Bulkeley Hill

Checking the Damson situation near Burwardsley but mostly picking blackberries all the way round. We came prepared with bag and tubs and ended up with 3kg (6.6lbs for the old folks) in the freezer. Stocked up for a winter of apple and blackberry crumbles.

Bulkeley Hill elevation

Bulkeley Hill route

Not much photography-wise, too busy snaffling...

Misty morning over Cheshire

Viewpoint at Raw Head

Washed Blackberries

Tray of Blackberries

The Cloud

After a lot of wet weather we wanted a walk with minimal mud, so going back to the Cloud after quite a few years seemed the best option. Miles of canal-side paths without too much mud. Also quite a lot of blackberries ready for picking so we snaffled a bagful for a crumble.

The Cloud elevation

The Cloud route

Quite cool and damp to start but warmed up a lot later.

Non-threatening Cows

Are we on TV?

Speckled Wood Butterfly

Three Flies ("There was a time I would have gotten all three.")

Viaduct over Macclesfield Canal

View northeast from the Cloud

Fungus on wet log

Hot air balloon first thing in the morning

Moel Arthur

After receiving a tip-off that the heather was blooming we headed over to Moel Arthur to see if it was as impressive as last time. We maybe missed the best of it by a week or so but it was still a very impressive display.

Moel Arthur elevation

Moel Arthur route

The sun was a bit too bright and the heather was starting to fade but a polariser and some judicious framing made the most of it.

View up the side of Moel Arthur

Path to Penycloddiau

Heather under a big sky

Heather under a big sky

Heather and cloud

Heather overlooking Vale of Clwyd

Heather overlooking Vale of Clwyd

Parasol mushroom

Pink blooming heather

Mix of heather

Purple heather and yellow grasses

Purple heather

Dor Beetle (wouldn't sit still)

Surrounded

Harrock Hill

Around our revised Harrock Hill route again, squeezing it in before the alleged rain in the afternoon.

Harrock Hill elevation

Harrock Hill route

Nothing much of note except being chased through a field by a vicious pack of teenagers (cows).

The Evil Eye of Bovine Death

Ripening wheat

Shutlingsloe

Doing Shutlingsloe again, avoiding the steep start this time.

Shutlingsloe elevation

Shutlingsloe route

Down by the reservoir we were photographing the Buddleia when we spotted a Hummingbird Hawkmoth zipping around the flowers.

Buddleia flowers

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Oxeye daisies

Oxeye daisies

Wildflower

Seedpods

Sign to Shutlingsloe

Shutlingsloe

Thistle

Hover fly coming in to land

Roly Polies and Shutlingsloe

Grass seeds

Shutlingsloe

Boisterous Bovines