Bank holiday crowds

They’re worth avoiding, along with the road traffic that seems to accompany them. We succeeded on both counts – very little traffic along the two or three miles to the start of this walk, and no-one else on the very quiet paths we followed this afternoon – up Round Hill, down Ned’s lane and around the sheepy pastures of Nordley Common. Most enjoyable!

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Past Seven Springs

A favourite walk from Wenlock – down through Homer to Bannister’s Coppice, back past Seven Springs farm and up the old wagonway through Traps Coppice. It’s a pleasant route, much of it in woodland, where the garlic and the early purple orchids are past their best. As well as lots of sheep and tweeting birds, there are alpacas at the old mill (in their shelter today), a couple of deer in Bannister’s (fleeting glimpses – no chance of a photo) and, near the end, a family of Highland cattle, with one very recently-arrived new addition. The beautiful demoiselle (yes, ‘beautiful demoiselle’ appears to be what they’re called) posed very patiently; King Alfred’s cakes were infinitely patient…

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From the sublime…

The Apedale Valley Light Railway’s steam locomotives are wonderful things. Their internal combustion locomotives are, in some cases at least, at the other end of the scale (but no less fascinating). This weekend they’re holding their ‘Military trains’ event – I decided to go and take a look on this very fine and sunny day. Visit Military trains at Apedale on Geoff’s Rail Diaries for the full story and more photos

Furrows and flora

The light nights are here! Perhaps ‘night’ is an exaggeration, but it’s great to get out in the evening after we’ve eaten, to enjoy some late sunshine. There’s lots of variety in the hedgerows; between the hedges potatoes are being planted in beautifully-sculpted ridges. The farmers are making the most of the light nights and fine weather too…

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By Linley Brook to Stocking Lane

Thursday afternoon: it’s very pleasant down by the brook. The wild garlic is pungent (it smells like we’re close to a restaurant!); there’s some sticky mud but we’re soon past it and back up to the fields. This one’s full of beans! Heading back via Stocking Lane, we pass fields full of sheep. It’s that kind of place.

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