Beautful north Somerset

We treated ourselves to a wonderful overnight stay in Porlock Bay (with a sea view!), on the north Somerset coast, and a walk and drive around Exmoor.  

The weather was fantastic and we were able to find lots of ripe blackberries, untroubled by other walkers.  The moorland is purple right now with flowering heather and was an amazing sight; everywhere was alive with the buzz of bees.  The flowers give off a sweet, honey-like scent which is surprisingly strong.

The woodlands, which cloak many of the deep river valleys incising the moorland, are starting to hint at the autumn ahead, with darkening tones and some gentle amber hues.

Another sign is the fungi sprouting their fruiting bodies through the leaf litter.  The slightly alarming smell of the stinkhorn, which helps you to search it out, is only surpassed by its distinctive shape...

There is a great view from the Toll Road overlooking the bay north of Porlock:

In many of the hedgerows robins seemed to be the most vocal birds with their melancholy song.  In the farmsteads, hundreds of swallows and house martins were seen swooping around, chirping and twittering busily.  It certainly felt like summer was on its way out...