07/10/23 – October Egrets

I follow the tow path down, past the boats and the houses, to where the canal widens, stone sides dropping away into open banks and keep walking, greenery either side of me. I catch a glimpse of something white in the shrubbery, turn and see a little egret perched on a branch. There is aContinue reading “07/10/23 – October Egrets”

22/09/23 – A big cygnet and a windy canal

Went for a windy walk before work. The canal has changed since I was last here, when it was still early summer and the brambles were full of fat ripe blackberries. Now the few berries left are mostly shriveled, but there are still a few pink flowers of Himalayan balsam tangled on the banks. IContinue reading “22/09/23 – A big cygnet and a windy canal”

24/07/23 – Late sun, long grass and an alarmed wren

It was the end of the day, the end of the weekend and I was exhausted by life admin when I dragged myself out for a walk. I walked past the patch of heathland where cars always linger, past the tangled bracken and high nettles. I slipped through a break in the woods, off theContinue reading “24/07/23 – Late sun, long grass and an alarmed wren”

16/07/23 – Strong winds beside the sea

Yesterday it was so windy it was an effort to walk into the face of it, but we pushed on. We were on the edge of the ocean, a raised path between the fields and the heaving blue sea. The long grass, the green leaved crops, the yellowed fields all whipped in the wind, constantlyContinue reading “16/07/23 – Strong winds beside the sea”

03/07/23 – Old Roman walls and neck high nettles

At the weekend we went to the old Roman town of Silchester. From the car park, the path followed the edge of a field, where circular bales of hay stood proud on the fresh shorn grass, now yellow from the sun. Through a couple of gates we turned right, following the bridleway where it dippedContinue reading “03/07/23 – Old Roman walls and neck high nettles”

07/05/23 – Suburban streets after rain

Went for a slow walk around the block after the rain. Everything was damp, awake, and I noticed the petals on the cherry blossom had fallen, leaving behind pink clustered stalks, like the fraying edge of cut silk. The low clouds above were reflected in shallow puddles and we came to a patch of bluebells,Continue reading “07/05/23 – Suburban streets after rain”