For the first time in over two months we’ve been able to go up to the Downs, to see for miles and hear the Skylarks again. It’s only when you can’t do it that you appreciate how wonderful it is.

Plenty of change, the hedgerows have grown up to become quite intrusive places, in other they’ve been cut back already. The Lavant is still in full flow and gin clear, it just seems a little narrower now!

The meadows are lush after all that rain followed by so much sunshine, lots of long grasses and
plenty of daisy’s. In the one adjacent to the Lavant there are some traditional cattle looking very content. They’re managed by Three Harbours Grazing Marsh Beef that has plenty of salt marsh beef as well, unfortunately not easy to buy retail though.

Further up the downs the sheep are out in great numbers with all their relatively new lambs. Already they’re growing well, not surprising as the grass is in excellent shape. It’s always a pleasure to see the lambs bouncing about as it there’s not a care in the world. Shame that’s not the case.

On the top and along the lane large clumps of White Campion are in flower. It seems to do better than the Red Campion in poor soil like that up here, near the harbour there’s only Red campion. Further down several clumps of poppies are growing strongly, one or two flowers have just started to come out, lots more to come!