20 April 2003: more from Brittany. We’ve driven down to the Brière marshes, hired a boat and paddled ourselves out into this strange waterlogged landscape. Somewhere we can hear a bittern booming, but there’s no chance of seeing him. Afterwards, we head for the little walled town of Guérande, which I’m sure would have been well worth a lengthier stay – on a quiet day… We didn’t hang around.
20 April 2019 – we’ve just arrived in Edinburgh, and we’re taking a walk beside the Water of Leith to Dean Village, early on a fine spring evening
20 April 2020 – coincidentally, and nearly 300 miles further south, we’re walking down the lane that leads to Dean Farm. It’s another fine spring day – not a cloud in the sky.
19 April 2003: still in Brittany, we’re taking a look at Josselin and Ploermel.
19 April 2009: Herefordshire – the chestnuts are certainly ancient (and several are dead, sadly); the woodlands around Fishpool Valley are coming alive.
19 April 2015: a walk from home – there are Soay sheep in the fields near Benthall.
Yesterday was cool, grey and damp, but today the fine weather is back, and looks set to stay for the week ahead. No April showers this year! The spring flowers are abundant now, in the hedgerows, the damp places and the fields.
18 April 2019, and we’re still on Skye. We had a most enjoyable walk during the afternoon – see “To Rubha na h-Aiseig“. Now we’re watching the sun go down. I would say “behind Harris”, which is perfectly true, but it’s been too hazy to see the outer isles today.
Little in common, apart from their dates – 18 April, and they all involve buildings:
2003 – the splendid market hall at Questembert, Brittany
2004 – John Jacques’ wonderful little museum at Shackerstone station (Battlefield line)
2010 – Hanbury Hall, Worcestershire (NT)
It seems to have been a very productive day over the years:
2003: Malestroit, Brittany
2004: Knighton, Powis
2006: Weston Park – for the miniature railway and a commercial vehicle rally
More recent years have been blogged already, but a couple are worth revisiting:
2016: Wyre Forest, for a close encounter with a heron. See Forest Paths
2019: Staffin, Skye – a couple of old sea dogs at the slip. Staffin Strolling
16 April 2015: it’s one of our regular short routes, not far from home. It looks as though it was a hazy day…
16 April 2003: It’s a “Petite Cité de Caractère” in the south-east corner of Morbihan, Brittany – an interesting little place to explore, or to sit and enjoy a glass of French beer.
Lords and ladies? Cuckoo pint? Wild arum? It seems to have dozens of names. This one, spotted during today’s leg-stretch, looked to be a fine specimen – one to seek out later in the year when it’s covered in red berries
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