"Oh to be in Cumbria, now that June/July is here"

Firstly, my apologies to Robert Browning, for my ruining the opening lines of one of his best loved poems (see here for the original).

Secondly, my apologies for being a useless blogger. I have about ten blog posts that I've half written over the last three weeks or so, that are now long after the events. So expect some random posts about things done or seen back in May!

Currently (or at least in the last couple of weeks) I have been out and about, peering into the hedgerows, bum stuck up in the air, getting covered in sticky willy (Galium aparine), and generally looking quite suspicious. Or in one case, knelt in a ditch in the middle of some forestry when a load of walkers appeared from no where! I did get some strange looks at that point!

Lousewort and Heath Milkwort

Fox & Cubs (Pilosella aurantiaca)

Crosswort (Cruciata laevipes)

Common Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

Unlike the south of the country, we've had quite a cool damp May, June and July. This has meant that there have been quite a lot of fungi around.

Some really cute looking ones...

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Some huge ones.....

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and some not so cute ones....

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The orchids have been everywhere. They are growing like weeds!! I still can't get over the beauty of them though. They may all be the same species, but the variety is stunning.

Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)

Northern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza purpurella)