The Narrative
   Setting off in a bright 21°C with a gentle easterly breeze, the coastal air felt absolutely perfect. On the way to the recreation ground, a painted lady butterfly fluttered through the pine-shaded wildflowers, while a crow perched aloft, voicing its usual rasping disapproval.

   Circling the rec, small whites danced along the hedgerows before I reached the cemetery road. There, my usual ‘friend’—the local Pitbull Terrier—was pacing and barking up a storm. Inside the cemetery, the drama continued with two wood pigeons loudly flapping and fighting in a thick hedge, though the peace was kept by passing small whites and comma butterflies.

   Up at the empty field’s wildflower bank, I hit the jackpot: a painted lady settled on the ground, joined by another for a spectacular, fluttering territorial dance. Turning back through the gate, a pheasant caught my eye, scuttling under the thick shrubs.

   Back on the road, I crossed paths with an impressive Husky-Malamute cross. As I chatted with the owner, the Husky began doing laps around the Pitbull’s garden perimeter, sparking an immediate, furious barking match from behind the glass. The owner just smiled: “Happens every single time.”
   Heading towards the leisure centre, the scent of white privet flowers filled the air. At the centre itself, the local bird contingent was out in force—six feral pigeons and a jackdaw on the roof, five gulls cruising overhead, and a sparrow darting into the shrubs. A gorgeous red admiral briefly teased me on some wild plants, but vanished before I could snap a photo.
The Stats
Distance: 1.91 miles
Time: 49 minutes
Google Fit: 25 Heart Points

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