Expedition 195 - 5th July 2008
The Singing Sands

 


This was one of the only visits to the Singing Sands when the weather had been dry enough for them to sing, but there had been a shower at Gortenfern just before we arrived and they couldn't raise a squeek. Otherwise, the weather was good and some of the adults actually went swimming. We had four young explorers, Fern, Robbie, Rowan and Zack, more than balanced by ten adults, a visiting team of Catherine, Frank, Jo and Roy, and John Dove, Pamela, Philippa, Richard, Sandra and Sharon, with Ellie & visiting dog Poppy.

We set out along the long track in fine form, stopping for a few minutes to hear how the postie was shelled by accident in the second world war, and also to have a look at the power station, but it wasn't working that day.


We passed the forest gate and got to the top of the hill where we found a group of three big nests of wood ants. These happened to be quite close to the cave of the tramp, Wee Tobermory, whose grave we had looked at in Acharacle before setting out. After a bit of climbing through the woods we all reached the cave and I took a picture of the explorers. Incidentally, the cave seemed to have been tidied up a bit, Tobermory's cooking utensils were neatly piled up with his egg cup next to them, thank you whoever.

Everyone took a different route back to the track, Poppy found the best way, and we set off again towards the beach. When we got there the sun was shining. While some senior members of the expedition went swimming, the young explorers busied themselves in one of the streams. All too soon it was time to leave and I once more tried to enthuse the expediton in the fine growth of club mosses near the gate, with limited success.

Here we did a slight detour into the woods to look at one of the best of the old deserted crofts, still with lintels and a piece of an old cauldron. Then it was back on the track for the long walk to the cars, we had got quite a long way when it was realised that an important toy had been left at the beach, so Richard and Rowan set of to retrieve it. They both came running back very shortly after, clearly having had good breakfasts that morning.

In spite of our hurrying, we were a bit late back to the Pantry, but the explorers still had the energy to complete some drawings. I have picked out Zack's view of the cave, clearly showing the ants' nest nearby.

John Dye


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