Sloes - must buy gin

On one of our favorite (but little known) walks, the dog and I passed these blackthorn bushes laden with sloes. I must get back here to pick some soon, to make sloe gin again this autumn. I had thought in July when last here that there wouldn't be a good crop - and it seems that while some bushes are laden others are bare. While I seldom meet anyone on this walk in old woods by the Esk, there are signs (old) that teenagers may gather here sometimes for under-age drinking - but I don't expect they'd be interested in sloes. Still, best get to them soon before someone else does.