Sunday 1st May 2016

Saturday

Last day of the month

Bank holiday weekend

It is with some relief that it being a Bank Holiday, the weather decided to play ball and the forecast, at least for half the day, was for unbroken sunhine, but with clouds and showers by evening. Should be more than enough time to get some serious orchid chasing done.

Needless to say, there was shopping to do first, and so with Jools sorting out the laundry, I drove to Whitfield to Tesco to do battle with the ever-changing aisle layout with the mighty scanner only to aid me. Being spring now, it means that the first of the spring crops are on the shelves, most importantly, asparagus. So, three packs for four pounds, more than enough for two lunches, I load them and the other stuff we need for 5 days good living into the trolley then make a break for it.

Two years ago, I was asked by some local friends if I could help them find local orchids. So, to facilitate this, I formed a group on Faceache that people then mostly failed to use. The group was just an information board for me to tell friends about what was available, with the option of asking me and I would show them. Midway through last year's season, I began inviting other people, and it quickly became a busy and friendly group, with people swapping news, information and the latest shots. I still offer the tours, or safaris, but no one has ever taken me up on this. Out of the blue, two people expressed interest, and one of the, Sally, said she would meet me at Samphire for a day of orchid action.

I dropped Jools of in town, apparently a whole day with two orchid nuts wasn't attractive; no, I don't understand that either. So, I was at Samphire a little after nine and Sally was already waiting, cameras in hand. Sally is a botany student, and she said that after a crappy week, what better way to feel better than to wander round some of Kent's finest orchid sites. How better indeed?

After the intoroductions we took a walk along the path to where the Early Spiders were growing in greater and greater numbers. It is going to be a wonderful years from the tiny orchids, growing apart, in doubles, trebles and in greater number groups too. There were so many to choose from, and for me it is now looking for the rarer variations in these and other orchids. Straight away I found another of the paler variants, which was a massive bonus, so I get shots of that and some of the more attractive groups too.

Once at the end of the path, we turn round to walk back along, looking at more of the small orchids, which on the landward side are spreading towards the railway line. Once back int he car and having driven through the tunnel back to the main road, we were confronted by the ever-growing queue of truck waiting to get to the port, blocking one of the two lanes of the rad into the port. Saying tat, once in Dover they are confronted with just the one lane leading along Townwall Street, which will be the case all through the year. Traffic chaos will last until the late autumn, and will only get worse once the holiday season really gets going.

We drive in a small convoy away from the port to Folkestone, then up the Elham Valley through Elham and Lyminge to Barham, and from there across the fields to the secludid wood to look at the Early Purples and the progress of the other species too.

The sun was high and shining warmly, there were bluebells and orchids around, and apart from four groups of teens on e DofE trek, there was just us and Mother Nature. There were many more EPO out, now forming small groups, which turn out to be rather photogenic and well worth snapping.

Down the hill and over the road to the beech wood to look on the Lady, Fly and Twayblades. The floor of the wood is in places, almost covered with Twayblade rosettes, in various stages of development. It is a fine site, but there are only a few part-flowering spikes of Twayblade and nothing else.

After walking back to the car, we decide to go for lunch next and after that, the Fly at Yockletts. I rpgram the sat nav to take us along very narrow lanes, through fine Kentish Bluebells woods and up over the downs and down the other side to Stone Street to the The Granville for some liquid and solids lunch. Sally buys me lunch, a fine ploughman's and a pint of Early Bird; it is very pleasant indeed, what with the very nice surroundings of the pub and the other diners munching away.

I already knew that the clouds would be thickening up, but once we left the pub I could see that over half the sky was covered with clouds, and darker clouds were rolling in. It was a ten minute drive to Yockletts, and then a gentle yomp up the hill past the glade with two Ladys still yet to put forth a spike. The bluebells and EPOs made a fine sight at the top of the bank, but it seemed that my orchid potting eye was out, and I struggled to find one of the two open Fly I knew were out on site. We walked along the reserve, over the road to the other half, walking slowly and investigating every unusual new growth poking through the undergrowth. Totally failing to find a single flowering spike. At the end of the reserve, we find several lady putting forth spikes, with red tips showing that flowers were maybe a week or so away, but none today.

By now cloud had covered the sky, the light faded and got darker, above I heard the first raindrops in the leaves above us, but soon it was throwing it down. Finding a flowering spike in this would be a challenge, and it was one I failed to live up to, not finding one of the reliable spikes near the EPOs that are usually first out.

At the car it became clear that there was little point in going anywhere further as there sky was full of more rain, even if it had eased off for a while. We bid farewell, and I drove back home via Bridge, Wigham and Deal, so I could call in at Kingsdown to check on the Early Spiders. Once I left Yockletts I could see blue sky in the east, and my hope was that if I drove that way I would find sunlight. So, that's what I did. And I was rewarded as I climbed out of the car sun broke through the clouds illuminating the beach with sunshine, and stayed long enough for me to get a shot of the small spikes, sheltering from the keen wind.

Back home up the narrow high street and along the main road to the St Maggies turn off and home. The radio made for grim listening, as Newcastle and Sunderland played, and as I pulled into the drive, The Toon scored what turned out to be the winner against Palace and Sunderland got a last minute equaliser against Stoke. City kicked off at half five at The Arse, and despite dominating, fell to a single goal in the 2nd half, to be left hanging by a thread. f we go down, I will stop writing about Norwich, its been grim all season, and takes the shine of what otherwise are wonderful times for me.

Jools had cooked chilli, which turned out fine, so boiled some rive and by six we sat down to eat a fine, if spicy dinner.

At eight when I went for a shower, I noticed out of the window, three sets of flashing lights over the other side of the dip; a helicopter passed low over the house and landed in the field beside the holiday park. We had no idea what was happening, despite three fire engines, there was no smoke to suggest a fire. Turns out a young lad had fallen into some farm machinery and hurt his legs badly, and once dark, the copter took him to a specialist hospital in London. We hope he is OK.