And now it seems that spring is here for keeps, then nature seems to be springing into life with more and more vigour. What with the Early Spider orchids more than 4 weeks ahead of what they were last year, which means that now is the time when every fine day or drop of sunshine should not be wasted and we must go out with cameras to record each and every moment of spring. During last week’s search for orchids in the Elham Valley I saw many bluebells out, and so what would be better than to head to Kings Wood to see the mother of all bluebells displays.
So we set off at half seven, driving up to Ashford and then up into the downs. We saw that lower down the bluebells were stunning, looking glorious in the dappled sunshine filtering down through the canopy of trees. But at the top, where the walks are, being higher up, the bluebells were not yet out. Very disappointing indeed. However, all was not lost. I knew there were bluebells at another site, but this one would have Early Purple Orchids too.
So, back up the motorway and across to the wood. I won’t mention the location here, as I have promised to keep the locations of orchids secret due to the fact many orchids have been dug up in recent years by stupid folk thinking they would look right dandy in their gardens, I guess. Either that or these are being sold. Whatever the reason, almost certainly the orchids would die away from the location and conditions that made them grow in that location in the first place.
So, we turned off the main road, and went up the narrow line to the top of the wood. Despite being only a few hundred yards from the main road, all was peaceful apart from the distant noise of the traffic. And we had the wood just about to ourselves, in an hour we saw just one other person, a local walking his dog. So, we grabbed our cameras and limboed under the gate and into the wood.
All around a carpet of bluebells looked glorious in the sunshine, with deeper shades of blue where shadows fell across them. I took a shot, then about 50 yards away I saw a flash of purple in a clearing I knew was there. Aha, an orchid. I marched off, and sure enough there was a single orchid, maybe 18 inches high reaching for the sky. In the shadows maybe a dozen more were already in bloom and just waiting for the afternoon when the sun would fall on them.
I took shots and then set off deeper into the woods where there were more orchids and many, many more bluebells. It was glorious, and as I said, no one else there. Down at the bottom of the wood I even found a couple of Lady Orchid spikes, one almost beginning to open a single flower. On the 13th of April, that is incredibly early.
On the way back to the car I stopped for ‘just one more orchid shot’ when some movement out of the corner of my eye attracted my attention. There, in a tree stump were at least three black and white kittens, playing in the sunshine in the bottom of a hollow tree stump. As I moved closer, they heard me, and along with a sandy coloured sibling they hid deep in the hollow of the stump. Looking up I saw their Mother looking nervous, so I backed away, leaving them alone. I showed Jools where they were, and on cue, a single kitten stuck its head out of one of the openings to see if the coast was clear. They’d do just fine.
We headed back home for lunch, just stopping off at the top of the downs near Dover to check on the Man Orchid site, but nothing showing there. These should be out at the same time as the Lady Orchids, which show how advanced the ones we saw earlier were.
Back home we had cold kebab for lunch, from the ones left over from Saturday evening’s dinner. And very nice they were cold, washed down by a nice cold bottle of beer. For the rest of the day I pottered about, did some baking, made and drunk big cups of tea and made sure the football was listened to. In the evening we started to watch Billy Connolly’s trip along Route 66. Hmm, that looks fun…….
And that was your weekend. At least next week its four day one. Be good.
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