Canal

Lock

River Gade

Blackberries

Burdock

This enlarges a lot

Eupatorum purpureum Joe Pye Weed

Gull

Cinnabar caterpillar on Ragwort

Thistle

Possibly red admiral caterpillars

Bee on a thistle

Artemisia

Willow herb

The white form

Bumble and ragwort

Umbellifera

There were a few plops of rain, but it did not last

Ragwort and cinnabars

Curled cinnabar caterpillar

Robin's pincushion

Magnificent ragwort

Meadowsweet

Restharrow

There was a susurration in the reeds as the ducks swam past

Convolvulus arvensis

Water forget-me-not

Myosotis scorpioides

Water mint

Blasted tree

The Gade flows under a railway bridge used by the Metropolitan line tube

I was too slow to get a sharp shot...

Willow herb again

Knapweed

Grasses

Yarrow with hoverfly

Heron still out of focus

Buddleia for insects

Narrow boat approaching to go through the lock

Working the lock gates

Letting out the water

Coming through the gate

We did not manage to take the circular tour, presuming that the path was not useable in the summer.   The petrol warning light came on and H got some info from a kind man in a car park.   There was some panic until we found an Esso station.  

Home in time to put on the lasagne