Court To Camp

From silent church, the path ascends through pillars carved from rock

Beneath a verdant canopy, where poets once took stock

The footsteps follow Tennyson and Thackeray, Coleridge too

Their words still hang upon the air, with meaning found anew

Upon the lawn above the Court, where Eltonware was born

The walker stands to catch the view, now by the highway torn

The sounds of traffic heading West intrude upon the breeze

The only harsh discordant note among magnolia trees

And then the way heads up the rise, past quarries overgrown

Where Clevedon villas started life from palely golden stone

Through bluebell woods on sunlit track, where squirrels dash and dart

And colours wait at every turn to sing out Nature's art

Then down to cross the M5 bridge above the deep ravine

As horses and their riders walk, by all but few unseen

The echo of the hooves rings out, as far beneath those spans

Like lemmings rush unceasing tides of cars and caravans.

The path winds on through woodland shade along the bridle trail

Until a vista opens out beyond a wooden rail

Grasses spread with buttercups, daisies and yellow vetch

Speedwell blue and orchids rare across the meadows stretch.

At last the climb to ancient fort above the green spread moor

Where long forgotten seas swept in, pushed by the tidal bore

The grassy battlements survive upon their earthen ramp

Amid the ghosts of early men, who once strode Cadbury Camp.