Never Mind the Weather

After dropping Jamie in Cambridge to meet up with his Mum, I had a free day.   The plan was to visit nature reserves looking for flowers and butterflies.   The weather was not cooperative!    Cold, dull and damp, following the recent heavy rain.   After a restful morning, I set out at lunchtime and visited Woodwalton Marsh and Houghton Meadows.   The latter would have doubtless been a butterfly site in warmer weather but no activity today.   At Woodwalton I found a few Marsh Orchids and a few Pyramidal Orchids plus Twayblade which blends so well into the greenery.   I also found Sulphur Clover, listed by Plantlife as Vulnerable, Near-Threatened and Crested Cow Wheat, rare and confined to East Anglia.   These two, far more notable than the orchids are both distinctive and pretty as you can see above.

I picked up lunch at Tesco on the Huntingdon bypass, failing at that time to notice the huge numbers of Pyramidal Orchids growing on and in verges around the roundabout leading to the supermarket.   On my way back from Woodwalton they caught my eye and another stop ensued.   Many, many flowers along the verge and over the ditch into the next field.   Varying in shade and size, they were a wonderful sight.  So despite the indifferent weather I passed a happy afternoon and Meg got plenty of exercise, albeit all on the lead.