2 reserves and a minor trespass

Chapel Well (I think) ... with Smardale viaduct in the background.

It was wet. After the ultimate challenge (for some this would might be Everest base camp ...for others like me, it's getting the iron out to iron trousers for tomorrow) I decided I needed to recover and so headed off to look at Augill Pasture nature reserve which I have driven past countless times and thought ... one day I'll stop. A good crop of globeflower for the trollius stalker and some orchids. It was amazing to be right by the A66 and have the noise of the traffic fade into the background and to realise that it's course was diverted to protect this wildflower rich site. 

Onward to Waitby Greenriggs which was a wonder. It was exciting enough to be met by all the bird's eye primroses but as I walked and got my eye in I started to spot allsorts of other flowers, particularly orchids. I'm disappointed with the quality of the photos and will have to return but I've put them in a collage in extras. I was hugely excited when I spotted fly orchids, I had to keep reminding myself to breathe but then as I went on I saw something I'm still not sure about (top left in extra) but it's not a good photo. And then I started to become quite giddy and almost felt sick with excitement as I saw lots of (I think) lesser butterfly orchids, northern marsh (I think) and fragrant orchids ... and a world of globeflowers. Before swooning I headed back and thought I might just finish myself off with a little well hunt ...

I'd seen this one on the map and knew it was on private land but I parked up, lobbed over the gate, bobbed behind a wall, dashed across the field, snapped what I think was Chapel Well which was originally in Smardale Chapel (no longer any evidence of the chapel). I could hear some farm machinery in the distance and so blipped and ran. Phew! Far too much excitement ....

As I headed home and listening to a great programme on Radio 4 about creative writing ... listening to Graham Greene I was reminded of my husband who wrote to him and got a reply! Made me cry.