A meandering walk to a book shop

Epsom town centre is but a five minute drive from home, or a twenty minute walk away. When I visit I normally choose 'shank's pony' over the car for several reasons - fitness, boosting my green credentials and the chance to do a bit of nature watching on the way. This morning I wanted to go to Waterstones to buy a bit of summer reading - I'm old fashioned that way, I like to actually pick up objects that I want to buy, to feel them and look at them rather than order them online - and would, by the way, normally choose an independent bookseller over a chain, but Epsom does not have one. But I digress...

There are a number of routes to take into Epsom town centre, and the one I took was extremely rambling, taking in a good section of Epsom Downs, then the historical old part of town which is full of Georgian and Victorian architecture, cottage gardens and mature trees. My trusty compact camera came along 'just in case'. I'm glad it did.



It was cloudy as I crossed the parched grassland of the downs, so the few Chalkhill Blues that were active were quite sluggish, enabling close approach.



I was delighted to come across a healthy clump of naturalised Red Bistort (Persicaria amplexicaulis) growing amongst the nettles, brambles and various tree saplings on a roadside verge as I entered the town. I do like these 'escapees'.

I arrived at the bookshop, buoyed by my natural history interlude. What did I purchase? 'The Magus' by John Fowles and 'Underworld' by Don Delilo. I'll let you know what I think.

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