January 2026
January 2026Red skies, snow and wet, wet, wet On the 1st January 2026, the evening skies around Otley and the surrounds, blazed in oranges, reds and pinks. What a start to the new year! But the brightness, didn’t last. Within the first week, the snow came. We had quite a bit of it (for Suffolk!) …...
November, 2025
November It’s already darker and, sooner or later,the northerly winds will get colder and sharper. Footpaths are muddier and rains make it puddlier,while crop fields are starker and trees are all barer. Together we honour the dark days of winterwith bonfires and sparklers wrapped up with good humour.Yes, Christmas is closer but,...
October Falling, 2025
Sometimes, all you need are pictures. October 2025 was varied to say the least, but at its heart, it was a riot of colours and textures as always....
Still September, 2025
I walk in the stillness of late September. Summer clings on valiantly, but the Equinox has already spoken and opened the door to Autumn. Rosehips, hawthorn and elder berries still sing their presence in shades of scarlet and claret, while purple sloes entice the unwary, and the Devil has not yet found every blackberry to …...
Golden August, 2025
It’s safe to say that very few picnics or days out were spoiled by rain clouds this August in Suffolk. As the month comes to an end, we’re still mostly crying out for rain, but I’m sure we’ve also all thoroughly enjoyed the dry summer’s days and the heat on our backs. What a fabulous …...
Celebrating July 2025
July in Suffolk turned out to be a mixed bag of heatwaves and a few stunning downpours. On the whole it’s been dry, and our gardens, fields and wildlife have been feeling the pinch, but as the month comes to an end, temperatures are close to normal for the time of year. THE VILLAGE FETE …...
The Joys of June, 2025
After an early wave of heat, we went back to more ‘normal’ early summer temperatures for a while before bouncing back to a proper heatwave later in the month. As I write this at the very end of June, we’re currently languishing in the late 20s with tomorrow due to be in the 30s! So …...
Marvellous May, 2025
Writing this at the end of May, I can certainly say that this has been a really marvellous month. Hardly any rain (though obviously that brings its own trials), mostly quite warm and generally flora and fauna seem to be thriving at the moment. IN THE GARDEN From the scent of lilacs and the promise …...
Revelling in April 2025
It’s the 9th April and, until today, we’ve been revelling in some gorgeously sunny weather with blue cloudless skies. Sure, it’s still a bit chilly, but it is only April! Here are a few of the wonderful sights in and around our village that we can all enjoy. IN THE GARDEN From daffodils to hyacinths, …...
Otley blooms
As we reach the end of April, Otley’s hedgerows, fields and patches of woodland and groaning with greenery and putting on their best blooms. So what can you see around us at the moment? Well, ash trees have mostly still not sprouted, but our oaks are in varied stages of leaf – some very green, …...