Exploring out during exercise time pt.2

You may recall in early April we went back a bit to one of the core bits of this blogs history with some photography undertaken during lockdown and this is the continuation of it.

Beginning where we left off, the farmhouse grow a lovely cherry blossom during early May which added much colour and really cheered me up.

Other things also sprouted up perhaps aided by the much cleaner air, the only positive of this current emergency providing just what the insect life needed too.

Tying in more with Scouting, I explored a public right of way across a field I'd never been down before to be greeted with such great sights. 

In these last few days the views towards the ridges of North Staffordshire have been stunning and being able to talk at distance with people to enjoying it has been great.

Isolation has been the big negative of this time.

Crops need tending as these are as I actually saw the guy doing it from a distance even in these crazy times and not long after the garden centres reopened, something that was universally popular here as many of us love gardens as my late grandad did.

Exploring out during exercise time

Back to one of the origins of this blog this week, photography admittedly in the digital age and as one of things I have been doing to deal with the stresses of the current Coronavirus emergency is to go out for some exercise  although we are restricted presently.

Whatever else may be going on, as far as nature is concerned it is Spring and so the many daffodils have emerged and here is a group of them I spotted the other day.  

We are subject to limits, the exact distances not being defined but expected to be local to you so given I've cheated death twice and am vulnerable, I cross-crossed to stay in a figure the local constabulary would accept spotting these two lovely trees just on the border of the more built up urbanized area with less people about.
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I was able to get a terrific picture of this seventeenth century half timbered cottage that originally was split into three residences and sympathetically restored a few decades back complete with thatched roof, hidden amongst the post war sprawl

Farmhouses are to be found around the edges of North Staffordshire usually with some extensions and this is a local example with the original wooden windows in not those ghastly uPVC ones.

A field with saplings planted in it looking quite colourful nearby.

More things planted for later while a tractor was going around the more distant fields.

There we have a group of pictures taken out in grey shorts and socks no less while on a series of walks that hopefully are restful and helping deal with the stresses and strains of the current emergency.

A morning totally outdoors challenge

Following on a bit from last weeks posts I planned a morning to be totally out of doors after having my breakfast and gathering what I was likely to need with me together with my new coat (itself subject of an upcoming post).

One advantage of being where I am is it it is quite easy to get out on foot to open countryside and unmanaged  countryside at that so with that I started off walking from my house crossing a road to walk along a canal towpath  where I observed one horse in a field encountered a number of dog walkers and passed some moored narrowboats before descending into a deep valley that is the home to a kennels and upscale cattery.

I made a detour and stopped for a period alongside a small stream where the pipe of a former salt works used to be found but is now below ground is the actual works itself since sinking. 

Looking ahead there was a colourful spectacular vision of of a small plantation with crisp copper leaves upon a blue skyline which was most enchanting to observe. 

The route to and along is covered with trees and hedgerows so one often sees a variety of birds flying overhead before I got to the bottom of mainly unmade lane crossed into a road that leads to a vast mere and imposing property around of it with a large courtyard and clear views toward smallholdings just opposite where I decided to pause.

It was around here while watching the hedgerows I encountered a woman in car who inquired if I'd been looking for an injured pigeon as apparently she'd found it and taken it to be be rescued. Only here would you'd be approached by strangers like that AND feel comfortable with it.  

The land around here is very much sand based, there's no need to drill nor dig to see this as just looking at the  edges of the exposed soil reveals its tell tale orangery brown colour and so it was I stood enraptured watching finches and black birds flying before continuing on and turning into another road.

It was shortly after turning into to it that I observed the sight of one horse and two ponies flocking in the fall sun with the horse actually rolling on the ground and pulling himself up in almost upright position clearly enjoying it and the ponied chasing each other around  before starting to chase the horse.
It was so funny and at the same time interesting to observe first hand.

Just a little further down the road on the same side were a group of older horses although proceeding from here  I did have to be careful because the pavement stopped so you had to walk in the road with just narrow grassland strips either side to jump into to avoid any oncoming traffic.

Having successfully completed going down that road I was at the crossroads where I encountered a horse rider two dog walkers  and a some walkers with a matter of minutes by this well known public house.
I remember it very well as I lived a matter of a few hundred yards the opposite way in my earlier years where we could see it from the tree lined pavement we played on and crossing the road, I could see the farm where occasionally we'd catch a lift with the farmer  and his children a boy and a girl, Deborah, the latter being in my class in a Landrover vehicle  that smelt of farm!!!

Walking along the road was in many ways a walk in the past because that was a part of the walk to school we had before moving so I passed the cottage where a school friend of my younger brother lived and where we'd have what today are called 'play dates' plus the Nursery we'd get what nowadays are called organic vegetables were grown and bought from. 
The whole area has not change much in years  to be honest beyond a patch near the urban sprawl of the neighbouring town linked to the nine by seventeen miles of the subregion which is a near miracle in today's environment.

Having stopped and reflected upon how what I saw was so much of my own past I turned toward a path before a smallholding often used for horse grazing is and sat on a gate enjoying the fall sun talking with people.

Slowly making my way back I paused first to observe a group of horses in a field playing  and the on the opposite side coming into view were two swans swimming in a pool with other birds flying around.

I then noticed the equestrian centre  with it's horses some of which were being taken through their paces  and in a another field another horse  which I also noticed oddly enough a orangy and white coloured cat  in the undergrowth which I was not expecting at all. 

The thing I would say about the whole experience was being alert to and being engaged with the lore and the way of nature allowing oneself to be absorbed in what is going on, taking an active interest it.
It invoked something of the explorer feel learning about nature, being able to identify different species and take care of myself while out.
In many ways it has and had many of the things within scouting that I had missed on so while it was physically tiring for me I just felt so alive for having been out and achieving it leaving me feeling great about myself. 
Being challenged is really what I need.