Making Honey

It was one of those days when I struggled to wake up. It was the wife's day off and we planned to pick up my son's two dogs and take them out for a walk and runabout.

The choice of walk was Penallt, not far from Trellech, Monmouthshire in The Wye Valley. It's a walk we do from time to time but today it was ever so muddy especially alongside the river Wye.

The dogs were mischevious (don't ask) and well dirty by the time we got back to the car, but at least they'll be worn out and behaved this evening.

Just before getting back to the car which was parked at Penallt church, I saw two bees on foxgloves gathering pollen. I got pretty close which proved worth it as I got the nice macro of the bee without being stung!

For those interested, here's a bit about Panallt.

Penallt is a village in Monmouthshire, Wales set high on a hill above Monmouth. In the centre of the village, by the village green, is the 17th century village pub, the "Inn at Penallt", formerly called the Bush Inn.

Nearby, the Penallt Old Church Wood is a 10-acre (40,000 m2) nature reserve managed by the Gwent Wildlife Trust. This deciduous woodland forms a habitat for Pied Flycatchers, Nuthatch, Tree Pipits, Treecreepers and Sparrowhawks, as well as plants such as Wild Daffodils and Moschatel.

Penallt Old Church is about a mile north of the village. The main part of the building dates from the 15th or early 16th century, while the lower part of the tower may date from the 14th century. The heavy oak door bears the date 1532. The church was restored in 1887. The churchyard cross has a base and lower shaft of 15th century date. The church dedication is unknown, though there is a local tradition that it was St James, the patron saint of pilgrims. Inside is the Royal coat of arms of Queen Anne dating from 1709.

The Argoed, a 17th-century mansion, lies to the south east of the village. It was once owned by the father of Beatrice Webb, the British socialist, economist and reformer. Robert Plant also owned it in the 1980s. George Bernard Shaw stayed with the Webb family and described Penallt as a "special place" Other residents of the village include Jeremy Cook the BBC's rural affairs correspondent and Television presenter Kate Humble. Walter Keeler is a renowned potter specialising in salt glaze pottery.