Invader

Our walk this morning didn't get off to much of a start.  Having opted for a walk around Straw's Bridge lakes, we encountered battalions of small children dressed as pirates or in party dresses, accompanied by parents in even greater numbers and dressed (in some cases) even more ridiculously.  Given my misanthropic nature, it wasn't the best place for me to be, so we beat a hasty retreat along the road and cut in through the woodland of Peewit Carr before walking along the old colliery railway lines.  Peewit Carr is usually a lot more peaceful and today was no exception.

The wild flower meadow is beginning to look a little brown and dry now.  The orchids have all lost their flowers and the Yellow Rattle is busy setting seed.  Grasses are drying in the sun but the Red Clover is still looking good.

Further along our walk, we encountered a foreign invader.  Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is bad news in the countryside as it begins to take over with it's aggressive, explosive seed dispersal system.  But they are still nice to look at.

This particular plant seemed to have a darker pink flower than we are used to seeing.  I suppose we should have pulled the plants up and destroyed them before they get hold, but we didn't.