We enjoyed a visit to Martin Mere over the weekend. It’s a lovely place to visit as it has over 800 acres of wetlands, and is home to a diverse variety of birds.
A lot of the attractions were inaccessible but there was still plenty to see and it was pretty easy getting around as all the gates could be pushed rather than unlocked.
You literally only have a four second walk going in, then you’re outdoors where you can safely self-distance. Again, you have to book which keeps the crowds down.
I took a picnic and realized how automatic it’s becoming to wipe the bench and table down! How quickly we adapt to these strange times.
We’ve started walking in the woods again. During lockdown they were heaving with people which made it difficult to self-distance. Now you rarely come across anyone. Obviously people have plenty of other things to do at the moment given everything is more or less open, for how long though?
We’ve now mastered pushing the gates open with our feet. I’m always surprised by how many vulnerable people are happy to touch them.
The numbers are flying up in the UK now. I think it’s a result of the schools going back. We have a school opposite our house and I was surprised to see so many large groups of people chatting outside every day, without masks, and making no attempt to self-distance. I did worry that if that was the case across the UK the numbers would go through the roof.
Toadstools are appearing in the woods, I’m hoping they come up in the garden soon, I always look forward to their arrival.
And Finally…
I had to check on some bonding bunnies in the rescue tonight. Fortunately, all was well and there was no sign of aggression.
I was surprised at how many mice I disturbed, it was like watching a waterfall of mice raining down the mesh. They obviously have a great time eating the bird seed once the staff go home!
Thanks Brenda. Struth, the covid situation is surreal isn’t it? I can’t believe how many people Trump has infected!!! You couldn’t make it up!!!xxx
How nice for you all to have an outing! We are now in the extremely-surreal-covid-zone with Trump and so many Senators getting infected like toppling dominoes. Utter chaos.
Happy to see you having some good times out in the woods with your loved ones. It makes me laugh when you said pushing open gates with your legs. Ha ha, I have been doing the same at certain places! Love those mushrooms! Such pretty little things! I think I would be scared see that much mice!
Thanks Jade. Who would have thought this could happen? Some days it doesn’t seem real, other days it seems we’ve always lived with hygiene restrictions! I do love mushrooms and we seem to have so many different species this year. It’s a good job mice don’t bother me, otherwise I would have had a heart attack.xxx
Oh my stars, that sky! What a glorious shot so full of color and drama 🙂
So glad you got to have a family outing. I’m naturally a bit reclusive so I was trying to resist enjoying being at home too much. But brief trips have been good for the soul. Love to see the little one enjoying the visit.
Thanks Anne. We have had so many wonderful dramatic sunsets lately, the light seems to disappear rather than fade these days. One minute it’s light the next pitch black. I’m so glad you are able to enjoy working from home, it must make life so much easier. Here’s to more of that! xxx
That is such a fabulous looking sky in your header photograph, wonderful colour.
I enjoyed your photographs from Martin Mere, it’s nice to get out and about if you can.
We visited a local garden centre today and it was lovely to walk around and see the range of plants etc they have. I was also impressed at the Centres Covid 19 safety arrangements and that people were following them.
Enjoy these last few days of September and have a happy October.
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan. We have had some lovely dramatic sunsets. Good to know the garden center is taking precautions, I do miss browsing garden centers, it’s not the same online is it?xxx
I’m very concerned about the schools reopening, it seems they are generally not prepared to handle the risks. Even so, glad you had a lovely expedition with the family.
You have to feel sorry for the teachers trying to educate pupils during a pandemic, it must be a nightmare for them! I’m sure schools going back have driven the numbers up here. Still, it’s lovely to get out. Thanks Jason.xxx
I used to take my Mum to Martin Mere. We are moving over to Lancashire later this year so looking forward to paying another visit. By the way Dina…. I got married on 20th Feb this year just made it before lockdown.
Congratulations on your marriage!!! How wonderful to hear it went ahead, so many people have had to cancel. It will be lovely to see you, I’ll look forward to that! xxx
Great to see you are able to go to such a wetland wilderness, always lovely to get away from people these days! Little urchin is growing up, and looks about the same size as our little granddaughter… we have been going on lots of nature walks with her while we waited for her little brother to arrive. Lovely times despite this pandemic.
Yes, it’s lovely to get out while being able to self-distance isn’t it? I can’t believe how quickly kids grow up, 19 months already!How lovely that you enjoyed all those walks and now have another grand!!! Thanks Gerrie.xxx
Great post, images and thoughts. Autumn for you and spring,slowly, for us!
Thanks Peter. I hope you have a good spring.xxx
I love your header image….what a fabulous sky.
Lovely that you are able to walk with Little Urchin in the middle…..she must really enjoy being with you both.
I am not in the least bit surprised that the virus is spreading like crazy again…..looking back I can still see the crowded beaches, pubs filled to the gills, etc. What on earth did they expect? I feel so grateful and fortunate to live where I do….and now I have the HUB virtually next door – well what can I say:)
Continue to stay well and enjoy the little one:)XXXXXXX
There have been some lovely sunsets lately, many look just like your paintings. Yes, so many people have totally ignored self-distancing and carried on as though everything is normal. Good to know you have the Hub, it sounds like a wonderful place, lucky you! Thanks Janet.xxxx
To many of us I think it was totally predictable that the numbers would rise again, once restrictions eased. After all, what has changed since the first peak? There is no vaccine, people act as though it has all gone away and the damn thing is no less infectious. All the government seem to be doing now is just delaying the inevitable. I am dreading winter. And a no deal Brexit on top of it all? It’s just crazy.
It was inevitable wasn’t it? The schools and universities seemed to be the last straw. Yes, we do seem to be in for a bumpy ride until a vaccine is found. Thanks Jess. xxx
I used to visit Martin Mere a lot when I lived in Ainsdale, a wonderful place with so much to see. I miss the geese and swans flying in overhead!
We are lucky down here that numbers of corona Virus are low, they are rising but still much lower than the rest of the country. I’m still more or less self isolating, I just don’e feel inclined to visit anywhere yet, thank goodness for my garden.
Oh yes, seeing the swans and geese fly in is a wonderful sight. Good to know your numbers are low, fingers crossed they stay like that, they’re really high here. Thanks Pauline.xxx
I’m glad you’re getting out and about — and didn’t I laugh at those mice going for the birdseed on the sly! I thought my opposum had left, but the past few nights I’ve found evidence of a visitor, so I think it — or some mice — are back. It’s time to start taking down the feeders at night again.
I put up hummingbird feeders for the first time this year, and they found it after only two days. There was one the first day, two on the second, and now there are enough that they’ve started to battle one another. Great fun!
I was amazed at how many mice there actually were! Anyone with a phobia re mice would have had a heart attack. I’ve had to stop feeding the birds here recently as the feeders are attracting rodents. How lovely to hear you have humming birds, magical little creatures. Thanks Linda.xxx
What a perfect autumn adventure, and safe, too: good for you! Yes, strange times, but we adapt and–on some days–even thrive.
I’ve found a British program that’s a few years old and features house-hunting for the perfect cottage in all the English, Scottish, Welsh, and some Irish Counties…I am in LOVE. I couldn’t have created a more soothing fantasy program for myself, and I get to watch it every afternoon for a couple hours, roaming through all the beauty of each county and dreaming of my own cottage…so much fun, and I feel like you could be with me touring all of these places. 🙂 Every day I have a new favorite county; my goodness, they’re all glorious!
Out cases are rising like mad; I think we’re now the second worst state, currently, but whatever: it’s bad, and we’re staying put and hoping the numbers go back down. It’s somehow sadly comforting to hear other countries have citizens as stupid as ours. Here’s to growing wisdom, healing, and a better winter than we seem headed for today.
Thank you for your lovely post, and to hearing the bunnies are doing well and sweet mice are successfully scavenging, too! xoxoxo
That program sounds just lovely, I would just love to watch it with you. I love cottages but they have tiny windows you can never replace so are always dark. Full Moon is so much better!!! Our cases have soared to… and stupid is everywhere. I hope we all get a vaccine soon! You hang on in there my friend! Hugs and huge love to you all.xxxx
I have never been to Martin Mere but it is a place that I would like to visit some day. I too am worried about this spike in cases, I do hope that it plateaus soon, I agree that the schools going back have played their part in this. I shop at lunchtime and there is always large groups of school children wondering around the town together, not distancing themselves at all. It is so hard for them I am sure after months of not seeing each other. Such a difficult time for everyone.
Your two would love Martin Mere. The cases are sadly spiraling again…sighs. Teenagers have roamed around in groups and on bikes since this started, I’m sure I’d have done the same at that age. Yes, trying times for sure! Thanks Sustainablemum. xxx
We’ve visited Martin Mere and Slimbridge – both great places to visit,. I too have mastered the foot pushing gate opening technique or use surgical gloves when unlocking the allotment gate followed by sanitiser. Having pubs etc open doesn’t help and I can’t see how cutting opening times makes things any better.
Foot pushing the gate with dogs sure is a skill that needs mastering! Kicking everyone out onto the streets at 10 pm just seems to have everyone drinking outside or all on public transport at once, baffling! Thanks Sue. xxx
Good to see that you enjoyed yourselves. I’m not surprised that there’s now a second wave given the government’s ineptitude and how some people have reacted so recklessly over the past months. I’ll continue as I have been doing since it all started. Take care. xx
I think a second wave was inevitable once we opened up again, I’m surprised by how recklessly some people have behaved, and I’m surprised by all the conspiracy theories being floated. Thanks Flighty.xxx
We’ve had some lovely weather for visiting outdoor attractions, sadly it looks as though summer is leaving us though now, we’ve had a couple of days of torrential rain and it’s so cold and windy today. It’s sad to see the numbers on the increase again but, as you say, so many people aren’t taking any precautions and so it was just a matter of time really. Eleanor and her boyfriend are half way through an isolation period at the moment as they’ve been in contact with someone who’s tested positive, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that they don’t develop any symptoms.
It’s good to have escaped, albeit briefly, over the summer isn’t it? The weather is turning now and the cases are sadly soaring again. I have my fingers crossed that all is well with Eleanor and her boyfriend, thankfully younger people are more resistant. Thanks Jo.xxx
I remember Martin’s Mere! One Christmas we adopted geese for everyone and they had a family day out to see them, although I’m not sure they were able to identify the exact ones! :O) Love the mushroom photos and the bonding bunnies – Hamish approves! Keep disinfecting those picnic tables! xx
Hahaha, your identifying the geese in Martin Mere has me laughing. I do love seeing all the mushrooms that emerge in autumn, there seem to be new ones each year. Pleased to hear Hamish approves! Thanks Veggiemummy.xxx