Saturday Morning Bike Ride

Another gorgeous Autumn morning and another bike ride beginning with a bramble picking session - enough to make 5 jars later that evening. I go to the same spot that I discovered last week, it's a good one and is now my bramble patch of choice!

I think this may be Autumn hawkbit or a hawkweed. I need to start photographing plant leaves as well as flowers so that I can identify them more easily when I get home.

The three puddles from last week are still there, but the view behind is much sunnier this week. Look at the beautiful blue sky!

The same view but zooming in a little - it's a nice rural scene.

Further on I pass these pines on a knoll, in front is a large brackish puddle.

A patch of bright Autumn colour.

I like the little barn on the left with the semicircular roof. I'll try and get a better photo of it next time I'm passing this way.

More pines, I also like the wonky fence posts in the forground.

Looking straight along the road from the previous photo. A distant red barn (to the right of the biggest tree) is an eye catching landmark.

I pause at the bend beside the tree for a few more photos, the leaf on the right had only just fallen.

Another photo at the bend. Again you can just make out the red barn in the distance.

Now a little further on. It's hard to see on the photo but there's a nice view of the far away mountains behind the trees. I like the clouds in this photo too.

Knapweed.

Farm on the horizon.

Interesting old "building" I've not noticed before. It looks like an old modified railway carriage.

Falling down fence resembling a rather wonky stave (did you know that "Staff is more common in American English, stave in British English")

This section of road is lined with rowan trees, the fiery coloured berries are looking spectacular at this time of year.

Beautiful deep red rowan berries.

This is a very pretty little road. I'm approaching the steepest hill I've encountered in my cycling in this area. Today I'll be going down it, I hope my brakes are up to it!

I haven't been past this little hut for a while, I always like to take a photo of it. From here I pass through a small town then join the cycle path for the five miles of so back home. No more photos. So another fairly short ride at about 12 miles but I'm keen to get back home and finish some outdoor jobs which are needing done while the good weather lasts. The next day (Sunday) we plan to go on a little day trip (more on that later!) so time is limited.

Once home I spot a peacock butterfly on one of the buddleias in the garden. There aren't many blooms left, I hope there's enough to satisfy him. Such a pretty butterfly, it's my favourite of the few types we get here.

I've just  done a little googling on Peacock butterflies and have found this interesting article which, amongst other things, says that Peacock butterflies "are probably the longest-lived butterflies in Britain, with adults surviving from late July, well into the following spring, perhaps into June. Thus, contrary to popular belief that butterflies only live for a few days, some Peacocks may live to see their 11th month (albeit having spent five or six months of their adult lives asleep in hibernation). The Peacock butterfly has fared well in recent years... (and has) increased in distribution, pushing northwards in northern England and central Scotland."