Low Lake Level

On our scenic meander with Craig, we visited Lake Vrynwy. 

We were astounded to see how low the lake has become since our last visit one month ago. Our drought conditions this summer have been brutal to the landscape in all sorts of ways - so many plants look burned to a crisp.

The water usually reaches all the way up to the small bushes in the foreground. There is usually no gravel bottom exposed like this at all.

Lots of beautiful rocks and trees were visible (I've mentally added this next one to my birthday wishlist)

Dried, baked on vegetation decorated some of the exposed rocks

The extent of the shrinkage and exposed shoreline was shocking

I saw two not-very-grumpy, old men stop to read about the flooded village in an identical stance

Not too grumpy, see?

A very short walk gave us excellent views of the sculpture called the giant hand of Vrynwy, carved from the remains of a Douglas fir that was once the tallest tree in Wales.

Cosmic Date

August 12, a cosmic date - an eclipse and meteor shower in a single day! Dale and I arrived early at our chosen spot, which we had discovered just 2 days prior, to view the eclipse. It was 31°C (88°F) at 5:30PM on a very exposed, elevated location with a wide view. It was perfect: sweeping views down towards Lake Vrynwy, and parking was free (big draw in the U.K.). The sun was fierce and the heat intense, so we sat under our LSM umbrellas to shield ourselves (the air was filled with smoke - and the smell of it - from south Wales wildfires).

We ate cold pizza, chips and sodas as we waited for the eclipse. There were no biting insects! A few other people joined us over time, most having brought colanders with them as suggested by the media - it was the like the great colander reunion event of the century! 

What worked the best was Dale's binoculars focused onto the LSM umbrella as a backdrop - it was crisp and clear at 18:54,

with a little more of it obscured by 19:07

We had some competition from clouds, but they just added to the drama of the event, and gave us an opportunity to photograph the phenomenon directly. You can just make out the partial outline of the sun, the ring of fire, near the base of the cloud.

We saw about 92% coverage of the sun, as shown by our pizza

We stayed on to watch the changing sunset

We made friends with the couple on the bench next to us, swapped phone details and took pics of each other in the late sun. We're meeting so many interesting people.

Once home, and at the end of the day, we lay on our backs on our lawn and watched the Perseid meteor shower - magnificent! What could be more cosmic a date than that?

Heath Flowers

 Craig and I had a great time inspecting every speck of color in the landscape, and we found these treasures.

Sedum anglicum, English stonecrop

Photographing this next exquisite specimen in its natural habitat necessitated getting my shoes and socks soaked. The deep, spongey vegetation and substrate holds a LOT of water - very deceptive!

Bog asphodel, Narthecium ossifragum

This display tank at Lake Vrynwy illustrates how deeply soggy the heath can be, whilst looking like dry land to our feet. When you put your weight on it, the top sinks down into the wet below.

Common cottongrass, Eriophorum angustifolium

Round-leaved sundew, Drosifera rotundiflora

Tormentil, Potentilla erecta

Sightseeing

 A visit from Dale's friend of 55 years prompted a scenic trip with interesting stop-offs along our favorite, dramatic route nearby. This time, with botanizing, birdwatching, butterfly-gazing (and some grub) on the agenda, we spent 6 hours doing the 52 mile route (equivalent distance from Manchester, NH to Boston, MA).

The heath had changed color schemes since our visit last month! Fascinating, and so incredibly beautiful. 

It's hard to believe that the vivid greens are not low groundcovers, but gorse shrubs and bracken that stand about a metre or more above the soil surface, creating a microhabitat beneath.

The orange/red tinge to the heathlands was laid on by the European blueberry (or bilberry) amidst the  swathe of green.

 

Lilac flowered heather added yet another layer of colour to the slopes and hillsides.

I can't get enough of this scenery

It's thrilling when the only sound around is wind