Another wonderful day with like minded although some may say, simple minded people.
We were greeted by three chaps with very long lenses who had been out since six and only seen a lady Yellow Hammer. Also by swarms of small brown beetles flying about and gathering in clusters on the grass? What were they up to? They were apparently known as Bonking Beatles at The Garden House and very unwelcome they were as they lay their eggs in the ground and badgers find them a tasty snack digging up the pristine front lawn to get at them.
We followed the yellow arrows sometimes going off piste to splosh about in the Mire to find things we’d seen before, some we hadn’t seen for years and some we had never ever seen. Round leaved sundew, Tormentil, Milkworts, Bogwort, Ragged Robin, Heath Spotted Orchid. Such fun! We inspected the ponds seeing blue Damselfly and brown Dragonfly looking like Russian army helicopters.
We wondered on past Pig Wood to Snoddersbottom Wood along a gloriously cool and beautiful old lane leading to Holwell House, now apparently several dwellings.
The yellow arrows lead us away from Becka Brook but then a wondrous sight none had seen before - a whole field of orchids! WOW!
Then on to Holwell Lawn. The bluebells all gone but green and relaxing, lunch below Greator rock then down over the old clapper bridge where Fern went for a swim as did Liz’s sunglasses, the water too deep for them to be retrieved. Up, up to chug along the granite tramway, round Saddle and back to the very hot cars.
5k turned out to be 6 miles plus.
Lovely! Sorry some of you missed it, we’ll do it again one evening when the Bogbean and Marsh St-John’s Wort are out.
Stella