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  Mist At Wimbleball Lake – sunrise over the lake

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  Autumn Tide At Wimbleball – a strange find but lovely Autumn colours

Camping in October

Well usually we have our caravan, what luxury, as comfortable as home maybe even better.  This year I had asked for a tent for my birthday, why, I almost shout at myself, well I have found that I want to get places to take photos but it is just too far to travel for a sunrise or sunset.

The caravan is great and would be my first choice, but you can’t tow a caravan into the middle of Exmoor, so a tent seemed to be the answer.

So late October and I decide that if I am going to try it out this year then now is the time.  On a lovely day I set out to Wimbleball Lake.  It takes a while to translate the minimal instructions but eventually the tent is up and looking good.

Let me suggest to anyone thinking of using  a tent for the first time in years, they re not naturally warm, I woke a few times in the night realising how cold it was.  Surviving until the morning and emerging from my tent I realised how cold it had been as the ground was white with frost and the tent was covered in ice.

At least it got me up early and I watched the sun rising over the misty lake, it was spectacular and it is in those moments that the effort is worthwhile, of all the things I see or watch on television this was a moment that I could easily have missed and yet here I was watching my own personal show.  

Later on I walked around the lake and that is when I found the canoe sitting under a tree surrounded by autumn leaves.   I was an interesting walk, the lake which was formed as a reservoir during the 1970s was very empty with one section being almost completely empty.  I didn’t manage a full circuit, it is probably about 10 miles, partly because I stopped and took photos on the way and just enjoyed the day.  I did make it to the dam, to be honest it wasn’t the most scenic dam I have seen, but the lake was lovely and except for a few walkers and a group of fishermen I had it nearly to myself.

I must remember this day when I next plan a stay in my tent, it was certainly worth a bit of discomfort and I got two photos that I have now printed and framed.  Some days out, even if well planed, end up with none, so this was good.

As this is a few days before Christmas, may I wish anyone who reads this a happy Christmas and new year.