h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'd forgotten about this in all the excitement of today's news, but up till then it was the best thing to happen all day...

As I was walking along the lane on my way home shortly before midnight tonight, I spotted a tiny green glint low down in the hedge. I tried to examine it using my torch but I couldn't get in close enough amongst the foliage to see what it was, so I pressed on. About 200 yards further on I rounded a bend next to a lovely old house called Great Coombe and was met by a remarkable sight. It looked for all the world as if someone had planted a number of little green LEDs either side of the road. This time I was able to get close to one by the gate of the house and could pick out an insect - yes, they were glow worms. I've never seen any before in my life and I was utterly enchanted.

In view of the good news when I got home and logged on to my computer, I've now decided that seeing glow worms must be a good omen, so I hope to spot some more soon! Well, superstitions have to start somewhere...

I don't think I've ever seen a glow worm. We get a few fireflies here during the spring but I haven't seen a single one this year. I think spring came to early this year for their cycle, and now it's just too damn hot

As I say, I've never seen any before despite many nocturnal wanderings. That said, this is the first summer I've regularly walked that lane and Coombe is an odd little valley with its own very distinct microclimate - in the winter the ice and snow was still lying down there a week after it had thawed everywhere else in the area, and in the mornings cloud often lingers down there when all around is clear and sunny.

This wouldn't happen to be the lane, would it? http://www.geolocation.ws/v/W/4d85cdab87865607b10011ef/lane-to-bowden-the-lane-from-combe-cross/en

It certainly is, although the spot I saw the glow worms was at the bottom of the valley (where that short stub of driveway goes off).

That's very well spotted given how many places in the area have similar names...

It looks idyllic My journey to and from work is somewhat less interesting

It's lovely... but a bit hilly

And not much room to jump out of the way if a car comes hurtling down the lane

Most roads in Devon are like that. There's more give in those hedges than you might imagine!

I used to walk along lanes like that up on the moors above Accrington, but these weren't actual roads, just farm tracks that happened to be public footpaths. I never saw anything faster than a clapped out Massey Ferguson trundling towards me.

Good thing too - there's no give at all in a dry stone wall

I remember lanes like that from when I lived in Holmfirth...

At exactly the same spot I saw the glow worms the other night, this evening I surprised a pair of badgers. One ran away from me but the other ran straight past me - for a moment I thought he might be about to bite me, which I'd imagine would make a bit of a mess, but of course he charged past and up the hill.

Wow! Glow worms and badgers! What's next?!

Glow little glow worm, glimmer, glimmer

We only have lightning bugs (fireflies) here. But we get a lot. I hope the Spring (or lack thereof) didn't mess them up!

Ah, we had a lovely warm, dry spring after a bitter winter; unfortunately Summer seems to have decided that Spring was doing a good enough job and wandered off somewhere...

We had the rainiest April, May and June on record. I'm still putting the veggie garden in!

Oh well, maybe you'll get a decent July, August and September to compensate?

Oh, I hope so!

When you say you "surprised" a pair of badgers, do you mean they were, ummm... y'know

I don't think so. I'd hate to think I'd spoilt a special moment for them.

PF is a peeping badger voyeur!

That's not me, that's that Bill Oddie...

(you'll have to Google him, Shea)