If you have never been Rough Tor on a winter's late afternoon to watch the Starlings flying in to roost then you have missed a treat.
A million or more birds fly in from all points of the compass, occasionally displaying in that iconic way that masses of starlings do before settling down for the night in a conifer plantation. The whirr of thousands of wings passing over, the noise from them squabbling and the smell if you are close enough is unforgettable.
At present a good place to watch is from the Rough Tor car park or the roads leading to it. To get even closer, walk onto the moor and turn left. On a clear night you should be in the car park by about 4pm, earlier if it is overcast.
On a more sombre note, below is a monument to Charlotte Dymond who was murdered close to Rough Tor in 1844 by Matthew Weekes. The monument was set up by public subscription.
It can be found outside the car park just to the right in a marsh. It must have been a very lonely spot in 1844
No comments:
Post a Comment