The Meldons and heather

Hello,

Glad to say the wind has died down, the rain has stopped, the temperature is a bit milder, the birds are singing and today is almost like a spring day, although it isn't really because it's only the end of January. Anyway the sun is shining - at the moment - and folk are out walking their dogs on the Green outside.

So today I will introduce you to Celeste and Tina from Sydney, Australia. I first met Celeste about 25 years ago when she came visiting with one of my Aussie cousins, and we kept in touch.

Some years later, due to the work she was doing, she would frequently come over to London conferences and when possible made the journey north to stay with me for a couple of days. bringing her friend and colleague Tina with her. Tina is now just as much a friend in her own right! ... so here is a scrapbooked layout of Celeste and Tina in September 07 in the Meldons among the heather.

It was at its best, and the air was filled with the scent of honey, as numerous bees did a lot of flitting to and fro from flower to flower. We climbed White Meldon to look at the prehistoric settlement on the lower slopes and then climbed higher to look down on the whole site. Higher on the hill is an older settlement still, a hill fort, but that's another story and another layout.

It was another day, not long before Celeste and Tina came to stay, when Morag and I took a drive along the Meldons road. The heather was just out and we stopped to take a closer look. I knew there was a fort at the top of the hill, but the display board indicated that there was a more recent farming settlement lower down. There was an artist's impression of the hill with the position of the settlement marked, and another of the supposed appearance of it. Of course we had to investigate! Nothing but the outer earth wall remains now, re-enforced in places with stone, possibly by shepherds who used the ring as a stell or sheepfold in much later centuries. In my photo, Morag stands on the rampart looking across to the opposite side.

I'd like to climb up to the fort sometime, but with both hips starting to give me problems with walking uphill, I'll have to go easy! Maybe in the spring.....with a couple of walking poles... and plenty of time!

Talk again soon.

Take care.