A heavy downpour makes it a little hard for me to set out this morning, but by luck, the rain stops as I step outside. The patter of raindrops continue in the woodland; dripping down through the evergreen Holm Oaks. Below, I find a perfect little mushroom, with an even more pleasing name – Scurfy Twiglet.
The dawn chorus is in full flow as the Sun emerges through a break in the cloud. An abundance of Robins appear to make up most of the choir, though as I walk down towards the Castle, more birds chime into song.
Firstly the Blue Tits which fill the air with their cheerful chirps. Second the sound of Wren warbling amongst the scrub, and then a family of Great Tits who whistle and churr as they ascend up through an Ash.
Amongst the sounds, the scratching of claws upon bark where a couple Grey Squirrels scamper up and down the trees, followed by a sudden downpour of raindrops where the branches are shaken above.
A calling Song Thrush beckons me down to Caravan Terrace, more water splashing down over the quarried rocks. Looking over the Dell, Fuchsia leaves have begun to appear between the small stands of shiny Spotted Laurel. The last few bright yellow Crab-apples still clinging to their branches.
Heading down around the head the sea growls louder. It’s a murky grey, with the messy whitewater alight in the morning Sun. The cawing Crow and Magpie’s churr grow faint, as my ears are filled with the sound of water splashing around the promontory rocks.
The Tamarisk-lined path leads me back up towards the Castle with one final viewpoint overlooking Anvil Point Lighthouse. Fulmars sweep in circular flights, with Guillemots flowing to and from their ledge. Jackdaws clatter about upon the cliffside, whilst two Greater Black-backed Gulls are perched upon the edge.