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It has not been too busy in the garden of late as all my spare growing places are now full of things growing.

We've suffered an attack of killer rabbits on the brassicas (cauli, sprouts, broccoli etc) and they've taken a liking to some of the flowers too.

Everyone locally agrees that there are many more rabbits about this year so I've had to build a few more barricades

and put up with a little less colour in the garden !

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On Friday Jo came over for lunch and a walk as she is up in the Lakes for a few days.

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There's a queue at the bird table so the sparrows and chaffinch are waiting their turn on a nearby stone.

When one of our squirrels is on the table then there's little chance for the birds to feed.

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My 'octagonal walled garden' will need a higher fence.

I chased four rabbits out of it yesterday . . . now I know where Beatrix Potter got her inspiration from !

The original raised bed is full but they've been in there too . . . nibbling at the base of the bean stems and broccoli.

Time for a little harvesting of the soft fruit . . . protected by a fruit cage in the bottom garden.

One tub for now, one to freeze for later in the year.

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Last night we met Jo at the theatre to see the play about The Queen and Margaret Thatcher.

If you get chance then go and see "Hand Bagged" or try and find the book "The Queen and Mrs Thatcher" by Dean Palmer . . . brilliant.

Today she came over for an afternoon stroll and to stay for supper .

We have two and a half dogs this afternoon . . . too quick on the shutter for the third one !

Harry is back to normal after his stomach upset so we try for a shorter walk up Gasgale Gill.

The classic sound of a traffic queue of Lambretta Scooters filled the air

and we looked down to see about twenty of these classic machines being driven along the valley road below us.

	- - - o o o - - -   Returning to the walk . . . .   Sadly the new season bracken and the growth on the heather plants this year totally obscured the start of the narrow path.     We were getting nowhere significant, so we changed plans and retreated in favour of a low level walk in the valley below.   - - - o o o - - -

The Lorton Valley from our lofty position . . . we'll retrace our steps down to the bridge.

Dylan leads on . . . then dives left for some reason ?

He's found a muddy pool to sit in . . . but at least the river is close to wash the peaty colour away.

Another pool . . . another chance to cool off . . . or get clean in Dylan's case.

The rough nature of the track, due to the effects of the floods of recent years, was proving hard going for Harry

so a change of plans again as Ann stopped slightly lower down to 'appreciate the view'.

Jo and I plus the two younger dogs completed the final part of the track up to the waterfall.

Having changed plans twice already we pass on going further and so retrace our steps.

Ann is waiting lower down with the rest of the party.

The lower path we use does have a slight climb over an elevated rock outcrop.

If you want to walk the whole valley without the scramble, then you can use the next path up the fellside to bypass the falls.

Back to the bridge and a quick view of Grasmoor from underneath the structure.

The river is quite low at the moment so I cross on the stones rather than walk across the bridge.

Time to wander back to the car . . . with the view of Mellbreak ahead of us as we walk back  down the grass.

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