Heaven.........

I went on the Horsham Natural History Society walk today to Mount Caburn to find orchids!
Mount Caburn is a 480ft isolated peak about 1 mile east of Lewes, overlooking the village of Glynde, famous for it's opera house.
On the summit of Mt Caburn are the remains of an iron age hill fort, over 140 burial pits have been excavated most full of artefacts including weapons, tools, pottery, coins and bones.
Mount Caburn is now legally protected with a nature reserve established in the mid 80's to protect amongst other things orchid rich grassland.
It is unusual in the South Downs in having a south facing scarp slope, home to the largest British population of the Burnt orchid.
As you can imagine it was quite a hike up hill to reach the orchid rich grassland but so, so worth it.....as we came to the slope the first thing we saw were hundreds of Common fragrant orchids, turning the grassland purple and the air fragranced with their beautiful scent. A little further along, and we encountered the Burnt orchids - Neotinea ustulata tiny in the grassland, but amazingly beautiful. At times there were so many orchids it was really difficult not to tread on them...but we didn't it must have looked like some bizarre ballet, but we succeeded!
I am sure this is what heaven must look like, and if I could I would just live there forever!
I hope you enjoy my shot of this beautiful burnt orchid......there might just be more orchid shots to follow.....