Time’s arrow knows one road alone, it’s path shall never waver
It withers life, makes dust of stone, one cannot win its favour
Some stretches of the road are kind, but nothing lasts forever
It’s time to leave this part behind and meet the next endeavour
Goldfinches were calling in the Car Park as I set out this morning, their twittering tones intermittently cut by the alarm calls of a Great Tit. A Carrion Crow was bobbing about on one of the verges with no apparent agenda or sense of urgency. I crossed the cracked clay of the overflow car park for a brief dalliance into the Woodlands. Sadly, no fungi were forthcoming this morning. Perhaps some other time.
Beyond the gentle cooing of Wood Pigeons I passed Chaffinches at Caravan Terrace on my final rounding of Durlston Head. A couple of Shags flew low over the water, while further out to sea a few sleepy vessels made their way westwards along the flat calm ocean.
Jackdaws clamoured on the ledges beneath the observation point, and as I scanned the cliffs with my binoculars I was treated to the unusual sight of a Rock Pipit flying directly towards me.
Marching up past the lighthouse my feet fell upon lichen crusted rocks, large blooms of Common Orange Lichen spotting the Purbeck Stone. Continuing up the Lighthouse Slope I made a short crossing of the downs, my ears picking up the final notes of a Yellowhammer in the far distance.
Turning off into Ox Eye Daisy Meadow I made my return journey, walking the well worn path between rich grassland swards through Saxon Field. Walking this way it seemed as though I was parading through a grand avenue, surrounded on all sides by my friends of these past years. Roesel’s Bush Crickets sang out from between dried Yellow Wort and Yellow Rattle. Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites and Gatekeepers flapped beside me as I marched by Agrimony, Red Bartsia, Meadow Bindweed and even a few late Pale Flax. It was a fine send off. That’s it folks, our paths may cross again, but not like they did before. Goodbye.