A Beginning and an End

After my last visit to the Sheepshead I was kindly invited to return by TJ to see her land in the Spring. It would have been most impolite to decline! I decided to bring out a bike so that I could do a bit of exploring on my own and start to develop my own relationship to this very special corner of the world. The peninsular offers the most incredible cycling with continuous views of the coast and opportunities to cross from the north to the side side to create different circuits. It was sensationally beautiful this morning with the gorse (or furze, which I prefer) in full bloom, its distinctive coconut fragrance combining with azure skies to lend this narrow peninsular the feel of a tropical island!

In the afternoon we took a drive out to the very end of the Sheepshead ridge to walk to the lighthouse and discovered that we had just missed a very heavy shower. The clouds were now putting on another awesome display but although we were out walking for a good couple of hours the showers passed us by until we were back in the car and driving home. I seem to be very well in with the Weather Gods at the moment!

It was quite cool in the wind, but scrambling down below the lighthouse we found a beautiful spot at the very far end of this 25 mile long backbone where we could bask in the sun and watch the dazzling play of light on the Atlantic. Following the line of the ridge out to sea there is 3,500 miles of ocean before the next land fall somewhere around Florida. That's just a little bit humbling. There is a sense of space here that I don't even experience on my beloved fells.

We had been kindly invited out to dinner last night, but we spent so much time bimbling around and taking photographs that it was a case of back to the house, shower, and straight out again. The food was fabulous. The conversation went on long into the night. Everyone here has such great stories to tell! It was hard to imagine a more perfect day ... and, now, as I write this, the following day, I feel perfectly relaxed. I feel so lucky to be here, amidst such lovely and truly amazing people.

The sky is again blue. Another little adventure awaits!