Saturday 24 July 2010

Are you coming on a walk with us?










We have not had a walk lately on a Saturday have we? So put on your walking boots, get out your walking stick, pick up your camera and let's be off. If you want to bring your dog feel free - Tess always likes a bit of company.
I think we will cut across the fields and on to Mill Lane and into the village. The weather is warm and rather sultry and the lane is quite dry underfoot. But first we have to walk down to where the cows are making their way back to the milking parlour. The farmer leaves all the gates open and at around two o'clock they all begin to wander back. They're sensible girls and take very little notice of Tess and I as we weave our way through them. (The breed is Holstein).
We pass a little owl - a young one judging from the way it flutters into the hedge and has a job to find its footing. The little owl is diurnal and we have quite a lot of them about, but it is good to see a baby.
As we reach the beck Mrs Mallard with three rapidly growing babies paddles hurriedly by, intent on reaching the safety of the little bridge, where she can hide until we have gone away. Two of the babies are brown like her and one is almost all yellow with bits of brown here and there - but then there are a few white drakes about so maybe that accounts for it.
At this time of the year the beck is full of water crowfoot which looks very pretty but which, I am sure, impedes the progress of the duck family as they hurry away. The bright yellow mimulus grows in clumps along the waterside, as does the giant willow herb, so there is plenty of cover for the ducks.
In the hedgeback the thistles thrive (one year's seed equals seven year's weed!) ensuring a good crop of thistles again next year.
Here and there remnants of cranesbill remain although they are rapidly going to seed. In the hedgerow the hawthorn berries are beginning to turn red and the crab apples are bright and shiny.
We reach the lane and make our way along the beck side, a route which is at least a thousand years old and trodden by the Cistercian monks from nearby Jervaulx Abbey, who owned and farmed this land in the Middle Ages. I never walk it without thinking of its antiquity.
Dominic lives on the side of the beck and we call, but they are not at home. I leave a jar of freshly made raspberry jam on the doorstep and take a sneaky photograph of their garden, which is looking particularly nice today.
Walking the mile or so back home Tess and I are both a bit foot-weary, but we have enjoyed the walk - I do hope you have too. Now we are back home I shall put the kettle on - would you like to stay for a cup of tea? The farmer has just gone to pick the next lot of raspberries (we are inundated), so have a bowl of those with some of our local ice cream if you feel like it. See you again tomorrow.

20 comments:

The Solitary Walker said...

Thanks for the cuppa, Pat! And those raspberries were absolutely delicious. I'm being cheeky, but since you have a glut, can I take some home with me?

Caroline Gill said...

Just off for my mug of Earl Grey: oh to have some of your raspberries with it! I don't even have a slice of lemon to hand... but perhaps I'll find a slice of choc. cake in the cupboard instead!

Your post brought back so many memories of our Masham holidays. Thank you.

alexis nicole said...

Oh, I so enjoyed our walk. You know, it sounds like you live in an absolutly AMAZING area. 1,000 years...my mind can hardly wrap around this. To think about the people who walked, just as you do now. Very interesting.
Your pictures were beautiful and I loved the one of the Cow, Moo!

mrsnesbitt said...

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Raspberries - love them! My mum use to always buy vieneese whirls. Had some reduced in co-op I added some fresh strawberries and raspberries to them - out of this world!

Pondside said...

I loved that walk, Weaver - I'm always up for a walk and yours are some of the best. You stop to look at all the things that really interest me.

Helen said...

Walking with you this morning? The perfect way to begin my day!!!

annie said...

I loved our walk, too. While our daughter was tiny we lived with her grandpa and had Angus and Holstein cows. When we visited a neighbor who had a black and white puss, our little daughter told her, "I like your Holstein cat."

annie

ChrisJ said...

Enjoyed our walk enormously. Glad you name all the flowers. I remember most of them. Tea sounds good.My husband and I were converted to coffee during college days but the last few years have reverted to tea again -- especially mid afternoon - but minus the scones and cream I'm sorry to say.

Heather said...

What a lovely walk Pat, and that little beck beside the path is so pretty. How marvellous to be inundated with raspberries - my favourite soft fruit. Good job they freeze well. I'm sure we'd all love to stay for a cuppa, but will you fit us all in?!

angryparsnip said...

What a wonderful idea for a post... Your area is so lushly soft green and I loved the picture of the cow !
The just picked raspberries sounded rather fabulous.

cheers, parsnip

Jenn Jilks said...

Beautiful walk! We are house hunting, and think we found one...

Titus said...

I raced a bit to get to the raspberries and ice cream, I'm afraid.
Lovely post!

George said...

Thanks, Pat. I've been missing England since completing my coast to coast walk, and it was refreshing to share this walk with you today. What does a guy have to do to get some of that homemade raspberry jam. I'm prepared to return to your country if necessary.

Totalfeckineejit said...

Utterly charming.

CHummelKornell said...

Lovely pictures of a wonderful time of year. Thanks for taking me along on your lovely stroll. It was great fun!

Acornmoon said...

Fabulous walk Celia, especially the sighting of the Little Owl.

I'll have a cuppa with you and Ted would like some water please, thirsty work this walking business.

Rachel Fox said...

Lots of raspberries here too. Mum planted a couple of plants last year and we are enjoying the fruit of her labour this summer.
x

Crafty Green Poet said...

oh lovely to share that walk with you, Pat and the cuppa. Raspberries too, I might pick some tomorrow, there's a lot about at the moment

Unknown said...

Hello Weaver,

I'm jealous of Dominic getting the raspberry jam! I'm sure many of the footpaths across Britain have ancient tales to tell and it's nice that you think of the monks. Love the cranesbill!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Glad to have you all on the walk and yes, there would be more than enough raspberries to go round, we are inundated with them. Wish you could really pop in, in the flesh so to speak, rather than in the cyber world.