Nature at this time of year can be wonderful and my ride with three friends to Bere Alston Peninsula, near Plymouth, did not disappoint. It is easy to travel here by train (15 minutes from Plymouth) but long and tedious by car. This is where the Rivers Tamar and Tavy meet and the unspoilt village of Bere Ferrers stands sentinal.
Standing on Bere Ferrers ancient quay, we see lapwings, shelducks, snipe, curlew and lots of gulls. We move upstream beside the Tavy on to a muddy track where we find a loan egret hunting prey.
It is sunny but cold and a log fire beckons in the Plough at Bere Ferrers but not before one of us has a puncture. This ancient inn is welcoming and the food good. Afterwards we set off to find the Tamar and stop to admire the salt marsh just downstream from us. Out in front are two flocks of avocets quietly feeding on the mud flats. These are the most beautiful of birds and it is hard not to be entranced. Further one we encountered more avocets and just visible were, I think, a flock of knots. We returned to the train station via the Tavy where we had been this morning to find a flock of oyster catchers.
One of my daughters, not to be outdone, sent me a photo of herself on top of Sticklepike in the Lake District while we were on our ride. I have not heard of Sticklepike before and must check that out.
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