11:15:50
Before setting out to pick up our hire car I did a quick check on the garden - still haven't managed a well focused picture of the orange blossom!11:38:46
The closest available Zipcar today was about a mile and a half walk away, so we already got in some exercise just getting to the car. Another good opportunity to check the roses on the corner of College Lane.11:48:45
Above the door of a quirky looking shop near Gospel Oak station.12:39:00
Our Zipcar. We made a stop off at London Gate services on the M1.
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Erika having a sausage roll for lunch on the grass outside the service station. Not exactly a beauty spot but it was certainly a break from the norm!13:57:34
On arrival at the car park for Ivinghoe Beacon. Even the view from the car park is quite impressive.13:57:39
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There were a few other people around but it certainly wasn't crowded, and it was very easy to stay many metres apart at all times.14:01:13
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Thankfully despite the unpromising forecast we were graced with marvellous weather and I found the huge expanse of green and blue before me immensely uplifting.14:01:33
Look at all that rolling green landscape.
14:01:51
Butterflies.14:01:58
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Given how badly the day had started (Erika had thrown a tantrum and was really very upset) to see this transformation when she was surrrounded by wide open space and an uninterrupted sky overhead was quite magical.14:06:28
A lion carved out of the chalk on a hillside in the distance.
14:10:43
Climbing over a gate. 14:13:01
Erika on the hillside with seemingly nobody else around for miles. Heaven.14:14:53
The only other occupants of this huge sprawling field were some sheep.14:15:00
...with their lambs.
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A mother sheep and her lamb.14:16:42
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As you can see I was very snap happy.14:23:25
Erika jogging up the hillside, full of beans.
14:23:32
Erika near the top of Ivinghoe Beacon. Lovely far reaching views from here.14:24:50
Wonderful skies.14:24:57
It feels like you can see half of England from here.14:25:00
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Erika demonstrating the amount of wide open space.14:26:39
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14:29:12
The top of Ivinghoe Beacon.14:29:18
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Tried to get a picture of all three of us but it was quite windy at the top and a bit difficult!
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Another attempt to get a picture of all three of us.14:31:59
I think this is probably the best of the lot. I love Erika's crazy hair here!14:32:01
Erika trying to keep her hair under control.14:38:31
This is the starting point of the Ridgeway National trail, and where I'd begun my current (and currently on hold) walking project back in January.
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Heading back towards the car park now.14:43:23
Are these cowslips?14:44:08
Erika having a run around the undergrowth.
15:04:25
There was an ice cream van in the car park. This was possibly an error of judgement as Erika's choice of ice cream was a really messy and awkward thing to eat, especially given the windy conditions.16:52:01
The Zipcar safely back where we'd originally picked it up from.16:59:11
On y walk back home from where the Zipcar lives, I enviously spotted this very productive grape vine.16:59:16
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18:32:25
Back at home, I decided to celebrate our successful escape from London with some Black Dog Hill, a case of which had arrived this morning before we left.18:34:12
Nice that it came with a little postcard and some information on the wines.18:34:18
A hand written note from the vineyard owners, very nice!
18:36:40
Delicious.