
Poppy on the Beach at Marloes
Take Dartmoor for example. This was one of the popular choices and probably one of the sites you would expect to see along with Flamborough, Brecon Beacons and Durdle Door in Dorset. But where was Eastbourne or Marloes in Pembrokeshire? Where was Hay-on-Wye and Pen Dinas overlooking Aberystwyth? Or Loch Ness where you can go monster looking? Nowhere to be seen.
Dianne Stanford had suggested the launderette and picnicking there as a great way to pass the time! Eve Conner has suggested her kitchen which seems to be just south of Dartmouth in Devon. She writes, “Come rain or shine picnics can be fun in your own home, especially if the menu is a little bit different! This picnic was quite thirsty work!” To be frank Eve, having a picnic at our house would be just like an ordinary meal. Where’s the fun in that?
Part of the appeal of picnicking is that you can watch the world go by and be in awe of the beauty around you. Without denigrating my kitchen – or local launderette for that matter – it isn’t that appealing especially since I am too regular a visitor. Maybe I should visit Eve’s kitchen or Dianne’s launderette where more things might be going on. Maybe the launderette is especially exciting.
But back to Strensham for a moment. Could Lorraine Cooper who suggested that work there? Is it just publicity for them? Is she an avid collector of car number plates? Is she a coach driver and gets free meals there? In which case, I would nominate the transport café at Quernhow in North Yorkshire just off the A1. That might be worth a bacon butty next time I’m passing.
This survey/competition is being carried out by the Wildlife Trusts (nothing on their website about it) in conjunction with Ribena yet nobody seems to have suggested many of their areas. Surely that can’t be because Eve’s kitchen and Dianne’s launderette are more interesting places!