18th April 2014

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Friday 18th 41-45F, 5-7C, grey overcast, light breeze. Yesterday's forecast of sunshine and light winds has become showers and rather windy. They spared me the showers but there was an eye watering wind all the way back from the  most distant point of my walk. Four miles in an hour and half. I saw three hares. Including one which did not seem to recognise me as a potential threat as it lolloped steadily towards me on a quiet country lane. By the time I had my camera ready it had disappeared through the hedge into the woods.

My right, Salomon 'Discovery GTX'  boot is now squeaking so loudly that I am disturbing the horses at their grazing. I sound like a medieval cart with a dry axle! It is no wonder the birds are hiding from me! Dogs I pass are barking at me as well! There is no visible difference and the other boot is completely silent. It doesn't matter whether I put my heel or toe down first, or walk flat footed, it squeaks just as loudly!

I had no need to go shopping and as it was a cold, miserable day, with showers, I decided to give my painful hip a rest.

Saturday 19th 40-58F, 4-14C, becoming windy, heavy overcast with thick mist. The forecast is sunny all day with light winds. Where do I queue for my refund?

The mist cleared very quickly and I was soon rather too warm on my walk. My hip is fine today. I saw a flock of about 50 Fieldfares foraging on a large area of short grass. Still a few pairs of geese circling noisily.

I rode to Assens by a roundabout route and back again by another. Spotted my first Swallow and Red kite of the year. Warm enough for bare knees and fingerless mitts. Bright sunshine and the wind remained fairly light. 21 miles.

The supermarkets were cheating on their special offers again. Crooks, damned cooks and Danish supermarkets! Isn't it odd that Denmark alone, in all of Europe, has no consumer protection? I have to go out again to finish the shopping.

Plus ten more miles. Half a dozen small peacock butterflies were sunbathing on the road. Presumably trying to warm up more quickly in marginal temperature conditions. I saw my first dragonfly of this year in the same area.

Sunday 20th 50-65F, 10-18C, breezy and sunny. Temperatures could get quite silly today despite the increasing NE wind. We could see the high 60s [F]. Warm sunshine for my walk again. A hare was guarding the entrance to the woods. The flock of distinctive Fieldfares numbered around 300 today!

It peaked at just over 65F locally. Remaining sunny but windy throughout. I was crawling downhill at only 15mph on the way there and climbing at 22mph and on the big chain ring all the way back. Only 11 miles.

Click on any image for an enlargement.