After yet more rain, the morning dawned bright and welcoming, even if everything underfoot is soggy. I celebrated the last day of my holiday by setting off once again with the dogs for a walk on the dunes. Since much of my normal route was going to be underwater (I know this because I have had wet feet every day for a fortnight) I decided we would be dropped off to walk on one direction only, and mostly along the track. I've been walking on my own for several weeks as OH is going through a bad patch and is resting up to take over again next week while I'm in London.
The most dramatic of the wildflowers are over but the burnet rose is still pretty with its dark hips, especially growing - as below - amongst the delicate eyebright, and red clover, harebells and bloody cranesbill provide colour, while lousewort makes pinky-white drifts which are much more attractive than its name suggests.
Creamy froths of meadowsweet scent the air on hot days (if only!) but I must admit I like this golden invader:

I must try it in the garden! Walking on the dunes one is less conscious of the dire state of our butterflies and moths, as the air of full of furry brown skippers, and the striking six-spot burnet. I wish I could photograph these, but they all move too fast, especially when a canine nose comes into view. Fortunately the canine nose missed this early morning walker on the narrow path:


but when I spotted a common lizard sunning itself on the stile the girls arrived as I raised the camera and it was gone in a flash! There must be snakes, too, but the closest I've seen is this wonderful viper's bugloss. The London streets will seem greyer and grimier than ever, I fear, after my brief spell of freedom!