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Sunday, July 24, 2011

♫Walk, walk, walk with me to the water......♫

I've got 8 days off work now and apart from a short trip into the hellhole that is London for a short break for a bit of museum visiting and a musical, I shall be spending many hours titivating my crops and tying my shallots.

Yesterday however, I took the opportunity to get some fresh air in my lungs and did a walk in Staffordshire called 'The Roaches' which is a 1600' ridge with some amazing rock formations. Starting near the village of Flash (aaaahaaaaaah) which is the highest in Britain me and a pal walked to Tittesworth (snigger) reservoir and back via Hen Cloud and the very jagged Ramshaw Rocks.




































The Winking Man can be seen quite clearly from the road below as you drive past and is a popular local landmark.



But out of all the weird rock shapes I was most taken by this one. "Medwyyyyyn. He's being rude again!"


Right so that's mind and body fully recharged now for some garden therapy.

♫There's nothing you have that I need, I can breathe......♫

9 comments:

robb said...

Hope you enjoyed the Roaches - Did you see any wallabys ? Thats only about 5 miles from me - many a happy night in the winking man !

Simon (Smithyveg) said...

Yes Robb excellent day. Didn't see any wallabies. Our after walk pint was in the Winking Man though.

Marcus said...

Simon, sorry to change the subject, but did you get any info on the how many runner beans to leave on a truss question you asked as i would also be interested to know.

Simon (Smithyveg) said...

Not yet Marcus but i'm fairly sure I heard somewhere that you thin down to one or two beans and cut off the excess ones once the beans are long enough to see which are the best shaped.

mistyhorizon2003 said...

What amazing scenery Simon, great photos, no wonder you go walking so often.

Simon (Smithyveg) said...

Yes indeed. I don't care what anyone else says....Britain is the most beautiful place on Earth. Even in the rain!

the grandfather said...

There's nothing you have that I need, I can breathe......♫
ermhh except some bigger onions

Anonymous said...

hi simon, many thanks for your earlier reply to my questions on spuds and onions.
unfortunately my spuds are covered in scab which i'm told can be caused by irregular watering, of which i'm clearly guilty.
i've decided to give your method of wrapping onions in newspaper a trial this year so we'll see.
this is only my second year of growing with showing in mind and have made countless errors, but also learnt stacks.
on the show front i have found a couple through mick poultney nvs (yes i am a member) and may give malvern a bash.
anyway cheers again for the hints and tips,
rob solihull (not really a teacher, just thought it may raise a smile)

Simon (Smithyveg) said...

Rob

Irregular watering is the reason the scab mycelium took hold as they like warm dry soil or growing media.....especially at tuber initiation which is when the haulms are about a foot high. It's critical to give spuds regular shallow waterings. I water in the evenings so the water gets down to the roots overnight.

Make yourself know if you see me at Malvern.