A serious business...

Time for my annual three day stint at Leeds, teaching their Conservation Masters students about the National Vegetation Survey. Yesterday went very well, despite the early start needed to get there in time to give a 9 o'clock lecture. The fieldwork went smoothly too, despite several annoyingly heavy showers. The group worked very diligently and there are clearly several budding botanists among them. We were back in Leeds by 4.30 p.m. so Steve and I had a meal at his favourite Thai restaurant and then I headed to the hotel. Although it was still very early, I decided against going out again as the weather was still rather unpredictable and I was fairly shattered!

The weather on the second day was much better - almost too hot - though thankfully we were surveying woodland so were protected from the worst of the sun. Again, we arrived back in Leeds fairly early which gave me a chance to visit the Art Gallery and watch these men playing chess, before I headed off to catch a train back to Peterborough. I was fascinated by the intensity of their engagement, and the small crowd that had gathered, transfixed by the game, though I did wonder whether any of them had more idea of how it was going than me!