Sol occasus.

I thought I'd try and keep the knee loose and working by going for a trundle up on to Selsley Common to watch the sunset. This common (and the others of the Stroud Valleys - Rodborough and Minchinhampton) featured in a fair few shots of the Stroud area on Countryfile tonight. All three commons are stunning and important examples of unimproved limestone grassland. The grazing of them during warmer months means the plants that grow there are pioneer species and there are many of them. For more information, have a look at this extract from the Gloucestershire Biodiversity Action Plan. The Skylarks were out today and it's lovely to see them there. I'm thoroughly looking forward to the summer, when they twitter and burble delightfully whilst zipping up into the sky and back down into the grass.

Rather daftly, seeing the wind was a force seven, I went up in shirtsleeves and fleece gilet when baselayers, a full fleece and a coat would have been advisable. I got a great deal of odd looks from the many dog-walkers but I just pretended I was Norwegian.

Anyway, the sunset wasn't quite as spectacular as I thought it was going to be, but it warmed my soul (if not my arms and face) quite nicely thank you very much. This is looking West (of course!) across the Severn Vale towards the now defunct Berkely and Oldbury nuclear power stations, Chepstow and then Newport.

Here's to a nice week blippers.