Saturday 22nd July 2023

Its the weekend again, and with the orchid season racing towards its finale, it was time to go to Maidstone to see the BLH there, as I had received reports that the site is recovering well after a few fallow years from site clearance.

Needless to say, we went to Tesco, having to check the traffic radar both there and back, as school holidays have begin, and this was going to be the busiest day of the year.

It was fine going to Tesco, and half an hour later, we also got back without trouble, but by quarter to nine, Jubilee Way was jammed halfway down, so we went via the town through Castle Street, where we only just got to the London-bound carriageway of the A20.

But from there it was easy going. Though Operation Brock is back in place to keep queuing lorries and trucks from Dover, getting them to wait in line on half the motorway. All in all there must have been ten miles of queues before Ashford heading to the port, then all of the A20 from The Roundhill Tunnels was closed too because of waiting traffic.

Getting back would be a challenge.

But first there was the orchids.

We waited at Jade's Crossing for the others to arrive, just tree this time, but that's fine.

We set off up the lane and into the reserve, along the path beside the meadow, where we found no plants.

But inside it was a different matter, spikes everywhere, including a very small but pale one that Jools found.

Noice.

We walked to the lone tree which once again was surrounded by dozens of spikes, many quite dark.

Finally, from the lower path we spotted some large clumps of dark BLH, so we went back in, and strode through vegetation that came up to my shoulders in some places. Round some scrub to where the orchids were, and were just about worth the effort.

One last thing to see were the Yellow Birsdnest in another part of the reserve, just four small spikes seen, but better than last year when the drought meant they failed here and at Barham.

We bid the others goodbye, and from there it was a short drive to Bredhurst where there was a church I had yet to snap.

Luckily for me, it was open and preparing for a wedding, meaning I rattled around and got my shots in ten minutes, not as good as I wanted, but it'll do for now.

I had seen the pub on the way to the church, so we stopped. They were only serving bookings, odd as they seemed to have close to 200 tables and hardly anyone yet sitting down to eat. Maybe the wedding receptions was to be here?

So we left, and decided to stop at the services on the motorway for Burger King. Just as well we did, as I found the motoway was closed just beyond the next junction, so once we had eater our whoppers, we drove back down the A249, past the orchid site agan, and onto the M20 to the coast.

But our troubles were not over. The A20 from Folkestone was closed, Jubilee Way was closed, so it took some creative directions from Jools to get us home.

We turned off at the Channel Tunnel, but took the slip road out onto the M20, then up the Elham Valley road, before cutting across the down via Acrise and Swingfield.

Once in Dover, up to the Castle, then along Reach Road on the cliff road back to St Maggies, and back in time to see the last 100km of Le Tour.

I sat with Scully to watch, Jools made brews and we could relax.

The Tour was magnificent again, and more thrilling than we deserved.

Just the last day left now, tour round Paris and the sprint to find out who will win the very last stage. We already know who had won, Vingegaard has over seven minutes of a lead.

We had dinner of pizza and beer, all the while to a funk and soul soundtrack from Craig. Meanwhile, outside, the wind picked up and built itself into another unseanal gale, with winds in excess of 50mph.

With the wind howling, it sounded like winter, but was still warm and humid insode Chez Jelltex.