A properly warm day today, low twenties outdoors much warmer in the car which was awkward as what should have been a hour and a bit drive to Dorset became a two and a half slog down there. The reasons being a lot of slow traffic and many roadworks, the worst of which was at Shepton Mallet where we crawled for over 30 minutes covering less than a mile into the temporary traffic lights letting a dozen vehicles through at a time on the A37.
But that aside it was worth the slog to arrive at Bere Marsh Farm at Child Okeford. We'd not planned to come here but their Buzz cafe was open as we drove by. Just what we needed, a covered outdoor cafe, drinks from a horsebox type vending area and a warm welcome. Perfect. We'll return to this Countryside Regeneration Trust site in the future I think, though we were half tempted by the dawn chorus walk in the morning, but 4.30am start?
No our destination was Hod Hill. I'd read that the Duke of Burgundy butterfly was already on the wing there and that was our quest. In the two hours walking there I thought I glimpsed a pair of Dukes fighting in the air but as they disappeared from view I can't be sure. There were certainly a lot of skylark on the wing, singing, and brimstone butterfly too. Large white, common blue and small heath, plus a wall brown which I've not seen for years. It's lovely at Hod Hill but not quiet, a good bit of road noise from the nearby A350.
Our journey home took as long but only as we stopped at the Fiddleford Inn for a refreshing cold drink, then sat at the view-point on Bulbarrow Hill before having another refreshing drink at the Fox at Ansty. Home by 8pm and Gardener's World on the telly, from RHS Malvern Spring Show, another vague option dismissed for my day off today.
