It’s still quite warm when I leave the car, just after 7.30pm, but the route up through the woods, from Lower Pool to Shirlett Lane, is on an east-facing hillside – pleasantly cool. By the time I’ve dropped back down Round Hill, the sun is much lower and it’s very pleasant walking. I’m surprised to find, on returning to the start, that it’s just after 9pm. Although it’s still early July, I’ve seen the year’s first blackberry, and the wild damson trees are heavily laden with promise for the autumn…

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Monday evening: once again, it’s somewhat cooler, there’s a pleasant light breeze, and the sun’s behind the clouds. I’ll head for Hurst Farm and Aldenham – the path across the field should be walkable, as should the edge of Shore Pool. “Walkable” is debatable, I suppose – the farmer has cleared a the path through the beans, but they’re tall and the path is weed-strewn (tickly!). At least there’s no mud anywhere. And like Sunday evening, it’s quiet – no-one else around. An enjoyable outing!

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Sunday evening: The visitors have all gone – and so have the household authorities (temporarily). It’s quiet here, and it seems even quieter up at Shirlett. There’s a faint hum of distant traffic on the Bridgnorth to Wenlock road, but other than that, it’s just birdsong*. In the woods, the helleborines are looking good and will be flowering soon. Back in the open, I spot a deer – then it spots me and springs away, back into the woods. Looks like a roe – they’re more common a little further south, in Mortimer Forest, but usually we see fallow deer here (and the occasional muntjac)
* Merlin says it could hear a blackbird, a blackcap, a robin, a linnet and a treecreeper:

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The family are visiting – but they’ve gone away for a couple of days (did someone mention Legoland?), leaving us to a little r&r. What could be better than a stroll around the Willey lanes?

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That’s orchids, orchids and a slow worm… The pyramid orchids were expected, the bee orchid was hoped-for (a friend said she’d found one) and the slow worm was completely unexpected. A very pleasant and interesting afternoon on the Wenlock Edge…

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A clear blue sky with white fluffy clouds, a steady breeze, pleasantly warm air – a perfect afternoon for a wander. Some favourite places – Round Hill, Ned’s Lane, the lane through the Smithies, and across Nordley Common. I’ve got it all to myself too (apart from lots of sheep, that is, and a poser squirrel)

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The wild rose is in flower! We’ve driven a long way in the last couple of days – now we need a leg stretch close to home. Willey (inevitably)! The world is colourful at this time of year.

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