I left my very comfortable Airbnb at Chase farm at 8:50 just as the cows were being taken back to the field after milking. Walking towards Devil’s Pulpit across the fields they were smothered with cuckoo flower. I’ve not heard any cuckoos yet but hopefully I will in the next week or so. The view from devils pulpit is beautiful and the woodlands around filled with wood anemones, dog violets, dog mercury, 3 cornered leek, celandines, harts tongue fern and toothwort which is not seen before - parasitic perennial herb which feeds off tree roots. A jay was being bombarded by a pair of blackbirds having shown too much interest in their nest. I noticed Amelanchier growing in the felled area of ash among beech whilst Song thrushes were holding court in the woodland birdsong. I stopped at the Abbey mill tea rooms and was tempted by the moist and tasty bara brith. I finally left at 11 having reminisced being with the girls here. As I walked around the Tintern meander I loved seeing tortoises in ...