Clear and frosty December morning, and we’re climbing to the top of Dartmoor once again.
The deserty feeling of this part of Dartmoor is tantalising and reminds me of other, much warmer deserts … It was very cold at the summit which was battered with a northwesterly wind and we soon made our way down.
Climbed to Yes Tor to find out if Roadford Lake is visible from the summit, and indeed it is ( just you can’t see it in the picture …)
The sun was setting almost at its most southerly point, just to the west of Great Links Tor.
I was very thankful to the very clear (although quite icy) track leading me back to the car next to West Mill tor.
Went for an afternoon ride from Topsham to Exmouth beach.
When we turned back we realised that the way home will be longer with the bitterly cold head wind.
We also found out that our brakes are full of mud and quite useless when trying to negotiate the extremely crowded path along the beach.
Took my bicycle and join some friends who went for a Christmas afternoon wonder at their ‘local patch’ along the Grand Western Canal tow path.
The day was clear, sunny and cold and the drive along the completely empty M5 was a real treat.
We had a lovely walk and met other Christmas pleasure walkers. I then went on cycling the canal which conveniently loops around Halberton.
The light was wonderful on Christmas Eve as we were walking on Seatown beach 
looking west towards Golden Cap:
and back east towards Seatown:
Lots of Belemnites in various stages of exposure can be found, as the tide eats away the soft Belemnite Stone Bed in the foreshore, but the real excitement was splitting apart a lump of clay lying on the beach and finding a 185Ma old Ammonite in it.
Looking forward to the Solstice Gathering at Budleigh Salterton beach later today.
Temperatures are 11 deg and overcast, with a very slight chance we’ll be able to see the sunset.
Water temp 11.7 C, just below the Dec. Average for Budleigh. The Sea keep cooling down through the winter and minimum temperatures are usually in March.
http://www.seatemperature.org/europe/united-kingdom/budleigh-salterton.htm
Fresh South-westerly wind indicates very clearly the direction of the setting sun (behind a thick layer of clouds), and it seems like all the water in the bay have set to attack the mouth of the river Otter. 
Attempt to swimming in these conditions would be considered quite stupid, so we decided to enjoy the bonfire instead.
Previous winter Solstice gatherings:
https://mostlyoutdoorsone.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/winter-solstice/
https://mostlyoutdoorsone.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/winter-solstice-get-together/
Find the Pixie:
The lake looks pretty grim at this time of year, and 8 deg. with slight rain meant that there not so many people around. But the wind was nice and steady and when the sun came out the place transformed and became wonder-ful .
and the clip:
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