Wall-to-wall warm sunshine – blue skies, clear air, a pleasant breeze – perfect! It’s been a long time coming. Ideal conditions for a walk from Little Stretton, up beside Small Batch to Pole Bank, back down the Ashes Hollow. A red kite circled, then descended into Callow Hollow; later he appeared again over the ridge, and we saw him one last time as we walked down the quiet valley (maybe three different kites? I doubt it). He didn’t stay – left it for us, the sheep and the buzzards. Other than the aforementioned, and lots of small birds, singing loudly, we had the Ashes Hollow to ourselves. For much of the descent, there’s nothing man-made in view (other than the path) – it can sometimes be hard to believe we’re in the English Midlands.