Countryside Picnics in the Hols.

School's out and one traditional way of keeping the youngsters amused and entertained is to take them up to the lovely natural landscapes of the National Parks. After all that's what they're for isn't it? Fresh air and tranquillity and beautiful landscapes and wildlife.

The swallows have taken their young out here to feast on the insect life. The warblers are doing the same as, contentedly, some of the adults sing - more relaxed and less intensely than in May. Linnet families are also chirping in the tops of birches.

Many other birds have brought families to get the soft fruit before those annoying humans scoff the lot.

Around the FoBM cafe/bird table young robins breakfast alongside nuthatch and the usual customers. Our great tit friend is  working hard at developing his new hairstyle: little wisps of feathering are on his head with a promising central parting as a concession to fashion.

It's particularly satisfying to see a young family on Blacka. A mother with a 6 year old daughter and two dogs were having great fun exploring, the little girl excitedly climbing over walls even when there was a gap alongside. Blacka, as long as I've known it, was always a place for children to explore, to hide, to find new things behind trees and new paths through young woodland. A place free from the disadvantages of industrially exploited land.

And when it's public land maintained with public money that's the least we should expect. Approaching the gate cluster we see lots of notices that help the managers to tick the 'welcoming' box in their standard assessment.

We so much  enjoy being lectured: it's so welcoming. But what's this? Just where we might expect to sit down for our packed refreshments?

The 'everywhere must be farmed and grazed' fundamentalists have brought along their livestock and encouraged them to deliver cartloads of excrement in the very spot where it might have been suitable to picnic. So no sitting on the grass here, place set aside for public recreation or not. Further along is another area proudly claimed to be just a model .....

...... of how cows can help keep the ground in good condition (short grass) is similarly favoured.

The other side of the gate and over the wall is now a sheep and thistle enclosure. I like thistles but do there have to be so many and so few, if any, wild flowers?

And so much sheep excrement as well, not to mention so many blessed sheep?