Night walkers

We have been looking at houses again today, and needed to relax, so it was obvious where we’d go.
There was only one solitary car in the car park this evening, tucked away out of sight from the road. Seeing the vehicle was empty, I parked in close proximity but not directly alongside.
It was about 7.15 pm,  a half-moon out in a clear sky, but still light.

It was warm, ten degrees, so no need for hats or gloves, though Maggie was wearing her fluorescent jacket as we knew it would be dark by the time we got back to the car.

We walked the same route as I had alone this morning, though it was muddier underfoot now so I guess there had been some rain here this afternoon.
We heard voices as we approached the lower path, and two cyclists came from our left.
We called Maggie to heel, and made her sit until they’d passed, nodding their heads and saying thanks. The pocket was nudged, so she was given her reward.
We could hear a rustling in the trees and pigeons flew overhead, but she paid no heed. We turned to see two headlamps coming towards us from behind and the cyclists thanked and apologised as they went by again, so I added that we’d see them at the other end,  our joint laughter ringing out through the trees.

We had hoped perhaps to see some of the bats that have adopted one of the old stores on the bottom track but once again they have eluded us.
The majority of our walk was otherwise uneventful, bar the hooting of owls somewhere in the distance, the caw of crows and the scooting of a rabbit across the path unnoticed by the dog as she was intent on something else.
Coming up from the new Des Res towards Humphrey’s Stump, our shadows were cast in the moonlight, and Hubby spread his arms wide to ‘capture’ the ground in a phantom embrace, enjoying the peace and tranquility of the moment.
We may have been surrounded by silence, but there was a lot of life here: underground, in the trees, in the undergrowth, watching, waiting, living, breathing.
Turning the corner, we headed towards the central path that would eventually lead us back to the car park and this is what we saw:

Hubby loves the woods at night.
As we walked, the light continued to change, and we were glad we had the torch so as to avoid the deep ruts in the track left by the lorries some four months ago.
Back at the car, we checked our shoes, and surprisingly had no unwanted souvenirs.
We had been walking for over an hour and a half.
It was dark now, but still warm at eight degrees.

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