Ickworth

I awoke at 6:47 this morning. Which is long after I normally wake up :)

The National Trust has opened some of it properties on a pre-booked ticket basis. One of those Ickworth and I got a ticket for today.

Now at one point this morning I very briefly considered not going and it made me think that when this is all over there will be a lot of nervousness and trepidation. As soon as I was in the car and on my way the world felt a little more normal.

I arrived 4 minutes early for my time slot, apparently quite a few people were precise with their earlyness :)

The main toilets were locked only the unisex one in and one out were operative, all buildings were closed but the garden and wider estate were open.

I got to the walled garden. My friend Stuart had made some Cheese & Herb scones from the NT scones book and gave me some yesterday. So I sat eating "NT scones" in a National Trust property.

There was a Reed Warbler singing in the reeds and a Reed Bunting perched across the lake.

Sheep!

Hello a Garden Warbler.... record shot alas.... light was awful.

The sun was coming out... so I headed back to the coffee trolley, picked up a coffee from the very chirpy NT young lady and went to the front of the house to sit on the grass and drink it with a scone. BLISS

I wandered into Lady Geraldine's walk

I found a seat and listened to the birds. I could have done with the 100-400 ;)

There was a family of Great Spotted Woodpeckers

It was a lovely day  and quiet. We may not be near to normality but a small step back and good for the soul.