Saturday 13th July 2024

I was feeling a little better today, so continued to go on a pre arranged visit to Chisledon in Wiltshire. The church there, Holy Cross, was hosting a summer fete. It's the church where Richard Jefferies was married, 150 years ago last week, and today as part of the fete three paintings by Kate Tyrone, an American fan of Jefferies were to be exhibited.

First though I was feeling well enough for a walk at Cherhill Down. Julie loves it here. There's a layby on the A4 and you walk through a clump of trees to Cherhill Monument. It used to be a favourite walk of Julie's when she lived around here but we've not been for years. It was a perfect walking day, not too sunny, not too hot, just pleasant. We walked 3.2 miles in total, that was enough for me today but I really enjoyed it, with loads of butterflies on the chalk downland, it's a long time since I've seen so many marbled white in one area.

The highlight possibly though was sitting here before returning. I liked the view anyway, we'd just come down the right hand track. Yellowhammer and corn bunting singing everywhere. But then two red kite came into view and flew low over and around us for a few minutes. As ever if one just sits the wildlife will come to you. A lovely diversion after the last few weeks. The church fete was good too and we caught up with Colin the vice chair of the Richard Jefferies Society too.