I continued by the stream through bluebell woods, with a few wood anemones and stitchwpet, with the stream banks covered in wild garlic and marsh marigolds.
Joining a minor road my attention was particularly drawn to the deep burrows of the ploughed red soil which created a striking visual pattern.
I joined one of those long tracks which seem to go on for ever and where I tend to zone out, but I was distracted by a spray irrigation system for a large field of young salads, watching the mist disperse across the crops.
I stopped for lunch 12:40 for 20 mins as just gone past Tong. There were large fields of rapeseed - brilliant yellow and with powerful perfume. I was disturbed by a reduced number of birds and no birds of prey. This was largely arable land with quite a few stables.
There were the occasional breaks to this: a pretty stream valley just before crossing the M54, and Hawkshead Pool covered with lily pads just before Bishops Wood - it will be breathtaking when they are in flower.
I continued through Bishops Wood during a prolonged shower, down to a fascinating group of buildings called “the black ladies”. I’ll be interested to discover its history as it’s denoted on the OS map as a historic site.
An unpleasant passage across newly ploughed fields ensued with the paths ploughed and signs absent. Then a sign saying landowners liked careful walkers. At this point I felt like putting up a counter poster saying that the feeling was mutual. I was pleased though to finally come to a field where a path had been smoothed out in line with the designated path.
To my relief, I reached a field of pasture and shortly after the path went along a narrow corridor of young oak trees. Coming to a tree lined canal I was delighted to hear the return of birdsong - chiff chaff, blackcap, robins etc.
Coming to Lapley Wood Farm, I came across the first horse chestnut in full leaf and flower that I’d seen so far. I always wish they stayed in flower for longer as well as holding the canker at bay which turns their leaves brown so early.
I felt better for seeing a kestrel hovering in the distance even though it coincided with dark grey clouds looming … and I’d only just dried out and taken my waterproof off from the last shower! As I went through the fields from Lapley both a kestrel and a buzzard fly overhead.
There was apple blossom in the hedgerow. And later I noticed that the hawthorn, “the May” is starting to blossom and the blackthorn blossom is dropping like snow. Hawthorn has rather less lethal thorns than the blackthorn (which has some kind of poison on it which people can react to such as Raynor Winn near Weymouth on her book “the salt path”, which is shortly being released as a film)
Going through a nature reserve, the path led steadily to Mitton where I would continue on a little before dropping down to Whiston where the girls were waiting for me, playing pool at the Swan Inn
The narrow path went through, quite literally, the rapeseed which came up to my shoulders at time and by the time I emerged I was covered in pollen. I’m not sure who jumped more - me or the female pheasant I accidentally flushed out from the crop!
By good fortune I decided to go straight to Whiston along the road rather than continuing along the path for within 100 metres, Maria and Georgie appeared with the car to pick me up.
Returning to camp, Georgie is doing a stunning job of preparing fajitas for dinner while Maria entertains Barney …or is it the other way round??!!
Comments
Post a Comment
Please do leave a comment