Friday 27 February 2009

Poet's Walk

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek


Let me take you to a favourite place, where Harry and I have walked many times, in many different kinds of weather. It is one of our favourite walks.

Clevedon in Somerset where the sea is a brownish colour, not because it is dirty but because of the mud in the Bristol Channel. At high tide the water reaches 8.9 metres or more and the tides are treacherous. There is no sand on the accessible beaches but lots of pebbles, stones and rocks.
There is a lovely coastal walk known as Poet's Walk, so called because of the links with various poets of the past. 
On occasions while walking in this place, we have seen sparrow hawks hovering motionless stalking their prey.


This is the path that leads to the scene in the first picture.
There is a little church on the left hand side that cannot be seen from this photo and in the cemetery are some very old gravestones.

Several poets came to Clevedon in the past. Coleridge stayed here in 1795 and Arthur Hallam was buried here in 1834. Hallam was Lord Tennyson's dearest friend and he wrote a poem for him, that I have written out below. Although Tennyson could not bear to visit his friend's grave for a long time, he did call while on his honeymoon in the year 1850, for a fleeting visit.

You can see the coast line of Wales on the horizon.



Break, break, break 
On thy cold grey stones O sea!
And I would thy my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.

O well for the fisherman's boy,
That he sings to his sister in play!
O well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay.

And the stately ships go on 
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of the vanished hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!

Break, break, break 
At the foot of thy crags, O sea!
But the tender grace of a day that is dead
Will never come back to me.

Alfred Lord Tennyson




Photostory Friday is hosted by Cicely and MamaGeek. Do pay them a visit.

27 comments:

Suburbia said...

Thank You Maggie, I needed a walk! It is years since I have walked this walk, and it is so close to home for me.

Indrani said...

It is almost like I walked the walk myself! Beautiful shots too!... and to think that so many poets are buried there!

Today I want to thank you for the motivating comments you give for my posts. They mean a lot to me. :)

Casdok said...

Wonderful walk! Thank you for sharing :)

Anonymous said...

I must have walked along those lanes as a child, although I remember sandy paths, along a cliff, and another where the sea spilled upon high rocks. I was only five or six so my memories could be mixed up. I remember it as a pretty town with many country walks, and...isn't there a ruin on a tor?

tiarastantrums said...

looks like a lovely place for a walk

Unknown said...

What a great path to walk! I could smell the fresh air!

Lindsay said...

Very beautiful!

Mean Mom said...

I'm not surprised that this is a favourite walk! Beautiful views!

Anonymous said...

Such beauty you are able to step through.

Mya said...

You have inspired me to get out my walking boots! Lovely post.
Mya x

® ♫ The Brit ♪ ® said...

So beautiful Maggie!
I wish I could pull on my boots and head down here for a walk in the peaceful countryside! It looks so tranquil, so inviting....
thanks for sharing your wonderful photos and memories! X

Wendy said...

Nice walk. It was fun - thanks!

kayerj said...

lovely, just lovely. Someday I would like to visit these places.

Irene said...

Very lovely, Maggie, and inspiring of a poem indeed. I could get lyrical about it myself.

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

Lovely poem Maggie and the views definitely look worth a visit. Can see why it is a favourite. A x

Nessa said...

I would love to walk in the tree tunnel.

Did you see the picture I posted of my Sparrow Hawk on Friday? They are so pretty.

Rose said...

What a beautiful post, Maggie May! It looks like such a beautiful and serene place to walk, but I would definitely be so excited to know that such great poets had walked there before me.

Reasons said...

I miss the sea soooo much since moving to the Midlands, but I enjoyed the walk in my mind when looking at your pictures - thank you :-)

Deb said...

Hi ~ What a lovely walk. Your photos are gorgeous as always. My relatives from long ago came to the USA from Wales. Some day I would love to visit. Thanks for this virtual tour.

PS - I, like many, have had blogging issues lately. I couldn't get the word verification to work. I will keep my fingers crossed that it works this time! :)

david mcmahon said...

That is really inspirational countryside, Maggie.

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

beautiful. it looks like a lovely place to take a walk, thanks for sharing it with me!

cheshire wife said...

Congratulations on your POTD nomination. Lovely photos and an interesting narrative.

Anonymous said...

I remember seeing this and loving it. Congrats on POTD!

Cath said...

Fabulous post. I love the poets and the pictures are very fitting.
Congrats on POTD and a great share.

Eddie Bluelights said...

Congratulations Maggie on POTD
Lovely walk which I should be able to find one day when 'she-who-must-be-obeyed' has no little list of jobs for me to do.
Like the blog
Eddie

Bee said...

I am always looking for lovely walks . . . and I hope that I can take this one someday.

Indrani said...

Hey, congrats on the award!