Early

Early purple orchid (Orchis mascula) in the same woods where I saw the Lady orchid a few days ago.

Got up at 7am (on a SATURDAY) to cycle 8 miles up one of the biggest hills I have ever cycled up to go on an organised woodland walk. We learnt all about uses of lots of woodland plants; including ones to make tea, to use in salads, to use as pot scourers, to make beer, to flavour gin and to use medicinally/as poison (hopefully unnecessary). I am now an aspiring forager. We also saw a lot of orchids and learnt all about the ancient woodlands of Kent. And it was an amazing cycle ride in the sun, in the countryside when nobody else was around. I want to do it every week.

The cycle ride meant that everything else we ate for the day was calorie neutral. Took advantage of this by eating a lot of pizza and making spicy aubergine pasties. YES.