I think the orchid season has been with us for 5 weeks now, and with the peak still a week or two away, there are never enough days to get round the sites I know of, but now there is the added challenge of new sites. Kent is home to many orchid species, some of which are found only here, and sometimes, orchids that are found elsewhere and are common, are rare or even extinct here. The Burnt Tip is one cuch, where in the next county, East Sussex it grows on two sites, and one we visited last year, there are thousands of spikes, here in Kent is is almost extinct, but I know where the last sighting was.
And despite one of my fellow orchid nuts having failed to find one for the last few years, I decided Team Jelltex should take up the challenge. The worst case being we would have a fine walk along the downs in the early morning sunshine, and get some exercise. One of them win/win situations.
For some reason I was awake late, half seven. Well, that might have been due to the beer and celebrations on Saturday as a result of the football. But after a coffee, we were in the car and heading for Lydden before eight. Lydden is best know for the motor racing track, but for me, it is all chalky downlands and orchids. And butterflies. And a nice church.
We park off the main road, put on our walking boots and set off up the narrow track beside the village hall. It is quite ahike up the down, along the wooded track, but after a few minutes we came out of the trees, and ahead was another climb, over open downland to another gate. And once through that, a more gentle climb lay ahead, but once along that, we were at the top of the down, and the sound of the traffic on the A2 was close by.
We consulted the map, and worked out were the paddock we needed was, so now the hard part of the walk was over, we could stride out and enjoy the views into the valley to our left. Noise of powerful locomotives could be heard, as navvies replaced track on the main line. The valley purred to the sound of their engines.
We walked on.
Through another gate, and I saw all about were the tiny spikes of dozens of Early Spider Orchids, a new colony for me, but one I did know about. I snap them, and then looking over a few hundred more metres, could see where the Burnt Tip should be. But despite looking all the way along the face of the down, there was no evidence of any orchids, Burnt Tip or any other.
We sit down and have a picnic breakfast. It is wonderful, and from our vantage point, we could down the valley to Temple Ewell to River and Dover beyond, and even in the distance, the Channel glistening in the sun.
It was time to walk back to the car, re-tracing our steps, passing a few dog-walkers also out taking in the air.
It was easy going, back down the down and the path to the car park. It was half ten and we seemed to have done so much already. But there was still time to drive a short distance to check on the Man Orchids, now half open, and about a week away from being glorious.
We drive home for a coffee and for me to look at the shots I have taken.
The rest of the day passes quietly, I sit in the garden reading, or on the sofa listening to the radio. As the afternoon wears on, a cool breeze gets up, and it becomes too cold to sit outside, even in the lea of the hedge.
The afternoon Prem games play themselves out. I cook dinner, bangers and mash. Which is just right.
We end the day watching Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell on BBC: it was OK, if a little light. But could be promising. I remember nearly buying the book a few years back.
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