Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee,
Whether summer clothe the general earth
With greeness, or the redbreast sit and sing
Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch
Of mossy apple-tree, while the nigh thatch
Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall
Heard only in the trances of the blast,
Or if the secret ministry of frost
Shall hang them up in silent icicles,
Quietly shining to the quiet Moon.



Monday, August 13, 2007

Summer Afternoon




The weather has finally been warm and sunny during the last week or so and Mr Baggins and I have enjoyed some pleasant walks. I realised when I looked at the photos from this particular outing up the Limb valley that he doesn't appear on a single one of them, most of the time he was out of sight. I can't leave him out altogether as it was really his walk so the photo above was taken on another walk in the same place.


I thought this made a really attractive picture. I'm not sure what the plant is, though it's one of the huge parsley family - I suspect it may be ground elder, should have looked more closely at it, didn't think at the time!


A Comma butterfly (I think) on the bracken, it was there only for a moment or two so I only had the one chance at photographing it. It has the ragged edge to its wings that a Comma has but it's much paler - I'm hopeless at butterfly identification so I could well be wrong about it.


A wooden bridge over one of the many little moorland streams.


The aforementioned stream.


The rowanberries are already ripe, they are always the first berries to colour and signal that autumn is just around the corner.


Eventually the woodland ends and opens out into fields, Mr Baggins is always on a lead at this point until I've checked whether there are sheep grazing up there. He's a sheep chaser unfortunately so I have to be really careful. All was well though so he was allowed off to run again and I discovered this lovely patch of harebells just over a style. The photograph doesn't do them justice, it has faded the colour which is actually a beautiful sky blue. This is one of my favourite wildflowers



Another wild flower that was plentiful was yarrow, a wild herb with great healing properties. It is said that Achilles used it to staunch the wounds of his warriors afetr the Battle of Troy hence its Latin name of achillea. It was used by the Anglo Saxons for the same purpose. Here it has a more peaceful role as a supply of nectar for a Gatekeeper butterfly and its companion. You will probably need to click on the photo to spot it.


This is a lovely walk to do on a really hot day as much of it is in the dappled shade of the beech trees. It takes us about two and a half hours at a fairly leisurely pace to walk up to the fields at Ringinglow and then back down to Whirlow again. The name Ringinglow indicates that this was originally the site of a burial mound.

32 comments:

Rosie said...

what wonderful photos - you are so lucky to live near such beautiful, peaceful countryside. Thanks for visiting my blog and I will certainly be popping back here again to read some more.

PAT said...

Rowan, I enjoyed this post so much! The photos are wonderful and I always love reading what you write!

The photos of Gabriel and Kaitlyn are priceless!

The gooseberry pie looks delicious and I like how you used the leftover pastry.

Hereford calves are so sweet. We had a mixed herd at the farm. We loved it when the calves were born. They are so cute! Hereford calves are my favorite.

Pat

sheila from life @ #17 said...

How did you know? I did have to enlarge your photo to see whoever it was with Mr/Mrs. Butterfly, LOL :)

and thanks especially for the hare bells photograph :) I've read of hare bells, but never ever seenhare bells...so that is quite a treat :)

Janet said...

I love taking these walks with you! Your part of the world is so beautiful, seems so peaceful and comforting. The photos are, as always, just wonderful. I did spot the butterfly's companion!! I can see that you and Mr Baggins had a fun walk.

smilnsigh said...

Such a beautiful place to be able to walk!

Your second photo, of the big white lacy flowers... They look like what I call 'Queen Ann's Lace' or 'Bishop's Weed.'

Mari-Nanci

OhSoVintage said...

What a lovely walk, it looks so peaceful and shady. I only know the plant as Cow Parsley. You do take some lovely photos too.

Ragged Roses said...

What a beautiful walk Rowan. I went on a very similar one last week with my daughters. Harebells are some of my favourite wildflowers there are masses of them on the Downs at the moment, a few weeks ago there were lots of wild scabious too which are equally as pretty. Let's hope the weather continues for a while longer for us to enjoy our walks!
Ki mx

Shropshire Girl said...

Harebells must be one of my favourite flowers as well, they seem so fragile. I noticed whilst whinberry picking last week that the Harebells seemed to be doing particularly well this year.

I have awarded you the Nice Matters Award for having such an interesting blog, and having the patience to share your knowledge with us. Thank you.

Sandra.x.

Rhonda Jean said...

What a lovely area you live in. It looks like a very nice walk.

Thank you for visiting my blog and adding your comment. I appreciate it. : )

smilnsigh said...

I'm sorry that you too have back problems. But you understand how we can sometimes do unwise things, and aggravate our problem. -sigh-

Oh it's so nice to hear that you understand my need for orderliness and etc. I agree, I can't relax in the middle of chaos. Or even in the middle of some stuff, out of it's place. :-)

Mari-Nanci

Amy said...

It looks so scenic and peaceful there, lovely photos!

Mary said...

Rowan, I would have loved to have been along on that walk - English countryside is hard to beat!

That tall white flower looks like Queen Anne's Lace (Wild Carrot) - I often cut it along the roadside in Summer - put a bunch in a big white vase and sit it on my front porch - it's really pretty.

Julie said...

Love your nature photos. We actually have harebells and yarrow here too.

Love your dog's name too!

Julie

Miss Robyn said...

what a gorgeous, gorgeous place, Rowan! how blessed you are to be able to walk there. it looks like 'home' to me. Funny how you mention yarrow - I have just posted about it on the Croning blog..
will reply to your email later tonight xo

rel said...

Rowan,
You're walk with Mr. Baggins through the wooded byways was just the ticket to help me envision Susan and Colin trapesing in and around Alderly Edge. The butterflies and friends are easy to imagine as elfs and dwarfs. Perhaps one of those plants is "The Mothan."
rel

Sophie Honeysuckle said...

Love the photo of Mr Baggins!!

Anonymous said...

Your plant, the tall one, is angelica! We have quite a bit growing around our local NT property, and it's wonderful stuff. All the butterflies and hoverflies love umbelliferous plants. You can apparently eat achillea too (the leaves), it's supposed to be a tad bitter, but a suitable 'green' to eat when pushed. At least Richard Mabey thought so!

As for the butterfly there is a fantastic website with forum who'll be able to tell you what it is if you can't find it. So far this year we've just had a small copper, meadow brown, tortoiseshell and peacock - I love butterflies!

Jenny said...

What beautiful pictures you took on your walk- it's almost like I was there! I love the one of the beech trees- it looked like something right out of King Arthur to me.

Gill said...

You and Mr.B.Baggins sure take some beautiful scenic walks, Rowan.
I love that England has such wonderful trees, plants and history! A burial mound? Amazing.
It is nice that you are able to identify the insects too...smart lady! Taking a walk with you would be informative and good exercise. Great photos.
xoxo
Blue

Kelli said...

What a beautiful place for a walk, Rowan! It looks so calm and peaceful. I especially love the little bridge and the butterfly pictures.
Kelli

Anonymous said...

Hi Rowan,
I loved 'walking' with you and baggins! Your photography is very clear.
The tall plant, was it very tall? over 4ft high? If it is growing in damp places, it might be Hogweed and the Giant Hogweed is poisonous and can cause skin rashes if in touch with your skin. The plant is not so delicate as the Queen Annes' Lace. I'll just look and see if I still have the the web address for plant Identification for you and post it if I have.

Thank you for a lovely blog site!
Blessings, Sandie (Sandie's Patch)

Anonymous said...

By the way, the other low growing shrub,similar to the bilberry, was it high up on the hullside? It might be the cloudberry.I used to pick both the billberry and cloudberries up on the Roaches in Staffordshire, in those days you might also see a Wallaby, beleive it or not!!! (Nothing to do with having drunk any alcohol or partaking of hallucinogenic substances LOL!) Something do do with them escaping from a private collection or zoo or something, not sure of the century it happened but, they bred quite happily for some years. I remember nearly falling down (?Hen hill) with shock and my then boyfriends father catching me, then telling me the story. He live in LEEK in Staffs at the time.

Sheila said...

I always enjoy my virtual walks with you and Mr Baggins. You live amidst some lovely countryside.
Like Gill said, we would get fit and be educated at the same time!

ancient one said...

Loved walking along with you. Your pictures are beautiful!

Pear tree cottage! said...

How beautiful this was to take a walk with you and to stop awhile to admire a plant or two or many! :)

I was looking at your second plant and I think it looks like wild fennel but I am sure I would be wrong as I am never good with plants but what did it smell like? I could tell then.

You have a lovely Wednesday it was so lovely here in Australia so we sent it on to you.

Lee-ann

Lynda (Granny K) said...

I've never seen the Wallabies on the Roaches, but I believe it to be true (either that or they are giant mice! LOL!)
Love the butterfly pics, Rowan.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful nature......I can never have enough.

Linda G. said...

Lovely walk through the woods!
The little wooden bridge over the trickling stream is enchantment itself.... We have white yarrow growing wild here too. I once read that it was introduced as a medicinal herb by colonists and rapidly spread across North America.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for letting me tag along on your walk, Rowan! It looks so beautiful! You would indeed enjoy the gardens at the RBG although I'm sure you have gorgeous ones where you are as well! ♥

Anonymous said...

Oh, I wish I had a place like that right outside my place to walk. You and Mr. Baggins are very lucky. Thank you for sharing with us, I feel much cooler now. We were 40.5C today. . .

meggie said...

Another beautiful post Rowan. Love all your peaceful pics! And my favourites are the ones with a track leading to...?

FrenchGardenHouse said...

Rowan,

I entered your name in the give away!

Thank you for this post, I enjoyed it so much!! The top picture, that is my idea of heaven on earth.

Thanks, I love the places I get to see with you.
Lidy