Sundew

Another glorious September day, sadly our last. We had planned to spend the day in the Forest of Bowland, to get our fix of heather clad hills and mountain streams. We got all that and more - and we scarcely saw any other people! We spent the morning in a valley not far from a road and didn't see another soul - just heather, cotton-grass, sundews, meadow pipits and the occasional grouse for company. Idyllic!

Our afternoon spot intially seemed a little more crowded, with quite a few cars in the parking area, but in the end we only came across a guided walk, one lone walker and a flock of sheep being herded, who were very surprised to find us on their track! As we walked into the hills, the view were spectacular - intense purple hills and a broad U-shaped valley carved by a glacier during the last Ice Age, which now contained a meandering stream with rocks and shingle.

The only contact we had with civilisation was a flurry of phonecalls as Chris caught us in one of the few places where there was a signal. The electricity had gone off five times the previous day, and had switched off overnight causing the freezer to start melting. I managed to arrange for an electrician to call that afternoon and then left the boys to deal with it!! We didn't speak to them until we were on our way home, stuck in a traffic jam in Clitheroe. The electrician couldn't find the fault but provided a fix to keep most of the house supplied. More investigations will be required!