Sunday 19th June 2016

Yes, a blog written on the day when the day is not complete! Yes, and this is because I'm off to Denmark, again, tomorrow. I hope to have a week off travelling off next week, my shoulder tells me I should.

It was supposed to be a glorious morning, with it getting better as the day went on, so it was a surprise to look out at ten to seven to see thick cloud. Maybe it would clear?

We got off to a slow start, taking our time over the first cup of coffee then mulling over our cereal before realising we had to be in Faversham by nine, less than 30 minutes time.

Runaround!

We loaded up the car, and took to the A2 where a ferry had just disgorged a load of cars and trucks, so once round the roundabout I put my foot down to get past most of them, then cruise along to Shepherdswell where the dual carriageway began, and so would be a clear run up to the motorway junction, then over that into Faversham. And as we drove further inland, the skies cleard some, so by the time we were through Canterbury there were almost clear blue skies.

Perfect.

We pick up my friend Mark at the Shell garage then take the Ashford road to Challock, then down to the site of the acid bog, where there is one of the few species of Kent orchids I had yet to see, the Heath Spotted. So, we park up and walk through some light woodland and onto another wonderful Kentish habitat: heathland, and on the side of that, the acid bog. And right away we could see the colourful spikes of the orchids.

Of course, for many people, a Heath Spotted will look very similar if not identical to a Common Spotted, and quite why it matters is something that I cannot answer. But in recent years, DNA testing has been carried out to confirm it is a different species, and one that likes thinks a little on the red side. There were hundreds of spikes, different sizes, different lip shapes, with dots, dashes. All wonderful, even if we did have to wait sometimes for the clouds to pass over so we could get the best shots.

One place has a low boardwalk over the wettest part of the bog, almost a pool, and in it are many fine and unusual Kentish plants, including sundews, a carnivorous plant; small but wonderful.

Further on there is another bog, so Mark and I go in, squelching our way to see the Southern Marsh, Southern Marsh that has mixed with the Heath Spotted. In the end, we gave up after getting some shots, but going was tough, and I had mud up my legs.

We walk back to the car, then take Mark home what with it being Father's Day, so we could then go to our next destination; Woolage. But the clouds were thicker again, and I realised that I had enough shots of the Birds Nests already, the last batch being the best I have yet snapped, so did not really need to go back.

So we drive on through Wingham to Sandwich then to Pegwell Bay to see the seaside Marsh Orchids. The site was cut back a couple of years ago, but is now grazed judging by the huge piles of cattle poo everywhere, but they seem to leave the orchids alone, and once we walked across the road, the cycle path and into the reserve, there are spikes everywhere. And as previously stated, these two species also interbreed and hybridise like mad, so there are a dazzling array of sizes, shapes and colours. I can't even begin to identify most of them, but there were great to see, with one of the spikes reaching 32 inches tall, whch beat last year's best by 5 full inches!

I am done, I could have go back to PGD or elsewhere, but I would just be repeating shots I already have. So we go back home via the pub! The Hare and Hound in Northboure has been taken over and now offers "Italian" tapas, which sounded good, not as good as they tasted: garlic and chili prawns, fried mash potato and tomato balls, saffron rice and pea balls, fried and calzone. We have two dishes each, then swap over, and it is perfect sitting in the beer garden. Nothing like being in one in the summer time, off the beaten track with just the sound of children playing and nature at work in the background.

We drove home, and sitting on the patio, we have an ice cream whilst cats weave in and out of our legs, trying to get us to feed them. THe sun was still shining, though a bit windy, but above us, crows were mobbing a Peregrine Falcon, an air display for just ourselves and above our garden.

I write blogs, edit shots, as the football has now reached the serious stage where there is just to be games at eight in the evening today and tomorrow, so we have to fill our empty days somehow. A huge bowl of stawberries, raspberries and blueberries smothered in cream, and scotch eggs for our tea. And just like the weekend is slipping through my fingers. Up at near dawn tomorrow for another run to Denmark.