Creative Adventure to Haytor Quarry

Creative Adventure to Haytor Quarry

En route Haytor Quarry.

South Devon is a fabulous place to live, rich in culture and spectacular scenery.   It is possible to swim in the sea to the Hindu Temples, (Institute Beach Torquay) and just over an hour later jump into the Lower Dart at Newbridge on Dartmoor.    Last Sunday I swam to the Hindu Caves in glorious November sunshine then immediately headed for Haytor to meet fellow wild swimming friends for an adventure with a twist.

Carole, Allan and Helen are keen creative photographers with different approaches.  I just snap and hope for a reasonable result.   No agenda, just our cameras, some art work created by Helen and myself, cake and suitable hiking boots.  We met in at the very busy lower Haytor car park and headed up the track to the right of Haytor rocks and onto the disused Haytor Quarry.  The granite was from this quarry was famously used to build London Bridge circa 1830.

Art garment on the rocks.

The entrance gate lead to a scene of contrasting greys, greens, browns.    Carole spotted red fungi near the gate and began to take stills,  Helen climbed onto a well preserved winch, years previously she recorded the sound of the cranking wheel and created music.  I was drawn to the sheer walls and used my hiking stick to balance a denim art garment.   Helens pots then appeared and fitted so perfectly into the surroundings.  We all took loads of photographs, with our own unique perspective of the same scene.  Our belongings strewn on the floor, one person on guard to keep away curious dogs smelling freshly cooked and frozen cake.

Helens pots on my art garment.

Creativity over, the still almost stagnant looking green quarry water beckoned and we all jumped into 7.9 degrees of chill, to the amusement of some onlookers.  Cake and drink followed, and blue faces glowed pink.   We marched down the green slopes to normality laughing and joking.
Happy days.

Thanks to Allan for taking this photo of Carole, myself and Helen.