We've Mist Each Other
8th July 2020
The rules and weather kept changing, so a last minute decision was made by Pam, leader of the pack for today. Helen J and Jo met at Pam's for a quickish tour of their lockdown garden which has produced enough space for a new shed and a chance for Pam to try out willow basket making in the winter months. Setting off down the path, a cheery chap waved us off.
Wonder if he would like his beard fettled too?
Pam chose the direct path up the hill, through fields of meadow brown butterflies until we could hear Julia, Maggie and Alison who had been instructed to meet us by an old landslide in Little Bolehill by a very pretty cottage.
It was a bit difficult to tell who had recently been to the hairdressers as three were wearing hats, but it can be revealed, although she didn't, that Julia is sporting the latest trend,
the bobble hat hair cut!
To help unload the weight from our rucksacks, a few birthday presents were exchanged. Some of us were not entirely sure it helped keep the weight off our backs but in one of the presents, this fact might have been helpful a few months ago:
Leading the way with her trusty stick (well at this stage it was), Pam led us up the lane towards some bucolic (not bubonic) views
Socially distanced sheep
I love to kick ass!
At this point, we had all been very good about keeping 2m apart but as we hadn't received the wisdom from the other Dales, we sometimes found it a bit of a challenge
Can't do it, 'cos we haven't got 9 red squirrels to show us how
So, we did our best until we were distracted by a rather lovely wildflower bombed verge which tested our knowledge and Helen J's latest plant app. However, it can now be revealed that we saw a lot of red poppies, pink corncockle and a family member of the Brassicaceae....
probably a white honesty... so the app says!, not the phlox, pox or stocks.
A difficult decision was then needed. Whether to continue up to Alport Heights-in-the-mist or have lunch.
Decision made. It's that way.
Through yet another narrow gap without touching anything!
Each with our own lunch and a log or wall perfect for resting our flasks, we discussed the challenges of shopping safely, sourcing plastic-free goods but safe in the knowledge that our current clothes will come back in fashion at some point.
However, Jo, is still a little hazy about rules for taking a group photograph during a pandemic. So here they are: Do not ask for someone else's camera. Do not ask the farmer to take a photo. But she gets there in the end.
This is not a selfie, this is a pile of logs
This is a selfie with a different pile of logs.
This is a group photo without Jo but on Jo's phone!
We spent so much time laughing that we decided to give Alport Heights a miss and set off down yet another very muddy path.. Fleet-of-foot Alison shows us how to get downhill and stay dry whilst three of us end up with soggy bottoms, but only one of us landed on one...
a graceful recovery, but not sure about the trusty stick now.
Jo demonstrates another way to avoid having soggy bottoms. Just tuck your trews into your socks!
Fungi supper... again!
A familiar view comes into play as we zig-zag down the cattle-trodden fields to the relative safety of a narrow lane.
Where it all began...
Then the delights of Gorsey Bank, a complete discovery for some of us!
A conversion into one house!
A place to converse, or even, convert.
And finally, we are on the flat checking up on whether are any signs of life beyond the fence. Pam looks wistful and misses Julia's impersonation of a bear.
Grr... no Pam, you don't need to help out anymore!
At this point we get a full update on the state of Alison's thumb. Whilst it is a lovely shade of goth black it will hopefully be sorted by the time she gets to ski next year. The rest of us are not thinking of travelling quite so far and mobile units are back on the agenda, or perhaps we should let the train take the strain.
Ooh... look where this train is going!
And whilst we are on the topic of Wales...
Wet here too!
And through Jane's window
Another lovely garden.
Meanwhile over in Staffs. Not entirely sure who this little flower was, the app was applied and it turns out she is not recognisable at all. She's bloomin' lovely though and what
a lovely set of cushions!
Up North, in the other Dales, where the weather looked a bit kinder.
Guess which one has had her locks lopped!
And in another type of Dale...
Dry indoors having a lovely grandma kind of day.
Awww...
26 birds for the day (Wirksworth take note!) Thank goodness we didn’t specify which Dales
the birds needed to be from. Well done
Helen M… you are bird of the day
blackbirds (2)
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blue tit
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canada geese
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chaffinch
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chicken
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chiffchaff
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coal tit
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crow (2)
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curlew
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goldfinch (2)
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great tit
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greenfinch
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house martin
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longtailed tit
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magpie
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mallards
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mistle thrush
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nuthatch
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oystercatcher
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pied wagtail
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red kites
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robin
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song thrush
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swallows (2)
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swifts
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wren (2)
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