Simple pleasures

One of my favourite walks is on Stinchcombe Common.  The views are wonderful, and I love to watch the countryside changing through the year.  Right now summer is in full throttle everywhere.

There were dozens of these moths (cinnabar moths?) on the many scabious flowers along the path.

It reminded me of a line from Mick Inkpen's "One year with Kipper", "... Kipper lay on his back and watched as little things with legs and wings climbed the spindly grasses and whizzed into the big, blue sky.  There are a lot more little things with legs and wings than you would think, thought Kipper".

The walk is around the edge of the high common area, the middle being taken up with a golf course.  The boys like to hunt for lost golf balls.  Other half likes to check out people's swings.  I like the views and looking for the elusive skylarks that you can hear overhead.

It's not too long a walk, even for little legs, with plenty of things to keep them going - bits of woodland, different views from different spots, the odd bench for eating cookies, golfers to watch, a little hut to hide in and nature everywhere.  Also lots of exciting slopes for scrambling up and down.

The woods are mossy and cool, even on warm summer days.  I found this early sycamore key lying in a patch of sun on this beautiful tree root.  I do so love the little details.

Halfway through the walk a corner is turned and a new view opens up, that of the Severn estuary, the river that is never far away.

I've done this walk in all of the seasons, but summer has to be my favourite.  Or maybe that's because summer is right now, I'm not sure.  Whichever it is, I love it here, in the beautiful English countryside, with the pulse of nature everywhere.  The best tonic for whatever ails.