You know how the health gurus tell us all that we should complete 10,000 steps a day? (Ha, yes, I know! Thats what I thought too). Well, it’s been a while since I got anywhere near that and what with having dusted and hoovered the old homestead to Country Life Magazine standards recently, I thought I’d pop out and see what was what. And I’m glad I did as nature decided to welcome me back to her bosom this afternoon by giving me a selection of her greatest UK hits to enjoy.

OK so it’s not anything that David Attenborough will be making a documentary about anytime soon, but for a couple of hours I was immersed in the natural world, Northumberland style.

Would you believe that my walk took me uphill – both ways?

My first encounter was with a friend’s dog, who was sitting at their back gates. She viciously wagged her tail at me as I walked past. Close call, that one.

I set off along a path that runs up the side of a field near Wellburn House, to the sound of the peacocks who live in the grounds there. As I progressed uphill, all the resident critters came out to greet me. A swift swooped overhead, swooping being something they do very well. There were butterflies all over the place. I saw at least three different types, a red admiral, a few orange tips and a tortoiseshell-winged one that I couldn’t identify.

Like the peacocks, where the male has a magnificent tail to display, the male orange tip butterfly is the one with the colourful wings. The females are just white. This seems to be quite common in the animal world, where the males wear all the make up. It’s like young humans used to do in the early 1980s.

Painted pebbles. Must be male.

I believe that some of the children in the village have been using the time to paint pebbles, leaving them dotted around for others to admire. There were two on this path. I think it’s a nice touch to life in Ovingham, although I’m sure it happens in other places too. I left the two that I saw where I found them.

A crow sat on the path about 150 yards in front of me and watched me as I approached. I wanted to tell him that he could sit there as long as he likes, because I wasn’t going to hurt him. And for a while I thought he’d got the message, but when I was twenty paces from him he took off. The strange thing was, he headed straight for me, only veering off at the last minute and then going to sit a few hundreds yards away in the middle of the field. I got the impression he was miffed at having his afternoon disturbed and wanted to let me know.

Overlooking Whittle Dene

As I got to the entrance to Whittle Dene, I noticed the birdsong. This was 2pm, not dawn, and it was very loud. Maybe its the lockdown or maybe it’s just that I’d never noticed before, but it was lovely to hear. Whittle Dene is ancient woodland so it’s a paradise if you happen to be a chaffinch. Big up to all the birds out there!

Flowers were everywhere as I walked further into Whittle Dene. Wood anemones, wild garlic, the good old and much maligned dandelion, bluebells carpeting the floor and looking pretty damn spectacular I don’t mind telling you. I’m afraid the photo doesn’t do them justice.

Justice for the Bluebells! This doesn’t do it for them

There were wild primroses in the woods a week ago, but they’ve gone now. There weren’t many of them but they are a protected species so it was good to know they’re there.

Anyone know what these are? Anyone? Bueller?

At the top of the hill the ancient woodlands give way to a pine forest, and through the trees I could just make out, in the middle distance, the shape of a Post Office lorry, hurtling along the A69. I looked at my step count and worked out that I would get my 10,000 in by the time I got home.

The A69 has its uses but it doesn’t work as a treat of nature. So I turned tail and went back the way I came.

I staggered through the village when I eventually got there, catching a snippet of a conversation (from at least two metres away of course) where a woman confirmed to her companion that she was “not a big fish person.” I was glad to hear it. I think that’s taking nature a bit too far to be honest.

Back past my friend’s dog, tail still wagging, I got home with just over 11,000 steps under my belt. Those anonymous health gurus would approve, but I’ll pay for it in the morning, mark my words…