Camp ibex Update - journal 21 march 2025

Now sleeping in zeds office at the back of the " big shed "

Raining first part of the morning.

When rain subsided I started digging out more earth (to eventually become a pond) on the marshy woodland floor below zeds office. The earth was put in several 4 litre pots and three ten litre pots and carried up next to office ready to have plants and cuttings put in if it started raining ..  I could do it indoors to stay busy. 

Created a toilet cubicle in zeds office garden - Z.o.g in case Gemma does stay which she's saying she wants to. 

Cut brambles and buddleia in front of the big bamboo in  zog , also cleared brambles under the left hand apple tree at  zog . 

Went down into n the woods below zog with new chainsaw and started coppicing and processing a few willows  to start allowing sun in and also the thick straight trunks might get used as living fence posts as the boundary fence has fallen over there. Rotted. 

Moved some plastic pallets out of zog and also various rubbish. Moved some of the rotten pallets onto the rotten timber pile . 

Cut back a load of brambles etc in the top garden.

Planted a Jonagold apple ( £6.50 from B&M ) in top garden at back near the goat willows on bank. Subsequently used my new electric chainsaw to cut back the nearby goat willows and buddleja to ensure the new apple tree gets plenty of light and space to grow. Also pollarded to shoulder height three dead eucalyptus trees to ensure they don't fall onto apple or any other plants . One in particular is right next to apple tree. 

Moved four big lorry tires onto top garden for possible use as potatoe planters. 

When dusk arrived and it also started raining I went in the zoffice potted six small Gunnera plants into six four litre pots , put in lots of deciduous eleagnus ( umbellata?) cuttings into the ten litre pots and also some shrub-rose cuttings in the ten litre pots (might be a wild rose not sure yet I haven't seen the flowers). 

Not sure if I've missed anything out but definitely a productive day. 

Van Life - Road Trip starting in Penzance visiting Bideford , Valley of the Rocks , Exmoor, Minehead , Bridgewater and Ham Wall RSPB reserve before reaching Tewkesbury .

Diary 12 Dec 2024 

I drove my transit van to Falmouth after lunch . Dressed in four layers over legs and five layers over upper body. Didn't need the heater on in the van as I drove along even though it's bitterly cold. Even had the window open .

Legs … two thermal long johns, 1 pair jeans and over it my ski trousers.

Upper body…. two thermal long sleeve vests,  one collared shirt, hoody , sleeveless coat. 

Sat in the van at Pendennis point for quite a while reading the times newspaper ( downfall of Assad in Syria) was warm as toast even though cold and windy December evening outside. No heating in van. 

Then I parked in the Quarry car park (free in the evening) and sat in Wetherspoons till midnight. Had to take off several layers unsurprisingly . Watched YouTube… fly fishing on Rio Sil  using bubble float and also the news especially Middle 

East conflicts. At midnight I crashed in van at the quarry carpark. Did my experiment …. to go without a sleeping bag , just the many layers of clothes. I was fine, and dropped off to sleep. 

This means I won't need motivation to get out of a warm bed as I am already warm in my clothes and can get up and go out without shocking or forcing my body. Woke early and left the carpark about 8 am before I needed a ticket.

Sunday 15th Dec

Did not go to church this morning as I’m a bit of a baa-humbug at Christmas and I can get bored in carol services and Nativities . Instead I tidied my flat so it's quite a bit better  (though I didn't finish) and packed my van for the big road trip ahead. I was heading (eventually) to my parents in Shropshire. The trip will be  via several stopping points including Exmoor , Somerset levels and then Cheltenham for a few days  before I get to my  parents for Christmas . 

I Decided to head up out of Cornwall on the A30 instead of the Atlantic Highway and turn off just before Oakhampton up the A386 to  Bideford . It was dark by the time I turned onto the A386, the  road is quite narrow, windy and quite unpleasant to drive in the dark  also its quite a long drive . Next time I think I will go back to using the Atlantic Highway which is wider and faster, but I'll probably turn off the A30 at Bodmin and pick up the Atlantic Highway at Wadebridge.

I was hoping to stop just after Hatherleigh to look at the River Torridge but there was no nearby laybys to stop at , and it would have been too dark to see much. 

I got to Torrington (where there's an RHS garden) and parked near the bridge , had a look at the River Torridge there from bridge , using my powerful torch… its a surprisingly wide and fast flowing river.   

Monday 16 dec 2024

Slept overnight in my van in  the industrial estate in Bideford (  RGB Building Supplies Carpark).  

I had brekky in Morrisons cafe then headed to Jennetts Reservoir on the edge of Bideford .  I paid online the evening before for a day ticket fishing - £9 concession . An email is sent with the pass number to open the electric gate , security is very good on the site.

Not a bad size reservoir 8 or 9 acres surrounded by trees in a fairly steep valley.

It's got good size Carp in it , plenty of Bream and Roach, the odd Tench but I was after the large Perch in there . However when I got there the water was very brown and murky and not very good for lures . There were a lot of Bream bubbles near the dam (or maybe Carp?) A couple of lads were fishing for bream across opposite side of  the lake.

As I cast my lure near the dam a Robin sat on the fence and watched me fishing. The weather was fairly mild . After about an hour I had enough ..I was not feeling confident due to the water murkiness . 

I next headed towards Torrington as I wanted to look at the River Torridge for possible future Trout fishing trips. I came to the Tarka Trail Cycle hire and Puffing Billy Cafe . Theres some old trains here which I will have to come and video another time for Youtube. I walked from the cafe along a track to bridge over the Torridge . It's a lovely stretch of river, quite wide and a powerful flow . A huge log jam was piled up against the bridge , trees swept down from recent floods. Two elderly men were cutting logs by the river and throwing them into their car. I asked about fishing rights… one man, Mervyn , with the broadest Devon accent I've ever heard, told me about his son in law Heathcliff who has the fishing rights from the bridge upstream to just past the next bridge . He lives at the local mill and I can offer him a bit of cash for fishing. Mervyn also claimed he was in the film Tarka the Otter, a film based locally. I'm not sure if he was winding me up .  

My main aim of the day was to visit the Valley of the Rocks near Lynton on the north coast of Exmoor . Somewhere I have been interested in visiting for many years . 

I set off from Bideford to Barnstaple (managed to not get lost in Barnstaple unlike my last visit in summer ) I then took the windy road up and down steep hills with woods and fields . I stopped for a cup of tea from my flask at Blackmoor Gate carpark then continued on to Lynton . There are great views of coast and cliffs from a high up lane approaching Lynton. It didn't take long to drive through Linton and before I knew it I was in the Valley of the Rocks . It didn't disappoint me. It was better seeing it in real life than reading about it in books or seeing it on youtube. I won't go into too much detail but it's basically a very rocky valley next to the sea with very unusual rock formations and outcrops and also has a colony of wild goats , I didn't see any goats though.   

Next I headed towards Minehead along the coastal road , however I came to a problem , the road near Lynmouth was closed and a sign diverted me inland on the road to Simonsbath. My other problem was that I now didn’t reaally know where I was going , I usually check my bearings on Google Maps but my mobile phone had run out of battery and was unable to charge it on a standard USB cable . I decided it was time I bought myself a new roadmap of uk.

This unknown road took me up and up until I was up on top of the wildest part of Exmoor . All around me was miles and miles of hilly rough grass and moor , golden yellow in colour. I was wondering if this was devine intervention that the other road was closed as I would have missed this wonderful remote landscape . I was the only vehicle in sight driving on this road, I felt I had this vast area all to myself , no signs of houses either . Eventually I passed a van-conversion like mine, it was parked in a layby high on the moor, and then after I passed the van it was just me alone in the wilderness  again. 

Eventually I descended down off the moors and arrived in the small settlement of Simonsbath.

 I took the road towards minehead and reached Wheddon Cross , this is a village I had driven through  previously in summer , albeit from a different direction (from Tiverton) so it was a good feeling arriving somewhere I felt a bit familiar with.  At Wheddon Cross I noticed a petrol station with a large shop. I thought I must buy a road atlas now … but the noticeably attractive young lady at the till said they didn't sell them . I expressed my surprise. Maybe it's because everyone uses google maps on their phones if they get lost.

Next place I got to was Dunster which has a distinctive mediaeval round building called Yarn Market which sticks out a bit into the road. 

I continued along the road and soon arrived at Minehead . The plugs weren't working in Minehead McDonalds to charge my phone , the overworked staff were unhelpful and unfriendly (probably stressed) so I went to Brewers Fayre where you get unlimited tea or coffee for £3.25. The pretty young receptionist (another!) was the opposite and very helpful and showed me where the plugs were .I also chatted with her later. I spent two and half hours watching fishing videos etc. on youtube . Then took a windy, dark,  annoyingly long road past the Quantock hills to Bridgewater. Hinkley power station was a notable landmark on the left in the distance , all lit up in the dark and full of what looked like tall cranes.  

At Bridgwater I hadn't a clue where to find anywhere , the data on my phone had run out . I found an Asda and nipped in to use their wifi and got acquainted with where everywhere is. I went for a walk to look at the River Parrett from the roadbridge . Next I spent an hour in Mcdonalds on youtube before parking up in a nearby industrial estate (on a road called Symons Way for future reference ) where I crashed out to sleep.   

Tuesday 17 Dec 2024

I drove from Bridgewater in the direction of Glastonbury to RSPB Ham Wall. 

I was greeted at the info centre by a pleasant young lady called Kaya who encouraged me to join the RSPB. I have been meaning to join for many years so I decided now was the time . Had a good chat with her, when she saw my postcode she told me  she grew up in Perranuthno, Cornwall. Her parents were travellers . She has a degree in Ecology from Bristol Uni. 

While we were talking a Marsh harrier flew over the carpark . I decided I had  better get to exploring the reserve . Thankfully I had my telescope in the van which was a bonus. 

The reserve is a fantastic mosaic of man made lagoons , reedbeds and small woodlands. Many of the pools and marshes were originally a result of commercial peat extraction 

The first lagoon I came to I saw a large number of Shoveller ducks, also Cormorants and possible Pochard. A Great White Egret flew past. 

The next set of lagoons are shaped on the map like a rib cage. Here were more shovellers, Coots , and my FIRST EVER GADWALL duck. 

Two marsh harriers were patrolling the large area of reedbeds, flying low and occasionally diving down into the reeds to try and grab a small item of prey. In the distance Glastonbury Tor poked up above the treeline. 

Walking around the reserve I saw a good number of common species and the trip was rounded off nicely by a grey heron on the path ahead of me standing motionless at a very unusual diagonal angle  .. I think it had spotted something in the grass verge of the path …maybe a vole.

Below is a list of the species recorded.

Marsh Harrier x 2 , Great White Egret, Shoveller ducks, woodpigeons, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Blue tits , Blackbird , Gadwall Duck ( 1st ever), Kestrel over carpark, Pochard ?, Lapwings (flocks) , Mallards,  Cormorants , Dunnock,  Tufted ducks ( possibly Goldeneye but too far off to say for sure ) Wren , Robins, Herring gulls , Coots , Grey Heron. 

That evening I continued on up the M5 to Tewkesbury. I spent the evening in Tewkesbury Wetherspoons  and late that night  parked up in one of my regular spots at the leisure centre car park. 

Walk to Perranuthno, Monday 13th Nov 2023

 Walk to Perranuthno, Mon 13 Nov 2023 

I decided to walk for the first time to Perranuthno beach from Goldsithney where I now live. Partly due to the possibility that buses weren't going into Goldsithney due to road closure yesterday. But when I set out I noticed the road was reopened. Still I decided to continue my plan . It was a bit overcast and very windy as I left the village near the cafe and crossed the middle of the cabbage field along a muddy path.  After  two more fields , going along the boundaries  , I came to the main road from Penzance to Helston. 

Upon crossing the road I found a detached bird leg in the long grass with a bit of blood where it was detached. At first I thought it was just a chicken leg but upon further inspection I noticed there were no spurs and it was ringed with a BTO ring. British Trust for Ornithology). My fishing knife was in my bag so I cut the femur or whatever the lower leg bone is called and removed the ring . I'm going to contact BTO with the number. I noticed the toes were webbed so it's either a gull or another type of water fowl. I'll find out once I contact BTO. 

I continued along the footpath through more fields. There is a wonderful view of Mounts bay and St Michaels Mount from these fields which are quite high up, maybe 70 metres above sea level. The sun came out and the view became splendid. I had been praying to Yahweh, the creator, praying about all kinds of things and anxieties as I walked along . I felt he was smiling at me as the sun came out , God wants a relationship with us and loves it when we pray to him. I decided to give him more thanks for his amazing creation, thanks for the interesting granite stile.

Thanks for the little Red-Campion flowers still in flower even in November. Thanks for the sunshine and the ocean. I gave thanks for how vast the sun is , one million miles across according to scientists and 93 million miles away. 

A large Raven flew by, croaking . I had a break from typing these notes into my phone whilst standing in the field . The wind was blowing and sun shining in the south. Straggly Nettles and thistles on the edge of the field nodded in the strong  wind. The field had been harvested not too long ago and all that was left was the cut stalks of maize about ten inches long from the ground and mostly leaning over. 

I passed through two or three more fields and the footpath became a leafy alleyway between two blackthorn hedges. A few sloe berries were still to be seen on the spiky branches.

I passed over another granite style and I was in the outskirts of the village of Perranuthno.

The first buildings on my left were a large modern barn, a fairly new large pebble-dashed house and then a very modern angular timber house called Carn Perran. To the right were nice white bungalows with high apex roofs and the nearest bungalow had a very squat fairly old apple tree in the front garden. 

The footpath crossed the cul-de-sac and continued again between high hedges. Then the square tower of the  church  came into view above the rooftop of another house. 

I passed the house called the Church barn , which had a built in post box labelled the post office, and came to rusty iron gate leading into the church yard. The sun was still shining comfortingly on my face and there was less wind due to the hedges and buildings.

I entered the gate and was in the grave yard. The first gravestone I read was Melissa Breary 1952 to 1965 , only 12 years old very sad and with her was her mum Pam Breary who passed on in 2007 age 78. I wonder about the lives of these two , it was a lovely place to live here next to the sea in a Cornish village, I wonder if Pam was here all her life. 

I crossed through the grave yard to the shade of the church I rounded the corner of the church building into the sun and a rabbit scuttled across the grass and I was into another quite large area of graves. It's surprising how large the graveyard is for the size of the village. I sat on the bench in the sun and continued typing this journal. I'm literally sitting here now on the bench as I type this! Usually I do my journals at home but I thought I'd start doing them in situ. 

As I sat I admired one of the church Windows nearest me - three tall arches within a larger arch carved in rock, probably granite as most of the church is granite. Below me I felt part of the bench fall away . one of the slats was probably rotten. I got up and inspected the bench. It's covered in white lichen and yes hasn't been maintained. A section of the slat is now lying on the floor and there's another bent slat behind probably done by someone else. The slate placard says in loving memory of Ivan Pinfield 1919-2014 he was nearly 100 years old ! The bench itself must have been here 9 years. I took a photo of it. 

Above: the modern timber house - Carn Perran

Above: the rotting bench with the broken slat.

I get up and continue walking around the church. The granite tower is covered in orange lichen and white lichen between, it looks quite colourful in the November sunshine. 

I get to the entrance of the church and test the heavy dark timber door. It's open. I go inside , the church is called "The Parish Church of St Piran and St. Michael." The first church was built on the site in 1160, only the font, the door arch and another arch remains. Most of the church we now see was built in 1470. I spent some time looking around the ancient building and reading the history of the church from a leaflet . I then decided it was time to leave and start heading down to the beach as it was now 12:41 ,I was hoping to go to Penzance later in the day. 

 Before I left I noticed a text entitled "Greetings Pilgrim" by St Teresa of Avila. Part of it says "Christ has no body now but yours." I disagree with this as it says in scripture he was resurrected from death and appeared to many before being taken to heaven at the mount of olives in Jerusalem. Maybe she should have reworded it ... Christ has no body ON EARTH but yours! Maybe I'm sounding pedantic to some but we mustn't forget the fact that the Son of God was resurrected, or our Christian faith is in vain. 

I left the church and headed downhill into the village proper, past houses of granite and newer houses mainly painted white. I noticed an old red phone box up one road, not many of those about these days. Past an open garage door selling books and bricca-brac for an African charity. 

I noticed an art gallery lower down, it was my brother-in-Christ Andy Giddens gallery . I didn't know it was in Perranuthno, I'm sure he said years ago he was at Praa sands so maybe he'd moved. I went inside and there was Andy . We had a good chat I haven't seen him in about three years. His art is probably some of the best around in my humble opinion, he mainly does sea-scapes and cliffs and beaches. His capture of the light (and dark) on the sea and waves is stunning. 

He told me about the fellowship meetings they have on Sunday in Goldsithney and Thursdays in Penzance . I'm probably going to go this Sunday as his sister in law Hannah is speaking who I also know. Her and her husband Jonny have just got back from several years living in California. 

After a good chat I headed on down to the beach. I've been here a couple of times before by car with friends. It really is a superb beach, unspoilt with granite headlands on the left and right and low cliffs behind the beach of a crumbly  brown conglomerate. 

The sun was still shining , bright light reflecting on the rough sea and like a mirror on the flatter shallows . Behind me I noticed a Kestrel hovering whilst I was videoing and managed to film it, though a bit far off. I walked along the beach a bit, the tide was right in , coming up to my boots. A herring gull rode on the wind close to me , over the large granite boulders just above head height. I sat down on one of the smaller boulders to type. I little stream tricked over the wall just nearby. The shadows on the multi-angled, multi-sized boulders look very interesting. 

I ponder on where exactly is the fishing spot my buddy Mike told me about to the right of the beach on the rocks. 

I help a local chap, probably in his sixties, with a large plastic box of fishing stuff as he clambers across the rocks to the steps. The dog walkers that were on the beach have all left as the tides even further in now. There's was a lovely golden retriever who was unsure whether to come up to me or not. 

It was time to leave the beach, go up the steps and grab a coffee at the cafe that overlooks the beach ( de-caff as I've been having discomfort and slightly painful problems with lower digestive tract . It's possibly IBS due to always thinking anxious thoughts). I am trying to train my mind to think more positive thoughts using God's promises in the Bible. Also praying your anxious thoughts to God brings his peace.

 The cafe is called the Cabin Beach Cafe by day and Tipsy Crab Bistro by evening. I bought a coffee and sat on a picnic table outside in the sun and using the WiFi I uploaded what you're reading now, the sound of the waves crashing on the beach down below. 

I left the cafe and walked uphill a bit and saw the old school house with lots of sub- tropical plants in the front garden eg. Aoniums. It's now a house by the looks of it. 

Then near the church I laughed at this poster of Oliver Hardy ? combined with Henry VIII..

On the way back as I turned the corner into the stubbly field mentioned earlier there was a large flock of 50 or more gulls widely spaced, wheeling about in the wind. Within the flock of gulls was a much more tightly packed flock of starlings maybe 50 or seventy of those. Was quite an interesting spectacle , a flock within a flock. The smaller flock of starlings was gyrating in a different direction to the large flock of gulls it was in , it was quite mesmerising. A few crows were also in the mix. 

The sun was now low in the sky moving west,  the breeze was getting colder and it was very overcast in the North. Soon I would be heading back up the way I came to get the bus to Penzance.

The End

 

3 Nov 2023 Common dolphin in hayle estuaryBible study with George

 Psalm 119:43

[43]And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I hope in Your ordinances.

Psalm 103:1-4

[1]BLESS (AFFECTIONATELY, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name!

[2]Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits–

[3]Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases,

[4]Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, Who beautifies, dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy;

Acts 15:1-2

[1]BUT SOME men came down from Judea and were instructing the brethren, Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved. [Gen. 17:9-14.]

[2]And when Paul and Barnabas had no small disagreement and discussion with them, it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others of their number should go up to Jerusalem [and confer] with the apostles (special messengers) and the elders about this matter.

Acts 5:2

[2]And with his wife's knowledge and connivance he kept back and wrongfully appropriated some of the proceeds, bringing only a part and putting it at the feet of the apostles.

Acts 15:5

[5]But some who believed [who acknowledged Jesus as their Savior and devoted themselves to Him] belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, and they rose up and said, It is necessary to circumcise [the Gentile converts] and to charge them to obey the Law of Moses.

2 Corinthians 11:1-3

[1]I WISH you would bear with me while I indulge in a little [so-called] foolishness. Do bear with me!

[2]For I am zealous for you with a godly eagerness and a divine jealousy, for I have betrothed you to one Husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. [Hos. 2:19, 20.]

[3]But [now] I am fearful, lest that even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, so your minds may be corrupted and seduced from wholehearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ. [Gen. 3:4.]

2 Corinthians 11:1-3

[1]I WISH you would bear with me while I indulge in a little [so-called] foolishness. Do bear with me!

[2]For I am zealous for you with a godly eagerness and a divine jealousy, for I have betrothed you to one Husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. [Hos. 2:19, 20.]

[3]But [now] I am fearful, lest that even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, so your minds may be corrupted and seduced from wholehearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ. [Gen. 3:4.]

2 Corinthians 11:4-13

[4]For [you seem readily to endure it] if a man comes and preaches another Jesus than the One we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the [Spirit] you [once] received or a different gospel from the one you [then] received and welcomed; you tolerate [all that] well enough!

[5]Yet I consider myself as in no way inferior to these [precious] extra-super [false] apostles.

[6]But even if [I am] unskilled in speaking, yet [I am] not [unskilled] in knowledge [I know what I am talking about]; we have made this evident to you in all things.

[7]But did I perhaps make a mistake and do you a wrong in debasing and cheapening myself so that you might be exalted and enriched in dignity and honor and happiness by preaching God's Gospel without expense to you?

[8]Other churches I have robbed by accepting [more than their share of] support for my ministry [from them in order] to serve you.

[9]And when I was with you and ran short financially, I did not burden any [of you], for what I lacked was abundantly made up by the brethren who came from Macedonia. So I kept myself from being burdensome to you in any way, and will continue to keep [myself from being so].

[10]As the truth of Christ is in me, this my boast [of independence] shall not be debarred (silenced or checked) in the regions of Achaia (most of Greece).

[11]And why? Because I do not love you [do not have a preference for you, wish you well, and regard your welfare]? God perceives and knows that I do!

[12]But what I do, I will continue to do, [for I am determined to maintain this independence] in order to cut off the claim of those who would like [to find an occasion and incentive] to claim that in their boasted [mission] they work on the same terms that we do.

[13]For such men are false apostles [spurious, counterfeits], deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles (special messengers) of Christ (the Messiah).

Mark 16:20

[20]And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it).

Psalm 104:24

[24]O Lord, how many and varied are Your works! In wisdom have You made them all; the earth is full of Your riches and Your creatures.

Trip to Malawi. Summer 1991.

Trip to Malawi. Summer 1991.

(I started writing this from memory teusday 31 Oct 2023.)

My best friend from college Paul Slack and myself were having a two month trip to Southern Africa. We had just been in Zimbabwe staying at his uncles in Harare. We now booked a coach to Lilongwe Malawi. Mozambique was going through a civil war so we had to take a different route through Zambia. 

It was going to take over 24 hours to get to Lilongwe in Malawi. The bus travelled mainly through miles of African "bush" mainly comprised of dry grassy woodland-  acacia trees of a small to medium height with open grassy areas between. 

The occasional African village with many simple squarish concrete buildings. If they were shops they mainly had hand painted signs. The shops also often had round, red, factory-made Coca-Cola  logos ... Coke had gotten all over the world even in the 90s.

Amongst the bush were wooded rocky hills called coppies.

In the remoter areas we saw some wildlife ... Baboons at watering holes, a large Eagle perched on a dead tree , then my first ever wild elephant standing near the side of the road. 

Soon after getting the glimpse of the elephant ( the bus must have been going quite fast as I only remember getting a brief glimpse) we came to a vast escarpment below us . I realised we must have been travelling on a high plateau from Harare , or gradually going up one . Now before us and below us  was a huge vast plain of dry African woodland as far as the eye could see. This was the flat flood plain of the Zambezi which formed the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. 

I've just studied Google maps and have decided the area with the vast view must have been on the A1 road  between Makuti and the Marangora Parks office in Northern Zimbabwe. 

I don't remember much about crossing the Otto Beit bridge over the Zambezi River into Zambia. I do remember when we got to Lusaka the capital of Zambia we stopped at an African style service station. And the toilets were the worst I've ever seen in my life - the long line of toilets were each full almost to the brim with excrement . The stench  Overpowering and flies everywhere. Sorry to Zambia for such a bad advert for your country but it's true. Hopefully this have changed in the last thirty years. 

The countryside in Zambia was similar to Zimbabwe... miles of bush. It got dark outside as we continued on in the bus.. then I remember seeing long lines of what looked like fire high up in the air. I couldn't work out what it was at first but then realised we were driving below high hills and these were grass fires high up on the hills ... Perhaps farmers burning the fields to clear for the next crop or perhaps just bush fires caused by lightening who knows? 

From Lusaka we continued on through Zambia close to the Mozambique border till we got to the border of Malawi. In Malawi I seem to remember the villages along the roads became much more traditional looking ... Many round mud huts with thatch roofs. Tropical fruit trees grew in the villages, I remember seeing a fine specimen of Papaya with lots of fruit growing high up below its palmate leaves. 

Above: Traditional mud huts in Malawi.

The bus stopped at one village and we got off the bus to look at a long line of wooden carved animals, human heads and other things. I swapped a couple of carved things for a pair of socks as clothes were not as available in Malawi he was happy to swap. I also purchased for a good price a lovely ebony walking stick with carved figures going up it including a fish eagle with a fish. The walking stick is still at my parents house to this day. 

We continued on through bush and past villages until we got to Lilongwe. Lilongwe bus station was a very bustling and vibrant place, full of Malawians , the lady's dressed colourfully. 

We weren't sure whether to get accomodation for the night but the lodging near the bus station didn't look very appealing so we decided whilst it was still light to get a taxi to Paul's cousin Ros' best friend Pamelas' house. It was a tobacco farm on the edge of Lilongwe. 

It was probably only a half hour taxi driver to the farm . We turned off the road and onto the farm track which took us through trees and areas of tobacco plantation , the tobacco plants recognisable with their large elliptical leaves. I seem to remember one ot two farm workers mulling around. I also remember there seemed to be a strange oppressive spiritual atmosphere at the farm. I've often wondered if there are such things as nicotine spirits associated with the plants. I actually have a video of me breathing out tobacco smoke in a Spanish bar and when I watch it frame by frame there appears to be an ugly ghost apparition amongst the smoke with it's mouth wide open and arms outstretched! 

We arrived at the residence a large colonial  bungalow painted white with If I remember correctly porches around it. 

Mr Wallace , the owner of the farm, opened the door and we had to explain who we were ... The cousin of Ros Slack and his friend, and could we stay a night or two. Mr .... Looked slightly bemused but welcomed us in. He had a home help or butler who ushered us into the back veranda and bought us a tray of tea in a China tea pot with the best China cups! 

This afternoon tea was a welcome relief after being so long on a hot sweaty bus . I went for a walk in  the enormous back garden, it was very open with lots of large trees spaced around, some probably Eucalyptus and Acacia . A type of hawk flew past up into a tree . I couldn't say what species but it reminded me of a Goshawk in appearance with similar barring . Later note - I've just done a bit of research, it might have been an African Cuckoo-Hawk, though can't say for sure, they do however frequent gardens in East Africa. (Latin name - Aviceda cuculoides.)

I've just also discovered to my amazement that there are sixty species of bird of prey in Malawi, including several owls and the secretary bird with it's very long legs.  This is a huge number compared to the much fewer number of species in UK which is possibly larger in area . 

The next day Mr Wallace happened to be traveling to Blantyre (the capital) in the south of Malawi and offered to drop us off at the turning for monkey bay on lake Malawi.

As we travelled South-east along the M1 road I noticed a long chain of quite high, sparsely wooded, light brown mountains to the east. Looking at Google maps the average height of these peaks is 1400 to 1600 m. 

They were in fact higher than Ben Nevis but they didn't look as high.  I think the reason for that is that even the lowlands of Malawi are quite high above sea level, being so far inland from the sea. Therefore because Ben Nevis rises up from next to the sea it looks a lot larger. 

It would be fitting to describe Mr Wallace at this point in appreciation for his hospitality to us two strangers. He was an elderly, slim man with a colonial look about him , in my memory his grey-brown hair was bryll-creamed back , he was not tall and was quite kindly in manner. 

Mr. .. dropped us off at the junction for Monkey bay where we could catch a bus. The bus turned up after a while and we eventually arrived at monkey bay . We got off at some kind of cafe or bar and got a drink. We asked a local how could we get to Cape Maclear . He pointed us to a couple of African chaps they looked business like and professional, smartly dressed in white trousers and polo shirts with baseball caps. They were holding hands. I thought they might be gay , 

but then Paul explained that in many parts of Africa men hold hands in a brotherly affectionate way. 

We approached the two men , it turned out they were workers for the fisheries department. They had a smart 4 x4 car, maybe a Suzuki or Toyota . We asked if they could give us a lift to Cape Maclear and they said with a smile, of course no problem.

We sat a bit precariously in the back , (it was an open backed vehicle) and set off along the very bumpy dirt track which gently winded between high rocky brown hills , the warm tropical breeze blew in our faces.

We rounded a bend and Lake Malawi came into view ... a vast, bright blue, shimmering expanse of water reflecting the blue sky  ...  it looked like the ocean, you couldn't see the opposite side of the lake just a blue horizon. The distance from Domwe Island near Cape Maclear across to the east shore at Kadanzhe is 19.59 Miles. Standing 5ft 6 (my height) above the level of the lake the horizon is about 8 miles away due to the earth's curvature , which is why we couldn't see the opposite shore. 

 

Other statistics about the size of Lake Malawi is that its total length going in a straight line from Matema in the north to Mangochi in the south is 348.25 miles. 

The width from Khazi on the West shore to Aldeia Chiuindi on the East shore is 43.65 miles ( one of the widest points on the lake) . I took these measurements myself just now on Google earth. Google earth is an incredibly useful web tool and also quite exciting as you can explore earth from your armchair. 

We arrived at Cape Maclear on the shores of the lake and looked for accommodation. We saw a sign saying guest houses and went in the reception. The receptionist took us to some incredibly basic square concrete huts built further up the beach that were a very low price . Inside each one was just a bed and a candle !  We payed the receptionist and dumped off our rucksacks inside. 

I went for a quite walk along the Lakeshore until I came to a place on the local map called Otter point. 

Otter point was a promontory of rocks jutting out from the sandy beach North of Cape Maclear. I was amazed when I stood and looked out at the lake to see two otters swimming ten or twenty yards out. I had no idea that otters existed in Africa I thought the name otter point was named by European colonialists in memory of the otters  back in Europe. 

Above: Spotted-neck Otter.

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I found this info online ... 

Otters and Gillnet Fishing in Lake Malawi National Park

By Lance Smith

Lake Malawi National Park, P.O. Box 48, Monkey Bay, Malawi

Abstract: At the south end of Lake Malawi, the small national park is home to Spotted-necked and Cape clawless otters. The park contains five enclaved villages that depend on gillnet and longline fishing for their livelihood. The author surveyed the fishermen of Chembe village for fishing methods, gear and problems with animals. Theft of fish from nets by otters was complained of, but there were no reports of otters drowning in gillnets. The author intends to extend his survey to the other four villages in Lake Malawi National Park.

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Above: Cape Clawless Otter.

I headed back to join Paul at the huts . Two young African boys about 10 or 12 years old approached us and asked if we would like them to cook dinner for us for a very good price. They made a small fire on the sandy beach and cooked a couple of Chambo a Malawi fish ( a type of cichlid, Latin name Oreochromis lidole ) , boiled some rice and a couple of tomatoes also boiled. The al fresco meal on the beach was delicious, especially eaten in the open air and with the  freshest of ingredients. 

We slept well that night in the concrete huts. The next morning the same lads ( I think it was the same lads though it's hard to remember)  asked if we would like a boat trip to Thumbi island . I was impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit of the boys. Thumbi island was probably half a mile from the shore, it was a densely wooded hill emerging from the lake. Around it was an underwater nature reserve for the many species of Cichlid fish found in lake Malawi. I discovered that different parts of the vast lake had different species of Cichlid and that apparently some of these from other parts of the lake had been imported all the way south to Thumbi.

I was very keen to see these cichlids as I worked in an aquarium shop in Woking where we sold some of these Malawi cichlids. 

The boys lead us to a rather precarious looking dug out log boat on the beach and the four of us got in. Me and Paul looked at each other apprehensively the island looked quite far out , the water was a little choppy and the log boat seemed quite small and easy to overturn ! 

We set out across the lake, the two boys paddling, one on the front and one at the back if I remember rightly. The warm tropical water from the moving oars splashed us and the sun beat down.

After maybe 15 minutes we arrived at the island with no misshaps . I don't remember whether the boys dropped us off and headed back or whether they stayed in the island. The first thing we did was don our snorkel and masks along with a disposable waterproof camera. Then me and Paul jumped in the warm water and started exploring around the many submerged boulders. 

It was stunning … a myriad of small brightly colored Malawi cichlids swam around us , many different species. The commonest colour was bright blue, many species of Malawi cichlids are blue,  but there was a lot of  the striped gold and brown cichlids called .. and also a lot of duller cichlids in various shades of brown. 

Deeper out I spotted a number of conical nests in the sand, like little mini volcanoes made of sand, each one guarded by a larger, deeper bodied species of Cichlid which I might find the name of if I research - - - - -

We got out the lake and dried ourself off on the island.

I had also brought my little telescopic fishing rod. I'm not sure whether I used a lure or some kind of small bait , maybe bread, but I caught one or two little cichlids , studied them in my hand and quickly released them. 

Next we trekked up through the small trees to the summit of Thumbi island . It was very hot, I was just in shorts , no shirt. At the summit I saw a hollow tree I looked inside and found the shed skin of a large tarantula! 

Paul took a photo of me standing at the summit and behind me in good focus is an African fish eagle soaring in the sky. It's one of my favourite photos ever . 

The boys rowed us back to the mainland and cooked us Chambo fish , rice and tomatoes again. Then one of the boys pinched some wooden fish pendants I had bought out of my hands.. It was a bit of fun  he wanted me to chase him around the beach to get them back but even though I was still young myself, 21, he was too nimble for me and it gave up, out of breath. He gave them back in the end.It  was maybe that evening that I took some beautiful photos of the beach one of which is at the beginning of the article. Below are two more... 

Next morning some men approached us asking if we wanted to go and feed the Fish eagles. We set off in a fishing boat (rather than a dugout canoe!) to the other island , Limbi island I think. There was only a narrow gap between the mainland and the island . We went through the gap and the men made a load noise to alert the eagles. One was waiting on top of a tree on the mainland. The mainland was forested and hilly here .

The men threw a fish out onto the water and the eagle swooped down majestically and grabbed the fish with it's talons. I got three photos of it grabbing the fish with my SLR camera.

Below is the three weird video clips I took of a nicotine spirit when I was at a bar in Spain , mentioned earlier in the text. 

Weds 1st Nov 2023 Storm Ciaran, Curlews, Geevor and Brent geese.

 Weds 1-Nov-2023 Storm Ciaran, Curlews, Geevor and Brent geese.

I left the flat at midday. The U4 bus took a different route into Marazion due to roadworks. As a result I saw from bus lots of curlews -  approx 40 in the field  opposite St. Teresa's by Marazion.

Then as we went past Marazion marshes I noticed the Great white egret that's been frequenting there for a while. There's several pools, He seems to always use the same pool, maybe that's become his territory.

Headed up to Penzance library I've got a couple of projects on Google earth including mountains of the world.Today I marked down the positions of Mont Blanc in France and Italy , Mount Mulanje in Malawi and Massif Central, France amongst others.

Next I got the tin coaster bus to Geevor tin mine in the far West of Cornwall. It's only about 30 minutes from Penzance, the bus passes through the small "granite town" of St. Just before arriving at Geevor ten minutes later.

 The first thing I did when I arrived was to video the little garden and Memorial Statue of a Miner at the entrance to Geevor. There's an exotic plant there that I don't recognise.

Then I went over to look at the shed containing the compost toilets.  I helped to install this a couple of years ago with Penwith landscape partnership volunteers . It started raining , I wanted to shelter inside but unfortunately both doors were locked.

I walked down past the cafe towards the sea , I found two side-shafts dug into the hillside supported with strong pit props. They had locked gates so I couldn't enter. 

There was a large area of gravelly spoil and sweeping views of the abandoned mine areas down to the sea with cliffs to the side. Lots of heather growing on the slopes. There was an small area of mine machinery slowly rusting. In the distance were the chimneys of wheal Mexico and Levant mine.

I headed back up the steep track to the cafe. The cafe has a huge window taking up the entire wall with views across the sea and across derelict mining land.

 I had a cup of tea and chatted with a nice local lady who works in the cafe called Moira, she's from a fishing family in Penzance. I got in the bus and headed back.

On the way back, just after St. Just, near Leswidden, there is a flooded quarry two or three acres in size. I noticed a small flock of Brent geese swimming out on the water ... Probably taking shelter from the coming Storm Ciaran which was due to reach it's worse at 3 am that night.

I was meant to go to the Wednesday Bible meeting in the bridge café Hayle but storm Ciaran was brewing when I got to Penzance , with 90mph winds predicted. I decided it was too risky in case the buses got cancelled or I got into an accident , so I went home to the flat early and wrote some of my memoirs and finished writing about today.

Trip to Southern Africa ... an adventure of a lifetime.. summer 1992

 This trip was (unbelievably) thirty years ago and many exact dates and some details have been forgotten but I hope to give a general overview.

My travelling companion for the next 8 weeks in Africa was Paul Slack my best friend at six form college. He originates from South Africa and still had relatives and friends in South Africa , Zimbabwe and Malawi. We also planned to visit my Uncle Ray who lived in Zimbabwe.  

 Flight London Heathrow to Johannesburg. Approx. 10 hours. 

Two memories I have of this long flight.

1. Flying over the Sahara desert and seeing many crescent shaped sand dunes. The Sahara seemed to go on and on.

2. Looking east out of the plane window to see the enormous snow coloured mount Kilimanjaro. 

When we arrived at Joburg we stayed at Barry's house. Barry was a good friend of Pauls from school. Driving from the airport to Barry's it was getting dark  I remember in the dusk seeing bare coppys or hills poking above the city and as it got dark many streetlights and houselights stretching into the distance on the hillsides. It was late when we got to Barry's parents house and Paul and I were given use of the " granny bungalow" in the back garden. Quite a nice size bungalow. We both crashed down into our beds and went straight to sleep.

Next morning I was surprised as I stepped out of the door of the bungalow to see .... frost !! This was this last thing I expected to see on my first morning in Africa ! Johannesburg is surprisingly high above sea level (1,753 Meters ... higher than Ben Nevis)  and not forgetting we were there in July ,which although it was mid-summer in UK, it was mid-winter in southern Africa being south of the equator.

That first day Paul Barry and me went into the centre of Joburg. I don't remember too much but we went up to the top of one of the highest buildings in Joburg and also I remember a big group of tribal dancers (probably Zulu) with their animal skin shields and war attire. 

Another day we went with Barry to a high rocky outcrop and cliff in the suburbs of Joburg , where I did my first ever mountain climbing and absailing . Climbing the cliff with ropes was much harder work than I expected using muscles in my body I don't usually use. When we got to the top we had to absail back down and that was pretty scary as you leaned back off the top of the cliff and started descending .