Sheep and barn, Upper Toadsmoor valley

Having done an urgent task this morning not unrelated to tax affairs, I headed up to the Stancombe Beech farm shop near Bisley to stock up on some vegetables for us and large stocks of sunflower hearts for the birds. I always enjoy being there and had time for a long chat with both Ashley and his sister Sally, the co-owners of the farm, whom I hadn't seen much of since Christmas.

I'd checked the weather forecast earlier and having noticed that sunshine was possible towards the middle of the day I brought my camera bag. Ashley had asked if I'd seen any buzzards recently, which I hadn't, but by the time I had driven a circuitous route home I had seen three of them mewing loudly as they flew close together above this field.

This is towards the head of the Toadsmoor Valley which was formed by the stream running down from the famous Bisley Wells below the church at the centre of the village. It is just out of sight about a mile back behind the large tree in the picture. I parked in an entrance to the field before the steep descent down to the lake at the valley bottom. The light was gorgeous and constantly changing as the sun shone intermittently beneath the scudding brooding clouds.