News from Creeting St Peter: what is it with people?

I'm back in London after a weekend at the country estate, made more pleasant by some sunshine.

With the improved weather comes an opportunity to take a walk, and so Ros and I set off out of the village on the road towards Stowupland. My back is playing up a little, so we took it easy as we strolled in a northerly direction.

As I've noted in the past, the scenery isn't exactly spectacular, although it is peaceful, and the land gently rises and dips, so that you don't get the kind of 'arable prairie' that appears in other places. There is a little wildlife, with hares and pheasants, the occasional deer or bird of prey, enough to encourage you to keep your eyes open. I've also taken a little more interest in the environment around me, and my attention was drawn to a blue McDonalds soft drink container, lying in the grass verge.

Amazing, really, because the nearest McDonalds is on the northern edge of Ipswich, quite some way away. Clearly, someone has gone to the trouble of buying their McDonalds meal, driving ten miles and throwing their drink container out of the window of their moving vehicle. They weren't alone, either, as I spotted two more, slightly older ones, as we headed back to the village. In my more engaged mode, I picked up all three and brought them back to the house for proper disposal.

I accept that Creeting St Peter is not Machu Picchu, nor the Great Barrier Reef, but it is part of our countryside, to be enjoyed by anyone who wishes to do so. And if you're in a car, you can hardly claim that it is a huge burden to take your rubbish home, or otherwise dispose of it thoughtfully. So next time, why don't you?...