Sumer is icumen in
Summer is a coming in. Today made me realise that more than anything and being a lover of folk music I thought that this particular song was very relevant for today. I have taken deep joy in it.
We have had a lovely walk with Missy this morning in the beautiful traditional British countryside. Proper summer is not far off. There are still special places that exist. Peterborough is known as a Green City and there has been a lot if investment but you do not have to go far to reach the rich countryside bordering on the ever growing City.
We went somewhere different this morning and to a place for which we have not been for about 20 years despite it only being a couple of miles up the road. A couple of proper villages. I would love to live there it is gorgeous but you also need a deep wallet to do so. Castor and Ailsworth villages are really lovely.
I like Longthorpe village which is just up the road from us and there is the Medieval Longthorpe Tower. There is something of the history of the Tower here https://www.englishheritage.org.uk/visit/places/longthorpe-tower/history/
and some photos here
https://vivacity.org/vivacity-venues/longthorpe-tower/
When the children were at home we used to take them on different walks down by the river and even on "sheep dagging" exercise for the purpose of feeding our garden plants.
However, today we went to a place a little further up that I had not been to before. We went to Castor Backwater walking along little tiny lanes; traversing the railway line walking through water meadows full of wildflowers clover buttercups birds foot trefoil egg and bacon cowslips and cow parsley. There were also mademoiselle and demoiselle insects (similar to a dragonfly except they have two wings rather than four) not long hatched with their beautiful blue and green iridescent colours.
I think it was the railway bit that brought back the strongest earliest memories of the first home I remember the lodge cottage at Gunthorpe Hall near Oakham, Rutland and of happy days running free and blackberrying. I make no apology for the fact that I am a country bumpkin and a cottage kid probably that is why I love our natural flora and fauna so much. Choices are much simpler when you are from that kind of a background.
We walked all the way through to Water Newton heard the cuckoos sing. We heard them the other week and it is some years since we have heard them like we have so far. A sign that proper summer is not far off. Maybe it bodes well for a good summer all round as I seem to remember as a child it was always in fair weather when we heard them.
We also walked by a very large rookery and the rooks were kicking up a stink. One of the largest rookeries I have seen in a long while. Water Newton Mill which has been turned into housing straddles the river but it is in a very private setting. A glorious setting. There is also the weir. The wild life was teeming. Swans and Mallard ducks coming into land as a pair on the river. Another pair with some babies a Cormorant a Heron (I fondly think of these beautiful creatures as old men in a dinner jacket)! Water Newton is about a quarter of a mile away from the A1. In fact you can see the traffic chundling by from where we were only occasionally catching some of the noise.
Water Newton by the river was very peaceful with stone housing quite prestigious and boat houses. The river through here is not steep banked and is a delight on the eye and on walking although I do not think Missy was too chuffed with some of the long grass she had to deal with. However it reminded me yet again very much of going "tiddling" with a butterfly net down at Duddington Water Mill when I was a child with my dad and brother and bringing back jars of tiddlers. Today for me has been a feast for a tired soul and gave me a very gentle boost. Especially more so I think because the sun came out and after a few days of rain and stiffness I have taken great delight in it.
Unfortunately and unusually I did not take my phone with me today to capture some of the magic of the proper English countryside. How long it will last for I do not know this microscopic protected area but I sincerely hope that no more valuable countryside is taken for land for housing or business purposes. We have many empty buildings set up for factories etc which are now empty. Why not repurpose those empty places instead of taking further precious land.
The land surrounding our walk today was clearly being managed with the interests of wildlife at heart and it was good to see. There were also others out walking and taking pleasure in the day as well which is also lovely to see.
On the way back we were in the path of small airplanes taking off from Sibson airport but it did not detract from the beautiful countryside and pleasing to see. We also saw one of the trains on the Nene Railway go by as well.
I am now waiting for tea to cook. We have a piece of roast beef being cooked with onions garlic and fresh thyme and cracked pepper and sea salt. Not sure what veggies yet but lashings of gravy and Yorkshire pudding. I am hungry and looking forward to it.
Right had better get on.
Catch you soon.
Pattypan
xx
I like Longthorpe village which is just up the road from us and there is the Medieval Longthorpe Tower. There is something of the history of the Tower here https://www.englishheritage.org.uk/visit/places/longthorpe-tower/history/
and some photos here
https://vivacity.org/vivacity-venues/longthorpe-tower/
When the children were at home we used to take them on different walks down by the river and even on "sheep dagging" exercise for the purpose of feeding our garden plants.
However, today we went to a place a little further up that I had not been to before. We went to Castor Backwater walking along little tiny lanes; traversing the railway line walking through water meadows full of wildflowers clover buttercups birds foot trefoil egg and bacon cowslips and cow parsley. There were also mademoiselle and demoiselle insects (similar to a dragonfly except they have two wings rather than four) not long hatched with their beautiful blue and green iridescent colours.
I think it was the railway bit that brought back the strongest earliest memories of the first home I remember the lodge cottage at Gunthorpe Hall near Oakham, Rutland and of happy days running free and blackberrying. I make no apology for the fact that I am a country bumpkin and a cottage kid probably that is why I love our natural flora and fauna so much. Choices are much simpler when you are from that kind of a background.
We walked all the way through to Water Newton heard the cuckoos sing. We heard them the other week and it is some years since we have heard them like we have so far. A sign that proper summer is not far off. Maybe it bodes well for a good summer all round as I seem to remember as a child it was always in fair weather when we heard them.
We also walked by a very large rookery and the rooks were kicking up a stink. One of the largest rookeries I have seen in a long while. Water Newton Mill which has been turned into housing straddles the river but it is in a very private setting. A glorious setting. There is also the weir. The wild life was teeming. Swans and Mallard ducks coming into land as a pair on the river. Another pair with some babies a Cormorant a Heron (I fondly think of these beautiful creatures as old men in a dinner jacket)! Water Newton is about a quarter of a mile away from the A1. In fact you can see the traffic chundling by from where we were only occasionally catching some of the noise.
Water Newton by the river was very peaceful with stone housing quite prestigious and boat houses. The river through here is not steep banked and is a delight on the eye and on walking although I do not think Missy was too chuffed with some of the long grass she had to deal with. However it reminded me yet again very much of going "tiddling" with a butterfly net down at Duddington Water Mill when I was a child with my dad and brother and bringing back jars of tiddlers. Today for me has been a feast for a tired soul and gave me a very gentle boost. Especially more so I think because the sun came out and after a few days of rain and stiffness I have taken great delight in it.
Unfortunately and unusually I did not take my phone with me today to capture some of the magic of the proper English countryside. How long it will last for I do not know this microscopic protected area but I sincerely hope that no more valuable countryside is taken for land for housing or business purposes. We have many empty buildings set up for factories etc which are now empty. Why not repurpose those empty places instead of taking further precious land.
The land surrounding our walk today was clearly being managed with the interests of wildlife at heart and it was good to see. There were also others out walking and taking pleasure in the day as well which is also lovely to see.
On the way back we were in the path of small airplanes taking off from Sibson airport but it did not detract from the beautiful countryside and pleasing to see. We also saw one of the trains on the Nene Railway go by as well.
I am now waiting for tea to cook. We have a piece of roast beef being cooked with onions garlic and fresh thyme and cracked pepper and sea salt. Not sure what veggies yet but lashings of gravy and Yorkshire pudding. I am hungry and looking forward to it.
Right had better get on.
Catch you soon.
Pattypan
xx
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