Picnic in Bignall's Wood

Midsummer Day today, the Summer Solstice. I'd thought it would be an excellent opportunity to travel out to Bignall's Wood at Staunton Harold to try and take a photo of the midsummer sun through the slot in the Noon Column there.

First, we were too late for true noon, arriving around 20-25 minutes later than we should have done. And second, as you might be able to tell from the photo, the ground behind the Noon Column is almost totally obscured by shrubs and trees. When I got home, I wrote to the National Forest to ask if the monument could be moved to an open space.

A family had had a similar idea to me and had turned up for a picnic giving the grandchildren the opportunity to greet their grandparents.

The buttercups have almost all gone and the grasses are well in flower. I find it a most enchanting place. Sad that most people with dogs abandon their dog poo bags, with dog poo, at the gate. If the National Forest want people to take the dog poo home with them, they should say so.

We walked into the Ferrers Centre, which was awarded shopping centre of the year by Leicestershire County Council in 2019, and were able to sit down and enjoy coffee and ice cream. The big plus was that the toilets were open. A notice asked us to proceed down the passage to the loos one at a time and not to pass in the passage. On my way back, a woman started to walk down. I told her, No. Where does it say that? she asked. Only a big notice as you go in.

A heavy downpour while we were sitting there but we found shelter. The we walked down to the lake and saw coot parents tending to their newly born chicks.

Speaking of chicks, Anne from up the road, went to Nanpantan Reservoir this morning on my recommendation to see the grebes. Another egg has hatched for there are now two grebettes on Mum's back. One to go.

No sooner had we reached home, was there another torrential downpour, thundery this time.

All in all, a satisfactory Father's Day for Len, in the circumstances. George had phoned in the morning and Basil sent him a card!