Now lockdown has been relaxed, retired NHS worker Jane Bartlett met up with her mum, sister and dachshund Letto for a socially-distant 2½-mile walk that is suitable for young and old. The woodland riverside path is accessible, quite flat and lovely on a summer’s day, with free parking at the rugby club close to its start.

My mother, now 88, was very enthusiastic about going for a shortish walk with me and my older sister Annabell now lockdown has been relaxed – “somewhere flat,” mum insisted very firmly.

It was a beautiful sunny day when I, Annabell, her lovely little dachshund Letto and mum arranged to meet in Petersfield at the start of the Rotherlands Nature Reserve walk from Penns Place to Pulens Lane and back.

Arriving early, I wandered over to the Taro Leisure Centre to see the recent changes to it. I remembered when the Vortex whirlpool in the Taro pool opened years ago when my children, now in their late 20s and early 30s, were still young.

It was an exciting day when we joined the long queue of mums and children, who were clearly euphorically hyper!

When we finally got in, we were given wristbands and told that after an hour, those with the same colour wristband would be called out of the pool to make way for other mums and children.

The fast-flowing whirlpool was a tremendous hit, particularly with my youngest son, and the hour whizzed by.

When we were asked to get out, it would be fair to say he wasn’t happy.

After much whistle blowing and insistent pointing by lifeguards, he finally climbed out, and we made a flustered retreat –no ice cream for him that day!

With the arrival of my mum and sister, we joined the nature reserve path by the rugby club. There are two ways in and we chose the furthest one behind the clubhouse.

At the entry, a gap in the hedge, there is an information board about the reserve.

We went along a pretty footpath with purple campion, hogweed, buttercups and wood anemone beside the meandering River Rother.

The path then runs the rest of the way to Pulens Lane alongside a Rother tributary called Tilmore Brook.

We walked and talked – my sister has four grandchildren under three, and has missed them desperately in recent weeks.

Friendly little Letto got loads of attention from friendly families and children.

As we crossed a wooden bridge, the dappled sun shining through the spreading oaks was lovely, butterflies flitted above ferns, brambles, nettles and long grass – we were certain of a red admiral, and a cabbage white, but unsure of one that could have been a meadow brown.

Above were darting swifts, a classic sign of summer.

Every year these incredible tiny birds migrate across the Sahara and Europe to nest here.

Swifts pair for life, returning each spring to the same nest, usually in a hole or cavity in house walls and under roofs – and their preference is causing problems.

Modern building techniques, the renovation of older buildings, and a desire for more energy efficient homes, mean nesting nooks and crannies are disappearing.

Thankfully some new homes have ‘swift’ bricks –hollow bricks that swifts can nest inside, and I really hope more houses have them and these lovely birds prosper.

Further on, a fallen tree bridged the river – we stopped to watch in trepidation as two children, balancing arms flapping, edged along the trunk!

It was good to see their determined concentration, and reminded us of our childhood when we carelessly braved similar risks!

We then crossed the fast-flowing brook over a bridge ideal for Pooh sticks, to the path’s end at Pulens Lane where we turned to retrace our steps.

We had left mum sitting by the peaceful river but when we got back she had disappeared– as mums do!

A lovely couple said they had seen her nearer the rugby club and, sure enough, there she was, picking flowers and happily oblivious to our worries.

And now is the time I usually make elderflower cordial, so out walking I always take a pair of scissors and carrier bag.

It has been said drinking the cordial can prevent flu – never a bad thing – and it is fragrant, delicate and easy to make.

The flat-topped clusters of fragrant tiny, creamy-white flowers are abundant in woods and hedgerows and best picked on a warm, dry, sunny day, well away from traffic fumes. Shake them to remove any insects and briefly rinse in cold water before using.

You will need elderflower sprays, lemon zest, granulated sugar, water and lemons. Lightly pack a one-litre (two pint) measure with sprays, then put in a saucepan, add water to cover, lemon zest, and simmer for about 30 minutes, topping up the pan to keep the flowers covered.

Strain the liquid through a muslin or tea towel, gently squeezing to extract the juice, and measure juice.

To each 500ml (one pint) add 350g (12oz) of sugar, the juice of half a lemon, simmer to dissolve the sugar, and skim off any scum. Then let the cordial cool.

Pour into sterilised bottles, up to about 1cm below the top.

The cordial will keep for several weeks in the fridge, and is ideal for picnics or to take on a family holiday.

One year I decided to take my Jack Russell terrier with us on a holiday to the Isle of Wight.

Norbert, now deceased, was a lively, game little dog, who was his own worst enemy at times, fighting other dogs and chasing anything that moved,and consequently wasn’t universally liked –although he was much loved by myself and my teenage daughter.

When I told my neighbours Norbert was coming with us, they asked if the Isle of Wight was ready for Norbert!

The ferry went reasonably well, as luckily there weren’t any other dogs on board, and Norbert spent a lot of the time hoovering up crusts of bread, sandwich fillings and the odd biscuit dropped by other travellers – much to the anger of shrieking seagulls, who regarded these snacks as theirs!

When we got there my daughter and her cousins took him for an exploratory walk, but came back saying he had eaten something unpleasant – a dead rat, they thought.

It was soon quite apparent that my little dog was extremely unwell, so we bundled him up in a towel and took him along to the local vet.

When we sat in the waiting room with a chicken on one side of us and a rabbit on the other, he didn’t even lift up his head.

The diagnosis was grim – the vet suspected he had ingested rat poison.

Norbert was admitted to the animal hospital immediately – with their expert care he was well enough by the end of the holiday to travel home to Hawkley. Once back, I thought I should have Norbert checked by his own vet as he was still lethargic, not his usual self at all.

On hearing my view, the vet unthinkingly replied: “That’s not like the Norbert we know and hate –I mean love!”

In the vet’s defence, Norbert had always been a problem, and was usually muzzled for visits, something he hated!

But one time Norbert was so docile the vet agreed the muzzle could come off, Norbert wagged his tail in what appeared to be gratitude – and immediately tried to bite the vet as he bent to examine my dog’s ear.

Norbert fully recovered from the poisoning and was soon back to his usual self.