Storm clouds over Plot 23

Summer is starting to wind down and the nights are closing in fast. Evenings are my favourite time of the day to spend at the allotment; I will usually get down there for about 5 or 6pm and stay until it begins to get dark. It's a satisfying way to wrap up the day, and the cooler temperatures at this time makes it easier to do any jobs.

Larkspur

 

Sweet pea

The flowers are starting to look a little tatty around the edges now. I'm still deadheading my cornflowers and cutting sweet peas, but less and less flowers are coming back each time. It will soon be time to collect seeds and tidy up the borders, ready for the colder months ahead.

Ruby Red

Tall Lemon

Bumblebee on Tall Lemon

Ruby Red

The sunflowers had a bit of a late start in life, as I took my time digging over the beds, so they are not as tall as I would have liked. The flowerheads have finally opened, and they are delightful to sit next to and look at. The bees adore them too.

Runner beans

I have more runner beans than I can possibly use, and my efforts to palm some off on friends and family are failing miserably. Not many people seem to like runner beans; shame they are so easy to grow!

Squash bed

Baby Pam pumpkin

Pumpkin and squash

The pumpkins and squash seem to be maturing nicely; having never grown them before, I wasn't sure what to expect. Yet plenty of compost and watering seems to be doing the trick.

Outdoor tomatoes

Marigold

Cinnabar moth caterpillar

The outdoor tomatoes have started to ripen. I have been drowning in tomatoes for weeks now, giving bagfuls away to family and friends. These outdoor ones are a variety called Tigrella; quite attractive-looking with green stripes on the fruit.

Cabbage bed

Hiding amongst the rhubarb

Quite a few weeds have rather annoyingly snuck in under the cabbage netting, despite digging and weeding the bed for two weeks before transplanting the seedlings and putting the cage up. Never mind; at least the plants are nice and healthy looking, and caterpillar free!

Shortly after snapping these pictures, myself and the canine had to retreat to the greenhouse to dodge a huge downpour. I was tidying up the pea supports when I glanced up and noticed an ominous black cloud was dominating the sky. Sybil needed no encouragement to retreat to shelter, and we stood and waited until the worst of it was over. Between showers, I managed to snap the following photos:

There were the beginnings of a glorious sunset in the west, whilst to the east the storm was still moving off, leaving a rainbow in its wake.

At one point lightening lit up the whole sky, sending Sybil running to the gate just as thunder boomed in the distance. This storm was no match for my collie-cross, and retreated to the other side of Rotherham as Sybil ran back to my side, victorious and proud.

With the evening drawing to a close, we set off home across the fields despite the rain trying to hold on. After all, someone once said life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain. We may not have been dancing, but it was fantastic to see a display of nature like this.

My water-phobic collie-cross

Grindleford station to Dore and Totley station

My first decent walk in a while was one I have done before, but at the wrong time of the year to see the heather in bloom. I enjoyed this walk the first time and it isn't too strenuous; indeed a nice introduction to get back into walking in the Peak District.

The walk begins in the delightful area I know as Padley Gorge. Mossy stones, ferns and the sound of Burbage Brook below to the right accompany us through the wood. At times it is like being in a rainforest, as the air is unbelievably humid and the sweat is soon streaming down my face. I pause to take a break as Sybil splashes in the stream below. A sneaky Snickers bar makes up for a missed breakfast and we continue on our way, soon reaching the open moorland near the Longshaw Estate.

Too busy looking for squirrels to pose for a photo

Carl Wark and Higger Tor are visible in the distance, with swathes of purple heather dominating the view. It's the first time I've seen heather in flower so I stop to admire the view whilst Sybil makes friends with a Border Terrier.

The Burbage Brook is calmer here, with less waterfalls over the flat ground. We head towards the road, ignoring the temptation of the ice-cream van parked nearby, and cross over, following the wide path through more woodland towards Longshaw Lodge.

There are several sheep near the Lodge, so it's back on the lead for Sybil until we double back behind the Lodge and onto more open moorland. The views are fantastic to our right, but the rain is closing in so we head to Little John's Well and climb the steps to the road, where we cross over and get to my favourite part of the walk, the expansive moorland of Totley Moss.

Violet Ground Beetle

Totley tunnel shaft

A ground beetle wanders across my path, and I pause to have a look. It is only after reading about them on the internet that I discover they can actually give a sharp nip, so I'm glad the one I handled seemed docile!

We pass the Totley tunnel airshaft and tramp across the moor, a fantastic sense of isolation creeping in as the moorland closes in. Sybil is having a great time, bounding ahead yet frequently stopping to check I am following her.

The heather becomes more and more colourful as we head along the track. As Sheffield becomes visible on the skyline, almost every flower is open on each plant and the ground is a deep, rich purple colour.

We begin to descend, the track eventually becoming a road as we leave our temporary solitude behind and re-join civilisation. We pass horses and sheep in the fields to our right, then march along lonely roads until we eventually reach a stile that takes us by a small stream. On the footpath I notice a dead mole, not the most pleasant sight, yet interesting to see. You can really appreciate that those spade-like hands were made for digging:

Sybil gets her last taste of freedom for the day while I sit on a bench and reflect on our days' walk. Despite her normal lack of love for anything wet, she reaches for her inner Labrador and has a play on the weir.

All that is left now is a long road slog back to the train station. The walk seems longer than last time and just as I'm about to check we haven't walked past it, a sign appears and we gratefully slink into the station shelter, with half an hour to wait and recover.