Today Tuesday 14th July we came south from Armside and visited Rufford Old Hall, near Ormskirk in Lancashire (National Trust).

The house was the "seat" of the Hesketh family for over 500 years until they gave it to the National Trust in the 1930s.

The interior is quite interesting but photography is only allowed in the Great Hall pictured here. The current Lord Hesketh who lives in Northamptonshire was the principal of a Formula One motor racing team in the 1970s.

We moved on south via the M6 and M56, then through rural Cheshire and into Shropshire on the A49. We stopped to explore Prees Heath near Whitchurh, a nature reserve run by the charity Butterfly Conservation. Here are Piramidal Orchids.

There is plenty of heather in flower.

And even more Rosebay Willowherb.

However the star of the show is the rare Silver-studded Blue butterfly. There are also innumerable rabbits and almost as many dog walkers.

Tonight we are staying at our friends Andy and Annette's house in Shrewsbury. We went out for a curry in town with Andy. Unfortunately we missed Annette as she was away. Great to see you again Andy after so long!