Saturday 17th April 2021

If you would have told me a week ago that I would be planning a whole day out, walking and orchiding I would not have believed it. The got seemed never ending, and I was just happy to get some sleep most nights.

But four days on pills and potions and I felt well enough to go out, and even me driving.

The plan was to go to Yocklett's wander round there, then maybe head to Bonsai for a walk to hunt for a new plant; wood sorel. A frend had provideda grid reference, I had studied Google Earth, it seemed I knew where we would have to go, but it would be a hike.

So, after breakfast of coffee and croissants and then a quick shower, and we were ready to go.

I load the camera with the camera, new lens and ring flash, and off we went, driving out to Dover, then along the A20 and up to Folkestone and the start of the motorway beofre taking the Hythe exist and heading inland up the old Roman Road of Stone Street.

We turned off Stone Street, down the narrow lane, than down the even narrower lane leading to the small parking spot. And we were the first to arrive, so it was all ours.

It was just after nine, and there was a heavy dew and was noe too warm either, so I had my old jcket on, festooned as it is with orchid badges.

I take out the camera and lens, put on the ring flash, and walk up the footpath to the main reserve.

Along both sides were rosettes of Twayblades and bluebells, also Coockoo Plants and lots of Wood SPurge. I photograph them just to make sure.

Up the slope, and after some searching we find two Early Purples just in flower, each had a single flower open, it counts but was expecting many more to be in flower by this the thrid week in April.

We pause at the top meadow to look out along the valley, and hope to see butterflies on the wing, but it was still cold, even in the sunshine, so none were seen, and we didn't see any until well into the afternoon.

Down through the woods, checking on the Fly Orchids, some on the brink of flowering, but none actually in bloom.

Across the road and I lay down to take shots of the townhall clock flowers, apparently no bigger than the head of a pin, or so it seems, so easy to miss, and so hard to snap. Doesn't stop me trying, of course.

We take the same route each visit, so now it was up the narrow path, leading through the trees and with orchid rosettes on both sides. Further on there was Herb Paris and several Greater Butterfly rosettes to be seen, I snap them both. Before taking the last steep climb to the top meadow, I had hoped a couple of the Lady Orchids might have had a spike showing, but none were seen.

We pause again, to take in the morning, the light, the sounds and smells of spring. We breathe it deeply in, better than any medicine.

We walk through the bluebells wood, not as advanced here as at Earley Wood, but there is a blue sheen to the woodland floor. Back down to the bottom path, where many Lady spikes can be seen getting ready to flower. Its going to be a good year for them here.

We walk back to the car, see no butterflies nor anythng of interest above what we had seen earlier.

Once back in the car, we drive back to Stone Street and go back towards Hythe to the garage for supplies: samosas, pork pies, chocolate and a drink. All food groups, before driving to Petham to the nursery to buy some flowers for the garden, and to have our little picnic. From there it was a short drive through the picturesque village of Petham, then past Earley Wod to Denge Wood, parking as usual on Pennypot Lane.

The route was as before to Bonsai, but then take the lower track towards the Warren, a route we have never taken before. We were both feeling the miles we had done, but we walk on, along the woodland track with plants on both sides are growing quickly, though nothing in flower.

We take the new track, leading along a trail used by loggers, and it was here we saw the first of the butterflies, a few Peacocks basking on the trone track, all fly off as I approach.

The route should have taken us to a large clearing, with a single large tree in the middle, and from there we take the left hand track up the hill, but on the ground, one clearing looks like another and after a couple of false turns and more steps taken, we reach a large area of heath, and I knew we were nearly there.

We reach a bench, and turn up a track, looking for the distinctive shaped leaves, so distinctive its where the idea of the "lucky" clover came from. And it is a fine herb to, as we were to find out.

But after looking and looking, even splitting up, we find no trace. Until I was coming back down the woodland path, and I see an unusual leaf, look closer and there are the sorel, and the fully open clover-shaped leaves.

Bingo.

I walk down, clutching a leaf to show Jools, only to find that where we was sitting on a bback was more and more sorel.

We try a leaf each: a hint of watercress to begin with, then a big hit of sweet lemon follows. Wonderful.

It was a long walk back to the car. Our feet were sore, my toe was throbbing, and Jools' fitbit told us we had done 12,000 steps already. We took rests on the woodpiles we came to, getting closer and closer to the car.

We get back at four, some hour and a half after the end of the early games, and maybe Norwich were already promoted, of Swansea and Brentofrd failed to win.

We tried to find out on the mobile, but there was no signal, and the phone battery was nearly flat.

Once through Petham, Jools got a signal and via the BBC website she readd out: Norwich City promoted back to the Premier League as the chasing teams fail to win.

Job done.

We had also walked 16,000 steps.

Phew.

We drove back to Bridge, then onto the A2 and from there back home, getting back at half four, knackered.

What's for dinner, asked Jools.

Pizza.

I fire up the ovens and pop a pizza in each, and in ten minutes we had our dinner.

The FA Cup semi-final played quietly in the background as we ate, and I prepared for the big game at eight, Norwich v Bournemouth.

City were out of the blocks like a machine, going 1-0 up inside ten minutes, but a rash challenge brought a red card, and City spent the rest of the game defending. They held out to half time, but Bournemouth socred three in the second, and that was that.

Still promotes