Wandering Weather

Hello Lovelies,
On Wednesday I planned another long walk....brisk and sweat inducing to count as a good work out......for various reasons I'm not running at the moment.

It was a cool, hazy morning. I walked along the roadside on a country road with no footpath. I was glad to reach this bridleway to get away from the drivers who hurtle along at sixty miles an hour just because they can.

The greenery is so lush right now, with Hogweed higher than my head..........

A Red Admiral butterfly is flitting about in the Hawthorn hedge. Just as I'm about to photograph this little chap, he snaps his wings shut........

 Then I'm sure he was playing a game with me all along the path....flying a few meters and landing with his wings open, only to close them as I got my camera ready :0)

I pass this interesting hay barn with it's red "Royal Mail" extension :0)

I don't think this dumper has been anywhere in a while............

I'm now following the footpath across fields of clover..........

Over a stile and into a horse field...........

over another stile and into a sheep field. The sun has come out and this family have found themselves a shady spot..........

The lambs are no longer the skinny things they were in April.........

Over yet another stile.........

And into a field of wheat..........

I love the mixture of uses these fields have, it makes for an interesting walk.

I really like the light in this photo, the sunlit foreground and the woodland in shadow...... 

Oh, this is different, a stile on a bridge.............

On the other side of the stream I'm in a wild flower meadow. The day is getting really warm and my pace has slowed.............

It's such a lovely spot it seems shame to hurry past, there will be plenty of cold, grey days when speed is preferable. Today I decide to wander along slowly and notice as much as I can..........

There are so many Meadow Brown butterflies, I try hard to get a photo of one with it's wings open, but fail........

Through a little gate I enter a field of long grass, the patchwork of colours is pretty...........

and the grasses are so varied.......

Wild Oats....I think.

I can just see small saplings planted among the grasses, then I notice this wooden mushroom...........

It's plaque explaining they were planted in 2012 the celebrate the Queens Diamond Jubilee.........

What a great legacy.

Time has caught up with me and I reluctantly decide to turn back............

A track with an interesting view tempts me to try a different route.........

Then I come to a ford......and tiptoe across..........

My feet get wet but I'm thrilled to spot an Owl........well that's what it looked like........it's hard to tell from this hasty shot..........

And a couple of Hares are hopping around the field...........

I cant work out if this route will link up with the footpath so decide to turn back (and get my feet a bit wetter) . I love the wild geraniums lining the track....................

I wander back along the path, enjoying the early summer landscape..............

And notice a Buzzard flying over head...........

Then, as I walk back through the wild flower meadow I see a Hare walking towards me....it's so rare for me to spot wildlife before it spots me. We both stop............

And I zoom in for a close up....look he's got a mouth full of clover leaves :0)

I move slightly to try and get a shot without that plastic post.......and he speeds off.......bye Mr Hare..........

I'm back at the stile bridge now...........

Looking down at the sunlight reflected in the water...............

I find another footpath that leads down to the brook, it's quite low at the moment and I stand in the dry parts....loving the cool shade and sound of the water............

This area is a local nature reserve. There's very little here in the way of facilities, it's just a protected place for enjoying nature. A couple of benches are all that gives it away..........

I sit for a few moments on that green bench above.

And admire the view. I do love this gentle  landscape.............

I've remembered a drink this week and I'm very glad to quench my thirst.

Time to go now. I spot a pretty Poppy in the shade at the side of the path and can't resist taking it's  picture..........

Then it's back along this lane. I resolve to bring the boys here in the school holidays.....with a picnic.
We can ride bikes most of the way.....that should help tempt them...........

My feet are soaked and my legs are hot in thick tights...........

But my mood is happy and I'm thrilled to finally get a good butterfly photo :0)

small Tortoiseshell........my favourite.

At the top of the hill I sit again........on a bench I discovered on THIS walk.......

 and finish my drink.

I didn't end up walking as far as I had planned, but when I checked how far it was (I use THIS site ) I was surprised to see it was over 5 miles.

On such a lovely day I really appreciated being able to get out and explore my local area, any health benefits are just a bonus :0)

Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments and birthday wishes .....you lovelies are too kind.

Jacquie x