For quite a while we’ve had stable, fair weather due to relatively high pressure lingering over southern
England. This is about to change with a string of vigorous depressions approaching that will bring wet and breezy weather for the next week or more. Winds of force six to eight are forecast together with persistent rain; the long range chart is full of little dark grey clouds. It’s a shame as we’d intended to go away sailing and walking on the Isle of Wight; that’s now on hold for better weather.
Early in the morning the rain hasn’t arrived yet so we’re off to Chidham to squeeze in a short walk whilst it remains fair. It’s strangely deserted, either as a result of the forecast or Covid worries. Some of the fields have been raked over whilst others
have been sown with the first signs of the winter crop emerging. The field given over to market gardening is doing well which is good to see after such a poor harvest. Line upon line of Cauliflower, onion, kale and all sorts are maturing steadily under the watchful eye of the now rather dilapidated scarecrow.
With the harvest over the tractors are out trimming the hedgerows here as in other places nearby. It’s a bit brutal seeing the cutters hack the summers growth away but at least the nests are empty and it’s better than fences.
For me what characterises autumn most are the horse chestnuts. Beneath at least some of the trees are
scatterings of rich, deep red fruits freshly released from the shells that lie alongside. It’s a shame that so many trees are adversely affected by fungal diseases or miner infestations leading to poor leave cover and few conkers; lets hope next year is better for them.