house, and I saw her view, that once had been magnificent, and is now dominated by the three giant turbines. I met her two dogs, Sue and Paris, both Sprocker Spaniels and very sweet. Sue has had puppies, and Marie had just moved them out to the barn. She gave me supper, cod and sweet potatoes and some unusual bottled fruit for desert. She likes to watch soaps, and I was happy to watch them with her, although I probably fell asleep more than once.

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