Frost and mist on the Frome

It was a misty and frosty morning, so Cwtch and I decided to have a wander down by the River Frome in Stapleton and Eastville.

Church of the Holy Trinity, Stapleton

First we headed down to the lake in Eastville Park. I had a hankering to see a heron ...  

... but the lake was heron-free and the fish breathed easy.

my favourite beech tree

I was a  bit surprised to see a tree in the water on the opposite side of the lake, assuming Storm Darragh, which was quite a while ago now, had brought it down, but when I got home, I read that it had fallen during peace time, so to speak, between Darragh and Storm Eowyn. As the water fowl are currently looking for nesting sites, it's going to stay put the time being.

purple jelly disc fungi

As the path on the other side of the lake was closed, I made my way back along a higher path through trees, from which there was a close-up view of the felled hornbeam. It's always sad to see a big tree downed.

There were several pairs of crows sitting about doing not a lot really ... 

... and near the favourite beech, three cormorants hanging out at the top of a tree. I took a video of the pair's courtship, but I can't seem to post videos right now, so here's a still instead. 

Back on the path, another look at the fallen tree, and ooh look, now there's four cormies.

magpie

Before we walked back up C*lston Hill, we made a quick detour to Wickham Bridge.

See, I'm a good girl and I don't chase bikes

lamp post base

Then it was back up through the lane with its ancient, buttressed walls ... 

... and past the church to the where our car was waiting for us. 

The next morning was much more dull, but we had unfinished business in Eastville park, namely, a walk to the hitherto-unvisited-by-us cemetery Ridgeway Park, which is situated at its edge.

Looking over to Purdown mast and Holy Trinity

Ridgeway Park Cemetery was established as a non-municipal cemetery in 1887, and was apparently wound up in 1949 ... 

... although according to this grave, James and Rosina Bywater, father and mother of Edna, who died aged 7 in 1910, joined her in 1963 and 1975 respectively. 

Now, don't you tread on those crocuses!

At the edge of the cemetery, it becomes wood with gravestones, much like its larger counterpart, Arnos Vale, in the south of the city. 

If we'd entered the cemetery through the main gates, we'd have seen that dogs are supposed to go in there, but having accessed it from the park, we missed the signs. In any case, Cwtch was well-behaved and respectful, unlike some of the vegetation. 

Tree eats headstone

Back down by the lake, the crows were still sitting about, wondering when it's time to start nest-refurbishing, but there was only one cormorant in the tree. Apparently they nest in Avon Gorge, so maybe the others were carrying out reconnaissance there.