Midsummer poppies

Last week on Instagram I happened to spot that someone fairly local to me had been out to see a field of poppies, so I went to track them down.

They're growing on a hillside above the Derbyshire town of Belper, just off an old lane which follows the ridge-line. We parked at the northern end and walked, but there is limited parking on the lane itself (in use that evening by dog-walkers).

 

The lane goes up, past a small wood, then down, and gradually, on the left-hand side, glimpses of poppies appear, till finally the whole field comes into view.

It's a bit like that moment in Room with a View when the countryside opens out to a view over Florence, but, you know, with Belper in the background instead. Who needs Italy anyway, when you've got Derbyshire? 

Despite dashing through this area of Derbyshire quite frequently, I rarely stop and walk there, so was pleasantly surprised at how lovely and 'countryside-y' it is, especially not being far from Belper town centre. Another time I'd come prepared to explore further (with a map though as the signposts aren't reliable)

Taking our time a little more on the way back, I spotted wild roses, blackberries, and foxgloves in the hedges. Maybe the weather contributed but it certainly felt like a lovely quiet spot for a walk.