Monday 31st May 2021

Last day of May.

Last day of holibobs.

Bank Holiday (UK).

Endless sunshine and light winds forecast. On a bank holiday, are you sure?

Yes.

And so the weather goes from too cool to too hot in 24 hours. And if we were to do anything, we had to do it before it got too hot, and as my plan was to climb Temple Ewell Down into Lydden nature reserve, it would be hot and sweaty walking.

But there would be the chance of a rare orchid or two at the end, if I was lucky. Or butterflies anywhere along the route.

I charged my camera batteries and formatted the memory card, and was ready. I even remembered to take a bottle of squash so we could rehydrate once back at the car. Just about remembered everything.

We had a coffee and the remaining crossants, washed up and were ready for the off.

A quick drive down Whitfield Hill, along to the old George and Dragon, get the camera out and tighten our belts and set off up the steps into the woods.

Despite being a nature reserve, it is also a dog's recreation area too, so watching where we step, we make our way across the meadow and up to the style leading to the upper paddocks, with views down to Temple Ewell, we stomp up the first paddock, through the gate and passed the area where in a couple of moths we will be looking for Silver Spotted Skippers and ALTs, but for now, I chase a few flighty Common Blues as we carry on walking up.

Across the second paddock, there is then the deceptive bit where the path dips downhill, before rising slightly before finally dropping into Lydden. It has been hard, but the worst is now over, and for a while, downhill, and then that last climb. The ground fall away, and we follow the rambling path down the down, dropping to the small gate marking the beginning of the reserve. Just before it, I check for Early Spider spikes, and we find a few now drying well in the sun, but two still in flower, amazingly, and would be in good shape into June, which is remarkable.

I take shots of two, then we press on.

I also snap butterflies; a fine Brown Argus and a Wall Brown more intent on getting nectar then flying, resting, flying, resting and so on and on.

We walk on, reaching the bottom of the down, then back up, and into the Burnt Tip area. Or where I hoped one or more spikes would be.

But I knew there was little chance, but the season is late, it could still happen. I took half an hour walking up and down, back and forth, and find nothing, except every pink version of Common Milkwort, which at a distance could be a spike of an emerging Burnt Tip. But isn't.

Sigh.

And just round the side of the down, the 20 or so Bee Orchids are not in flower either. Though close. Very close. And one is going to be huge.

It is then time for the long walk back up the down, which is never as bad as the walk the other way for some reason. I do stop to chase or watch a restless butterfly or two, but don't get close to snapping one.

A few dogwalkers and their rampant hounds cause my anger to rise. I mean this is a nature reserve, there are parks and other areas to exercise dogs, but they come up here, so no birds can nest in the grass. Two dogs are tearing round barking and making a heck of a noise.

We walk round them, looking for roosting or resting butterflies, but find none.

From there it is a short walk down the steep foot of the down back into the wood and down to the car park. It was full now, but we were done.

We drive home, just as traffic for the coast was building, arriving back at home just after eleven. I make lunch, breaded lemon herby chicken, though bought from Tesco, salad and some bread. As dinner, supper was to be apple crumble and custard, that might have been a mistake.

Anyway, after eating, Jools loads the car to take some stuff to the tip, and I settle down to watch the final play off game, the League 2 game between Morcombe and Newport. It was a poor game, full of nerves and not much skill, Morcombe wining it thanks to a disputed penalty.

It was too warm, really, for crumble and custard, but we had defrosted the fruit and the custard needed using up.

We ended up stuffed, having scoffed the lot, we lay liked beached wales for the evening, listening to the radio, now that the footy season has finished. But, fear not, international friendlies begin on Tuesday in preparation for the delayed Euros, so football on and off into July I think. I see it begins on June !1th and ends on July 11th!