A perfect afternoon for the Hope Bowdler hills. No great height, and no great distance to walk, but it’s bright and breezy, and the air is clear. To the north-east, when the sun catches it, we can see Jodrell Bank radio telescope – 51 miles away. Almost diametrically opposite we have a good distant view of Pen y Fan, highest point in south Wales – 54 miles to the summit. Needless to say, there are great views of the closer and more familiar hills. It’s a shame we have come home again!

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19 August: Remarkable cloudscapes around Colemore Green, on a pleasant evening. May’s crops (see Fields of Barley) have mostly been harvested; in places, the land harrowed. The many berries in the hedgerow are ripening, and the willowherb has almost finished. Autumn begins to feel close.

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An old favourite, just right for this pleasantly-warm afternoon. The riverside path is enjoyable, despite the thickets of knotweed; on the plus side, a banded demoiselle is posing for me. There are some tiny toadstools in the woods – there will be plenty more in the coming weeks, I suspect.

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Walking down to Coalport the long way, then, after ice creams at the youth hostel café, back up the Dingle – the short way home!

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More hedgerow colour on a bright afternoon. The damsons will soon be ripe (perhaps they are already – but they were out of reach…)

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An amble along Shirlett Lane on a showery afternoon. There are all kinds of interesting things coming up – I think autumn is going to be particularly fruitful this year…

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