Prepare to laugh!

I decided to go to Letah Wood today. Margret and I had planned to go together, but she was still at church when I was ready, so off I set.

It is a Woodland Trust wood in Hexhamshire and is famous for the wild daffodils that grow there.

The damage to the wood in recent months has been extensive. There are lots of trees down and the meandering stream in the middle has been significantly modified. The path crosses from north to south, but it looked too tricky, so I kept on the north side of the stream.

It was wet and muddy. Then is was seriously boggy. I have the nickname of "bog trotter" amongst the walkers, so I'm not usually phased. Then I realised that my left boot was well under the mud and leaf mould and was nowhere near the bottom. My right boot went under too.

At this point you should fling yourself forward and spreadeagle your arms to prevent sinking further - but I have my Sony A9 and 90mm lens hanging there.

Before I had time to think, my feet slipped and I was on my back. My hat had gone downhill into more mud. 

There was no one else around - perhaps just as well.  I gathered myself, unhooked the camera and made it safe, then scrambled onto my feet. Once the camera was in the backpack, I set off on a higher route, but the mud was there too.

To cut a long story short - and it's quite long already - I made my way up the hill to a wire fence. It's made of 5 single strands of wire. I reckoned that if I could find a gap in the shrubs, I could wriggle under.

As I crawled on my belly, I suddenly saw a pair of boots and then another. The wire was lifted to help me exit. There were three walkers and I knew them all! Thanks to Marcus, Elizabeth and Carole.

Back in the woods, I found a dry path and a few wild daffodils. There are not as many as I remember but they are lovely.

Julie called this afternoon. It's her birthday tomorrow.