Lambs at Cherington, Gloucestershire

I am waking too early, but not getting work done until much later, which is annoying. After much catching up on paperwork, I helped Helena with her printing and then took her to work in Nailsworth, where she has a busy day of clinical aromatherapy massage with four clients.

I decided to wander off-piste along the by-ways between there and here, taking in Avening, Box, Cherington and Hyde. I had my zoom so was looking forward to hunting for long-range views across the valleys. But in fact the drizzle and the grey light wasn't too encouraging.

At Balls Pond, I found an old deserted limestone quarry with a large cave entrance boarded up. I have read that these workings go for hundred of yards under the hilltop in this area and wondered if this might be one of the entrances. The stone was apparently very fine for building purposes. I will investigate this at a later date, althjough intend going underground, being rather afraid of claustrophobia. I did catch some old sheep with Jacob's fleeces and large horns, one of which had a horn broken in half, but they looked very dishevelled.

Further up the valley towards Avening I saw swathes of wild primroses blooming where the trees had been newly felled on a steeply wooded hillside. But the road was difficult to park on because it was reduced to one carriageway by landslips. Passing Princess Anne's home at Gatcombe, I drove up the side valley to Nag's Head and found some beautiful purple flowers that thrive on Cotswold stone walls, and which I have always wanted to grow, but haven't yet managed. The views were a bit twee, it being that sort of village there. I tried some shots of the narrow stream running down through woods from Cherington lake, with a coot waddling across a tiny weir. Also no good.

At Hyde, I stopped to test the lens on the views across the Golden Valley, with all the varied trees on the wooded slopes looking particularly grey in the increasing rain.

So these lambs are my Blip. I spotted them near Cherington in the small valley leading down from Minchinhampton. I was just outside the field standing on an old hedgebank beside a small stream. The sitting lamb in his hollow seemed quite contented, until this other lamb decided to wander over and sit on it. I think you can see the look in its eye, indicating its intention. After being stood upon, it then got up and the newcomer took over this little seat, which is obviously a favoured spot. There were several sheep nearby which were probably the ewes, so all was well. Their field is particularly well protected from the elements but probably doesn't get too much sunshine unless they climb up to the top of the slopes. The grass looks particularly rich in herbs and this whole area will never be ploughed and probably never gets any chemical additives, other than their droppings.