Today we’ve been to Dorking, for a lovely lunch and long walk with extended family. Company on a walk is wonderful. Conversation flows and meanders in a different way. And each member of the group spots different things.

We walked through the station and up to the community orchard. This was an interesting case study for me: the original planting had been a Millennium project, which then fell into a poor state and has been rescued by the commitment of local people. The new planting and rescue of existing trees began in 2010, and the site is now looking great. It is wonderfully situated above the Ranmore Allotments with great views and seats from which to enjoy them. Find more here: https://dorkingcommunityorchard.wordpress.com/  or follow on twitter @dorkingorchard .

A general view to whet your appetite:

And another example of something I mentioned yesterday: I was aiming to capture the developing apples, and subsequently discovered that I also had procreating ladybirds:

From the orchard we walked on paths through fields of tall grass, past a mill-pond:

 

and a quintessentially English view:

 

And we were hot . I don’t know if it comes across from these pictures, but we were really hot. The dogs were looking for patches of shade and regretting their earlier enthusiasm for a good walk.

It seems as if, in a matter of days, we have moved from wet and chilly fields with insects struggling to find food, to great sweeps of buttercups, ox-eye daisies and cow parsley.

On the way home, we slowed beside a golden verge A perfect end to our day beyond the suburbs: