Monday 12th May 2025

Monday morning, and no work with which to fill it.

Yes, the novelty still hasn't worn off. I sleep in until half seven, because I can, Jools was in the garden, weeding.

Late Spider Orchids usually are at their peak in the first and second weeks of June, but for the last few years, an early spike could be seen at one site from about the 8th May onwards, and had been pretty reliant.

So, after breakfast, we get in the car and drive to Folkestone. We park along from the dog walkers, then walk onto the downs, where the dog shit bags that the walkers would rather someone else deal with rather than them, lay on the ground.

The fenced off area is still there, and there is even a notch in the fence allowing access to the early spike, but the early spike is a little late. I take a shot anyway, scour the bank until satisfied I had not missed one spike that might be open.

The pinky-purple sepals would have given it away, anyways.

A short drive away is the colony of Man Orchids, with its tricky stile to get over. This I had talked with Fran last week, but normally this has given me little problem, but this time. Oh my word.

We parked, walked over the road, and it took me three attempts to get both feet on the middle rung, then swing over.

What we found was arid conditions, with a fraction of the spikes seen last year, and just about four partly in flower.

I took shots.

Then we walked back to the stile, where there is a slightly higher step from inside the reserve, and no matter how I tried, I could not get over.

Jools thought she had seen a gate further down, so we took a badger track down, but on the way encountered three Lady Orchid spikes, two as big as any I've seen, and as it turned out, in a monad and tetrad where the species has not been recorded before.

Sadly, there was no gate, meaning somehow I was going to have to get over the stile.

After ten minutes, I hitched up my trousers, and with an effort, and Jools pushing on my glutes, I was halfway over, I just had to sit up and get my legs to find the rungs on the other side.

And I was down.

Final call was to a small SSSI on the coast, which involves driving through a village with a narrow "main" street, which we just about get down without incident.

In the dune slacks, there is a small colony of Early Spider, most now burned to a crisp, but three spikes with flowers; one which was of unusual shape and pattern, and another which seemed to be all of one colour.

So worth it.

Back home then for a brew and lunch.

I made a small batch of short cakes for mid-afternoon snack, to eat while we sat on the patio as the lengthening shadows swallowed us.

Supper was warmed up Chinese, followed by play off footy, which Sheffield Utd hopped Bristol City. Again.