Saturday 26th March 2022

A few years back, orchids were discovered in Dorset in March.

March sounds and mostly feels like winter, but some years it can be warm.

Last week, a friend found a single open flower at Ranscombe Farm in north Kent. And I wanted to find one open this weekend in east Kent, just to say I have seen an orchid in flower in March. As next week I fly out on Saturday, time is almost up.

Even still, there are only so many sites you can get round in a day. We did Earley Wood on Friday, and with some of the spikes at Yocklett's looking plump and juicy, I thought that would be good, and maybe one of the quieter corners of Denge Wood might be good.

I meaaged the to moderators of the orchid group, Terry said he'd come along, and as that was the case, Jools said she would stay home to do some gardening.

We had to do shopping of course, and this is the last day before BST starts, so in a way, the final day of winter time.

Would I find an orchid?

Tesco was very quiet, and there was many gaps on the shelves this week. Yogurts seemed hard hit, and in other aisles, just enough goods to have one row making the shelves look fuller than they are. But we were able to get what we wanted, although it is getting really quite expensive. Five bags of shopping, we pay and load the car before driving home.

Back here we have fruit, nuts and ygurt and another brew. I don't have to be out before nine, so half an hour before I go we have second breakfasts of bacon butties and mugs of hot tea sitting on the pation in the warm sunshine.

Time to go out.

I take a camera, a water bottle and myself, load the car and set off to Yocklett's, taking the back road alng the Alkham Valley to Folkestone, then joining the motorway there.

The sun is high in a cloudless sky, there are orchid sites to explore, it was the start of a fine day out.

I take the narrow lane down through the reserve, and at the bottom Terry had just arrived. We shake hands, as we can now, and set off along the lane, me pointing out some of the flowers that we see on the chalk bank: Greater Stitchwort, Yellow Archangel, Hedge Garlic and Green Alkanet to start with.

Its a climb up the hill, but we do fine, then into the reserve and up the track looking for orchid rosettes. We easily find Lady and Greater Butterfly rosettes, but no Herb Paris to be seen yet, they must be close. I also find a Lords and Lady about to open its unusual flower.

I snap that too.

At the top meadow there's a lady with two collies, God knows why people feel the need to exercise their dogs in a nature reserve. But she was nice enough, asking lots of questions about orchids, and me giving her the answers.

We walk on, looking for Fly Orchid rosettes to show the lady, but I find none, so Terry and I walk on into the wood, and there in front of us was a single Early Purple with two flowers open.

It looked perfect.

It was.

So, here it was, the March Orchid.

We took shots, before walking on, finding dozens more rosettes, though no others were in flower.

At the bottom of the hill, lots of Lady rosettes, and on the other side of the road, Fly Orchids pretty close to flowering. Terry asked shen I thought they might open. I mean, how long's a piece of string? It could be this week, could be in a month, depends on the weather, of course.

We walk to the lower meadow, check the three sheets of metal to see of adders or sloe worms were under them. We found just two startled mice, who scuttled off.

So, we walked back to the car, and drive in convoy along the valley to Petham, then up through the trees to the parking area in Denge Wood.

It was gone midday, and mighty war, even in March, so we hoisted our cameras and set off down the logging track to Bonsai where I hope to find more orchids in flower.

Which in the end, we didn't, and areas of the site are almost orchid-free, but then is still early in the season.

We do see many butterflies, the last Comma I do manage to get close enough to get a shot.

Close, but no orchids.

We had already done 12,000 steps, and we had the long walk back to the car, so set off into the afternoon sunshine.

We arrived back at the car, 15k steps done, and all hot and bothered. I drink the bottle of water I have with me, say goodbye to Terry who has to head back to north Kent and hs family. And for me, the drive back to Dover, back through Bridge onto the A2.

I had an idea to stop at Coldred for a pint in the Carpenter's Arms, but I found out it opened at five, so drove on to Eyethorne and via the back lanes through West and East Langdon back home.

It was half four.

Phew.

After a strong brew, I made dinner: chorizo hash, which I munch through with the help of a small bottle of La Chouffe.

That was one of them good days. And there was Craig on te wireless playing funk and soul, and England v Switzerland on the tellybox.

A fine evening.