A walk on the Long Mynd: Isolated showers have to fall somewhere, I suppose, and as we pull up, ready to begin our walk, the raindrops begin to fall. We’ll stay put for a few minutes, it looks like it should clear soon – which it did. We wouldn’t have got seriously wet if we’d been caught in it – but a little way to the north-west, there’s obviously a downpour, complete with a rumble of thunder. We’ll need to watch the skies carefully this afternoon!

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The orchids at Benthall are on the downward slope now – still plenty of them, but they’re fading rapidly. The woods are cool and quiet, and there’s interest in the undergrowth. Those pale and slimy-looking fungi are worth a photo or two, though I’m not sure what they are. Some kind of oyster mushroom? I certainly wouldn’t want to eat them!

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We’re following the same route as two weeks ago (but in reverse) – see The bee that did not buzz. Today there were bees (mostly on the wild rose) and orchids (pyramids galore!) but no bee orchids. There were, of course, other items of interest. Those dryad’s saddle mushrooms are edible, apparently, but it would be a great shame to eat them when they make such a fine sight.

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A short wander on a June evening, for a leg stretch and some different views. There are occasional views of the bridge from the back roads above the river, and there are tigers in the jungle…

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As ever, despite the familiar territory, there were things of interest for the camera yesterday evening, including the first rosebay willowherb, and some wonderful mud ‘crazy paving’ (this morning’s rain will have washed all the patterns away, I suspect). Two weeks ago, the farmers were busy planting potatoes in these fields – already, they’re coming up.

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An evening wander along this very quiet lane, enjoying the low angle of the light and the lower temperature after a warm afternoon

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They’ll be shady, cool perhaps… In the still and humid air, any sunshine would be uncomfortable, but in the event we saw little of the sun, and it was certainly very pleasant under the trees on the eastern slopes of Brown Clee. Colourful too – great masses of rhododendron here and there. It’s Cosford air show today – we might see some of the flying exhibits? We did, but just one big thing that circled for a time, never getting quite close enough for a decent photo. We didn’t see (or hear) the Red Arrows either – perhaps we’re just too far away. We did see a red kite, which on balance is a preferable alternative… And other than one group of chatty walkers, we had the hill to ourselves.
What does it sound like up here? Listen!

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It will even warmer after lunch, so we’re out a little earlier today. We’re following our tracks from almost two weeks ago – up Round Hill, down Ned’s lane, over Nordley Common to Stocking Lane and back through sheepy fields. Same route, but the season has moved on.

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…and another amble past the barley fields and the Boldings pools

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But the photographer did! Perhaps 30 years ago, a late neighbour told me he’d found a bee orchid on Wenlock Edge. I’ve been watching out for them ever since. In May, the early purple orchids are plentiful; now, the common spotted abound (as we saw yesterday), and we’re approaching the pyramid season. We were hoping we might find some of the latter today. We did – just a few, they need a week or two more. Then – there it was! Just the one, in bloom and eye-catching – a most remarkable find, the first I’ve ever seen! Still buzzing…

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