The Quest (part 9)

3rd June 2022. Go West. We woke at quarter to six in Swindon.

Outside it was warm and cloudy. But with the promise of sunshine later.

We had a shower, dressed and was down fr breakfast for half six, with all bar the cooked food ready.

So, we filled our boots with fruit and coffee before the fry up was brought. Aroud us, young red-eyed familes ate in a daze, and men in work clothes got ready for their last working day of the week.

We had a 90 minute drive, so we turned out of the car park at seven, across the huge roundabout ond onto the M4 heading due west for Bath, Bristol and Wales.

We put the radio on, and as the cruised through the Wiltshire countryside, the clouds above thinned and the sun broke through.

It was going to be a perfect day for orchiding.

We crossed over the new bridge ito Wales, traffic was heavier, but it flowed well, and all around the weather improved.

Past Newport and Cardiff beofre turning off to the coast, lead by the sat nav into which I had programmed the postcode. Although that wasn't enough, as the post coast was a gated farm track.

We tried to drive into the nearest town, and there was no reserve, but on the way out I saw a brown sign with a waterfowl, the symbol for a reserve.

Getting close now.

We arrived, and already the car park was half full, because sadly most people use reserves as dog exercise areas, and we were to be harassed and harried all our visit but aggressive small and larger dog and owners who don't give a toss.

I was here to see a rarer colour variation of the Early Marsh, but Kenfig is also home to the only western colony of Fen Orchids. I had seen these in Norfolk a few years back, but as were here, and someone on Twitter supplied me with a grid reference and good directions, as the orchids are tiny.

So, we went via a maze of tracks, heading mostly west, through coppices and dunes, until there was a large open area of grass.

And orchids.

And there were the magenta coloured EMO.

I filled my boots.

Then, to find the Fens.

Beside one dune that looked just like any other, some work had been done last year to disturb the soil, and here, if we looked hard enough, would be the orchids.

What I saw were hundreds of Marsh Helleborine rosettes putting up spikes, more than I have seen since I was on the Snook.

But then I saw the familiar spike, with two rounded leaves wrapped round the spike.

But not in flower.

We looked more, and found three more spikes, but none in flower.

Then Jools called, and by a short piece of bamboo, there were two flowering spikes, barely 4cm tall.

I got my pictures and we turned for the car, meetng folks on the way who showed us a good spot for dragonflies. We saw damsels, though they were flighty, and then a couple of dragons, but neither settled. Sure one was either a Norfolk of Brown Hawker, but can't be sure.



24th July 2024.

So, at one I packed the car and set off, having to get through the traffic chaos. In fact it wasn't too bad, but I still avoinded the port and Townwall Street, driving towards Whitfield before heading down the Alkham Valley. I only just made the turn as a lorry had sideswiped a Nissan Micra, and blocked the rest of the roundabout.

I turned off, unaffected, and was soon enjoying the open road driving towards Folkestone. THe on ramp to the A20 was open, and no traffic to really hold me up. On the other carriageway, no cars were allowed on the motorway after Maidstone Services, all traffic being sent down the A20, and that road was at a standstill. My worries already were of the journey back on Monday.

NO problems in etting to the top of the motorway before turning west and the M25. Traffic was heavy, and slow in places, bbut I had a layover planned, and a meet up with a fellow orchidist to see a new species for me.

There are between 50 and 60 orchid species, and I have seen many of them, so the weekend was offering me the chance to see two new species. The first of which was the one we had looked for the weekend before, Narrow Lipped Heleborine.

I turned off the motorway and was soon heading down leafy lanes, which partially hid what used to be called the stockbroker belt houses; huge mansions with electronic gateways, where money buys you privacy in a country mansion. The villages were pretty enough, and the chuches, none of which I had time to stop and look at. Nor the wooden village water well I passed either, even if it looked photogenic and ancient.

I had agreed to meet with Richard between half two and three, so after finding the car park for the reserve, I tried to call him, but turned out his phone had no signals. So I tried to make sense of my scrawled directions, with no luck.

I was in the process of calling other friends who had visited, when Richard called back.

He would come and meet me, he confirmed which path to take, so I wandered off and straight away came to a what was clearly an orchid rich area under huge beech trees and deep in leaf litter. Small orchid spikes dotted the woodland floor, and these were the Narrow Lipped Hellebories.

Richard came and showed me the best spikes, the hot weather had fried many of the others, but there were more than enough to snap.

We carried on walking, and came to a clearing where there were a good few Braod Leaved Helleborines, some were partially baked, but still had flowers, and were being visited by drunken wasps.

Time was getting on, so I had to say my goodbyes to Richard and make my way back to the car.

I programmed in the hotel address, and the sat nav guided me west through yet more picturesque and exclusive villages to the A3, then a short blast to the roundabout at Wisley and onto the M25 again, having missed out several busy junctions on my detour.

Almost straight away, the sunny day was shrouded in thick smoke as another heath fire had broken out to the south, so traffic slowed to a crawl through the poor visibility, everything tinged with brown and even the smell of burning made it into the air conditioning.

But at Heathrow, I got through the smoke, and clear blue skies were overhead once more. And through the final jam, I made my way over to the slow lane to take the slip road to the M40 and head north at last.

This isn't the quickest route, but it is less busy, and there is always the delight of seeing dozens of Red Kites hunting on the way.

I made good time, speeding north, past Oxford and Bicester, pressing on towards Birmingham.

Where, I decided I knew better than the sat nav, and rather than take the M6, I went on to go up the toll motorway, which has lighter traffic, only having to cut through a small village to get back onto the M54 west to Telford and Shrewsbury beyond.

I had the radio on, and on Tom Robinson's show, he played all the tracks from The Streets' first album, which amazingly is 20 years old this week. Still sounds as fresh as it did then, and I learned made using free software on a laptop under a blanket in his wardrobe(!) to muffle sounds as he had no studio.

Weak become heroes indeed.

Shrewsbury bypass is all roundabouts, but at six on a Sunday evening traffic is light, so made good time, and at the last one was the sign to Knockin, the village before the hotel.

THe hot and sunny weather had given way to clouds and even showers, it felt and was cooler, yet the car told me it was still 24 degrees outside.

I arrived at the hotel just after seven, Bob gave me a hug and poured me a pint of dark mild.

That went down well.

So downed two more as I ate dinner of chicken Kyiv and chips.

I was suddenly very tired, I said I was going to my room for a lay down, but to give me a knock if he wanted to have a drink later, not thinking he would.

And hour later there was a knock, so I went down and made two Mai Tai's vanish as we chatted and joked.

I climbed back up to my room at half eleven, so very tired.



25th July 2022.

After two large Mai Tais the night before, and less than six hours of broken sleep. I looked in the bathroom mirror and saw two bloodshot eyes staring back at me.

Oh God.

At least there would be a hearty breakfast.

So, at seven I go down and have orange juice, and another fry up with sausage, bacon, black pudding, mushrooms and a fried slice.

And coffee.

Not as much as I needed. But it would do.

Now.

A couple of months ago, I bumped into a member of my orchid group, Graham, at PGD, and he introduced me to his friend, another Graham, and Graham 2 asked f I was going to see the Irish Lady's Tresses.

I was.

He would have a camper van, but was staying near the bog, could I give him a lift so he didn't have to take his van and disabled wife.

I would.

That was two months ago. Now it was the day, and all I had was a postcode and his phone number. But I also had plenty of time. So, after loading up the car, I said goodbye to Bob and Cath after paying the bill, and programed the reserve and then the camp site as a stopover.

I had an hour, but on these Welsh roads, it could take longer.

To add to the drama of the day, it was overcast and drizzling. The valleys would remain green.

Apparently.

I went to Welshpool, then to Newtown, along the bypass and towards the coast. Stuck behind a train of flatbed lorries, I made steady if unspectacular time. At least the road ran beside the railway, so I knew I was heading in the right direction.

After passing through a small gorge, I came to where the postcode said the camping site should be. And it was. I drove in and parked up and called Graham 2.

There was no signal.

I tried again. And again.

No luck.

Maybe, if i go to the top of the site I could get a signal?

So, up the camping site, passing vans and tents until I got to the very top.

And after a couple of minutes, I got a signal and called Graham 2. He picked up and had seen me drive by, so I went to pitch 22 and there he was, standing at the door of a very small camper. Inside were his wife and three dogs. I went in for a brew, and stodd as most flat surfaces was taken with dogs and their beds.

We left at just gone nine, a 40 minute drive to Borth, beside the railway again.

Our joining instructions mentioned a cafe nearby, so we called in there for another brew and for me a slice of fruit cake. I thought I'd check my phone for news, but again no signal.

We left for the final two mile drive at twenty past ten, being the second car to arrive, we were sent down the track to the small parking area.

We were here to see an orchid called Irish Lady's Tresses, which had been found on the site in 2019, which for the species tick meant not having to go to Ireland. We will get to Ireland at some point, but it would be longer than a day trip.

In the bog beyond the gate was a small area surrounded by an electrified fence, and in there was over 20 small orchids. We had to wait for the warden to disarm the fence, but a few plants were near enough to get half decent shots.

Once the warden arrived, as well as other HOS members, we were allowed inside the fence. A rope was placed over whch we were not to step, but was close enough to get fine close ups of the orchid spikes.

We take turns in getting shots, some more serious than others. I get mine, so after twenty minutes I say to Graham 2, shall we go?

We shall.

Once back in the car, I program the camp site back in and we set off, down the track to the lane, and from there began the long journey home.

Graham 2 used to be an auditor, so we swapped auditor horror stories until I dropped him off, and there was peace and quiet in the car. I had no idea how long the drive back would be, I though I'd do well to be home by eight, the sat nav said ten past five