1982 July and Scotland

July 2^nd
It has been warm today but the wind was chilly. It rained in the morning but by afternoon you could see bits of blue sky. By evening it was overcast although the light was bright. I walked home from Astley Bridge but Robbie gave me a life before I reached Mrs. Lee’s House.

At the bus stop opposite White Deer Wood, there was a deep mauve Heath Spotted Orchid. I wanted to pick it but it was the only one. On the overgrown pavement past the Warden’s Cottage there were loads of Heath Spotted Orchids and by the wall near the reservoir. They also grow in the field above the waterfall and in the Willows Den. Which means that Heath Spotted Orchids are far more common than I thought around here.

Just past the Warden’s gate there is a large mass of Wood Woundwort with their straight square stalks deep-red flowers and furry leaves. When I picked some they gave off a most horrible smell that makes me feel sick. Every time a car went past, the plants all wobbled together.

Further along, opposite the Water Authority’s shed, I found a patch of the weird Figwort plants which also ponged when I picked some. Further along there was a bright yellow patch of stonecrop.

Yesterday I went to Edgeworth. Dorothy and I walked around half of the reservoir and some lovely old terraced houses and farms. There was loads of White Clover on the side of the path to the reservoir.

July 4^th
I’ve watched Tennis nearly all day. There have been several rain showers. About twelve House Martins kept landing on the drive and collecting grains of gravel and soil in their beaks, probably to build their nests. (But where?). I picked enough Bilberries for a pie.

July 5^th
This morning the weather was lousy but by the afternoon it had cleared up nicely.

Tufty went a walk with me and Cindy down the Tip Field in the evening. The Great Red Valerian is in bud. There were lots of starry white Greater Stitchwort flowers in the long damp grass. The stalks are weak and feeble, bending all over the place. There are plenty of yellow Cinquefoil flowers towards the wall. Actually I have discovered that they are Tormentil flowers for they have four petals instead of five.

July 6^th
Last night it drizzled. This morning was terrible. It was cold, wet, damp, and miserable. There was fog rolling down off the hills. By late afternoon it had miraculously cleared up, and was a completely different day – clear blue sky, large white cotton clouds and warm sunshine and a blustery wind. The large Elder tree, by the back garden fence, is covered with plates of creamy white, lace, flowers. A fine specimen of a tree.

July 7^th
It has been close today and very warm. In the afternoon the sky was hazy and I went picking Bilberries by the waterfall. It was so airless in the bottom of the valley that my forehead was covered in sweat and it gave me a headache

When we walked back up the embankment and saw four Tortoiseshell Butterflies. Two were busily courting, fluttering around one another. I also saw a Chimney Sweeper Moth with black wings, tipped with white.

July 9^th
In Radcliffe’s field the Tufted Vetch and Bush Vetch are flowering. Red Valerian is in bud, and Yellow Wort is flowering. Marsh Woundwort is in bud, and the Water Forget-me-nots were flowering.

July 11^th
Yesterday the sun was warm but a grey hazy sky dotted with blue blocked out its rays. The breeze was quite strong at times. I went looking for butterflies and was amazed not even to see one. There was however a web of small black Tortoiseshell caterpillars on the nettles on Hill Sixty. Back home, I managed to see a Small Tortoiseshell fluttering around the house. It was trying to go through one of the windows to find a place to rest in, sheltered and warm, but dangerous because sometimes they don’t wake up for ages.

This afternoon there was a lovely brown striped moth sat on the deck chair. I tried to move it and it flew away. It had white thin stripes on its brown and black patterned back and I believe it was a Gothic Moth.

July 13^th
It has been warm, but breezy all day. I went to a friend's today, and we went for a swim at Horwich baths. She has a beautiful garden with giant onions, potatoes, broad beans, parsley, chives and flowers. There was a large Orange Underwing Moth in one of the greenhouses. Later, after pizza and salad, strawberries and blackcurrant ice cream (home made) we went round town.

Up the back on top of the hill there is a small patch of grass like a fairy lawn. It never grows over, probably because a lot of moss grows beneath the grass. Today (like every other year) I found the small pale blue spikes of the Common Speedwell there with the ‘daisy like’ leaves.

By the farm sheds up Longworth Road I picked a large scentless Mayweed plant about three feet long. It has loads of green ‘feathery fernlike’ leaves, with large daisy like flowers, yellow green centres that become raised with age, and white, long, thin petals.

The dark purple flowered plant, that grows by the gate near High Street, could, I believe, be Nettle-leaved Bellflower or “Bats-in-the-belfry”: also named “Throatwort” due to its medicinal use in treating sore throats and tonsillitis.

July 15^th
This morning was utterly miserable, cold, wet, damp and miserable. Fog rolled off the hills and it drizzled continually. There was a fat bird sat on the fence post by the Elder and two Skylarks were with it. As I went to fetch my binoculars it disappeared but I did see the two Skylarks flying about in a panic stricken fashion, landing here and there while twittering continuously. I think it might have been a baby Cuckoo, and the Skylarks its foster parents. I hope to see it again.

July 17^th
Three of my small Tortoiseshell caterpillars have spun cocoons. The silk comes out of the front end as a green liquid like ink and hardens into silk in the air. I could see a caterpillar busily spinning inside its cocoon, round and round with silver, white, threads. The other two cocoons were dark brown with a pale band in the centre. They are oval shaped and smaller than a large garden pea. I am amazed at how tiny they are. I cannot imagine a butterfly being able to emerge from them.

July 18^th
Beside the ruins near Ash Valley stream, I saw four enormous Dragonflies. One flew to within a few inches of me. It had yellowish green, windscreen eyes and a blue and yellow body with black laced wings. I also saw a pair mating while on the wing.

July 19^th
The sky has been clear blue all day, with hot sunshine. The pink flowered nettle leaved, Marsh Woundwort has spread a long way down the stream below the Willows Den.

In the evening I went a walk in Pump House Wood. The bright, lemon yellow, flowers of the Charlock have multiplied to provide a small patch. I was overjoyed to find a new flower in amongst them. It had leaves like Tufted Vetch but more needle-like; and violet, mauve and pink pea-flowers. It was without doubt the beautiful Common Vetch, so now I know of four species of Vetch in the area. Bitter, Bush, Tufted and Common Vetch. I love vetch flowers; they are one of my favourite types of plant. This Common Vetch is well established it seems: the seeds of it and of the Charlock must have come with the workmen who altered the telegraph poles.

Some of my tadpoles have become froglets. They always seem to reach the final stage in two’s. I have released several in the pond and lodge.

July 23^rd
Once more the sky has been deep clear blue with a few small cotton clouds. The temperature was about 75°F. Radcliffe’s were mowing the hay today, they cut it yesterday. I went to have a last look at the Charlock and Common Vetch before going to Scotland tomorrow.

On the way home I picked some Common Toadflax growing by the road below Tockholes. The plant has a brittle stem with leaves sticking out like blades, at all angles. The flowers are similar to Antirrhinums and are pale lemon yellow with a patch of pale orange at the mouth. Another new flower, I’m very pleased to have found it.

Jennifer’s diary between July 24^th and 31st covers a family holiday touring in Scotland. I have included only a selection of ‘highlights’ here.

July 24^th
In grassy places the long slender stalks of Harebells can be seen – the “Scottish Bluebell”. The sapphire blue, bell heads are so thin and delicate you would think the slightest breeze would destroy them.

On a grass pavement beside the road I found three Giant Puffballs. When I pressed on one with my foot its texture felt like that of a mushroom. One was as big if not bigger than an Ostrich egg. Robert broke one in half and the crisp, white, firm flesh was just ready for eating.

July 25^th
I walked down a small road and saw a young Hare with black tipped ears, and large white scut, hop casually down the roadside, through the hedge and dart across the field. I have heard crickets chirruping in the hedges.

In amongst the bracken Robbie found a beautiful Slow Worm. It was like a piece of thick rubber with a quick black darting tongue. Recently it had lost its tail. I held it for a minute or so then put it down in the grass, where it lay without moving an inch.

The most exciting find was a baby Adder. When Robbie discovered it, it was coiled up in a tiny ball. After a while it sensed our presence and slithered off over the rocks and heather.

July 26^th
While passing the wild goat park we saw one White and Brown goat and a little Black and White goat climbing on the rock ledges above Queen’s Way. On the Heath land just before the rocks I spotted a female Red Deer grazing in the open.

July 27^th
I saw several beautiful dark, chocolate brown, butterflies, with orange wing spots. They fluttered quickly amongst the Marsh Thistles and rushes. They were Scotch Argus Butterflies.

By the side of a footpath I found an unusual plant with leaves similar to Sneezewort, thin and serrated edges. The flower head was purple, tufty, and just like that of a Thistle. It was a Saw-Wort.