Saturday Morning Bike Ride.

I've not done a Saturday Morning Bike ride since the beginning of June. Tut tut! Sorted today though. Despite the recent thunder storms the weather was still warm and muggy. I'm off at 7:45am. I took rather a lot of photos; the wild flowers are fantastic at the moment, the air smelled sweet and delicious.

 Knapweed.

Knapweed & bee.

 Bike.

The way ahead. It's a long hill, I'm already over half way up at this point. 

Not as much fly tipping as there sometimes is. These blue Christmas decorations caught my eye though. Glancing into the field behind I could see half-chewed Santas and Angels strewn around. Why not take them to a charity shop instead of dumping them? I wish I'd taken a bauble home now I see them again.

Gate & tyre.

Another gate. Not much left of the wall.

Looking towards Glasgow in the far distance.

Farm buildings

Hawthorn and golden grass. There were numerous small white butterflies darting around all the patches of long grass I passed today. Sometimes they would flutter right past me and I could feel them gently touch my bare arms.

At the very top. Once at the top the countryside is fairly flat and several miles of gentle traffic-free cycling awaits. Lovely!

Harebells.

Small loch.

Rosebay willowherb

Lovely contrast between the gold and green.

The avenue, I couldn't decide which picture I preferred.

A favourite view.

Shorn sheep.

Onwards.

A down hill stretch is ahead. First though I have some fun photographing the wildflowers on the road verge...

Wheeee.

Hoverfly and rosebay willowherb.

Reservoir #1.

Moo.

Lovely twisty roads.

Geese and ducks.

Meadowsweet. I've never seen so much meadowsweet in bloom as I saw today.

Ladybird.

More meadowsweet.

Bramble blossom.

Reservoir #2 (and even more meadowsweet!)

Reservoir #3. Also, another pause to photograph yet more flowers, leaves and seedheads...

The pine cone is still tucked into the crack in the gate post. I wonder if the person who placed it there knows it's still there. I wonder if he and I are the only people who know of it or does anyone else look out for it when passing this way.

Twisty wire.

 A view through the barbed wire.

 Looking north.

Pastoral scene.

The tatty farm. I still fail to get a decent photo of it. The hollyhocks at the front door were pretty impressive though. I may even try hollyhocks in the garden next year...

Rear view.

Small peacock butterfly. I also saw a red admiral but two noisy joggers scared it away before I could get a good photo.

Looking north east.

Nice barn and fabulous veggie plot.

Looking north again.

Past the loch.

Ragwort and soldier beetle.

Farm and rosebay willowherb.

Then home. About 25 miles cycled. It turned out a lovely day weather-wise, which hadn't been forecast; a pleasant surprise.