It was such a familiar route that we didn’t expect anything new of interest. However Canada geese were on the riverside near Litton Mill and one of us had a fleeting glimpse of a water vole. We’d never noticed the information on a gate that this is a conservation area for them. The disappearance of a sign ‘ Quiet Ways’ on the side of one of the cottages in Ravensdale is doubtless trivial yet it had described this lovely spot so well. Wild flowers were in abundance as we continued. In Litton we stood near members of a farming family watching silage being baled. It’s a fascinating process, especially the stage when the bale is rotated at speed to emerge fully film wrapped. Morris Men were on the village green and people of all ages were enjoying the sunny Sunday afternoon. A well known aficionado of local cafe society, enjoying a coffee, commented wryly that walkers didn’t usually engage her in conversation. The day was a snapshot of country life at its best.
Helen Royle.