Maybe... Maybe

Bloomin' marvellous  15th May 2015 

Maybe we can try nine mile walk in glorious weather?  Nah… ‘we’ only do gentle strolls… max 5 miles on the flat.

Maybe we could try ‘that’ restaurant?  Nah… recently closed.

Maybe we could try ‘the other one’ then?  Nah… too posh.

Maybe two of us meet up for a walk and see the rest of you at ‘the chosen’ restaurant?  Ahh… that sounds like a good plan! 

So, Jo and Helen J met at Jo’s house ready for the first steep climb of the day… parking on Jo’s drive, thank goodness for 4WD.  A hike upstairs to the kitchen with wonderful views over the garden, tempting yet another hike up to glorious views across the hills and garden.

Through the bedroom window

Jo’s suggestion of a lovely walk in Bow Woods, at Lea Bridge to see the bluebells seemed a lovely idea.  ‘I just amble’ says Jo, ‘and see where the path leads me.  It’s usually easier than following a map from an outdated book from the 1990’s!’. 

Hmmm, maybe Jo, maybe....

Tip-toe through the bluebells..

through more bluebells, tra-la-la-la-la-la....

And so, we ‘ambled’ up a very steep slope.. 

Helen J regretting not bringing her Nordic poles welcomed a gentle shove from Jo for that last little bit to the ridge. 

Point of information.  Alison Uttley born in Cromford, attended Lea Primary and played amongst these very woods. We searched high and low for Little Grey Rabbit and friends, Sam Pig, Tim Rabbit and Fuzzypeg hedgehog, but saw only  a mistle thrush hiding amongst the buttercups.

'Perhaps we aren't looking hard enough', said Jo.' Let's just amble on here a bit further'...

Just over this bit...

then under the next bit... 

Hmm, Jo.... 

Not content with an ambling walk, Jo decided to give Helen an ambling road tour.  Lea was lovely both times but we finally arrived at Lea Rhododendron Gardens. Although closed, we sneaked a look through the garden gate and it looked like 'The Stuff of Dreams'...

Through the garden gate

Tickled pink 

Finally , we paid our respects at the memorial commemorating the men of Dethick, Lea and Holloway who had fallen in the First World War. 

We salute you all...

And so to our evening meal and meeting up with Helen M, Lynn and Pam.  With exchanges of birthday presents and cards, we settled down to a lovely meal: sharing a couple of fish platters, bottle of prosecco and variety of pies.

Who ate all the pies? 

Chatter included the recent leadership contests and withdrawals; Pam’s posh pad in Paris; the lows of camping in Portugal (some of us have standards, you know) and the highs of camping in Spain (ensuite wet rooms for each pitch… that’s more like it).  

We missed Maggie's appearance.... or were we just not looking in the right places...

Our very own 'A Traveller in time'