Some good things, mostly despair

I have a list of some sites of old hay meadows in the area, and spent the day walking around Shap seeing how many are still farmed in the traditional style.  Whilst some of the verges and footpaths are a delight with masses of geraniums, scabious and meadowsweet, sadly several of the listed meadows no longer exist but have been sown with ryegrass and clover and are grazed by sheep.  It was a relief to find a few that were still herb-rich with a mass of colour that is so critical for our wildlife.