Herts & Middx butterfly walks this weekend

[RobinP]

Two excellent walks planned for this weekend, see details below. Hope the weather behaves!

Date: Saturday 9th JULY
Event: Butterfly Meeting for Purple Emperor and White Admiral

Site: Broxbourne Wood Nature Reserve, Herts
Grid Reference: See below
Time & Meeting place: From 10am along main ride running east from West car park TL324071 [Map 166]. Please park in East car park (TL329069 as the West car park is too small)
Public Transport: Nearest station is Bayford (First Capital Connect from Kings Cross - check engineering works before travelling)
Information: This event will be run on a casual basis focused on the sallows on the main ride during the morning followed by an afternoon visit to a territorial area. Optional all day event ~ bring picnic lunch if staying all day and binoculars recommended
Contact details: Andrew Middleton ~ 020 8245 0847


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Date: Sunday 10th JULY
Event: Butterfly Walk for White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary

Site: Bricket Wood, Herts
Grid Reference: TL136021 [Map 166]
Time & Meeting place: 10am in the car park at St Stephen's Parish Centre, Station Road, Bricket Wood. Morning walk to finish approx 12.30 pm
Directions and Public Transport: From the roundabout at junction 6 on the M1, take the slip road signed M1 south. Take the left turn halfway along this road (Mount Pleasant Lane), do not join the motorway. After a few twists & turns after about a mile you pass under a railway bridge. Continue along the road which bends sharply to the left. Pass Bricket Wood Station and the parish centre car park is on your right just after the junction with Drop Lane. Transport Nearest station is Bricket Wood Station (London Midland - Watford Jnct to St. Albans Abbey Station). Turn left out of the station and the parish centre is about 100 yards on your right, just after the junction with Drop Lane
Information: Information Optional extra - We will also be looking to repeat the sightings of Purple Emperor made in 2010 from 12.30 - 3 pm. Bring packed lunch if you wish to stay for the afternoon and binoculars
Contact details: Malcolm Hull ~ 01727 857893

Robin

[htcdude]

We're involved in Middlesex's Hayes Carnival on Saturday so won't be able to make it I'm afraid

I'll keep an eye out next year though for definate! (so long as it doesn't clash again!)

Nige

[Deb London]

Bricket Wood is highly recommended by me if anyone is thinking of going.

I'm gutted that I can't make the Broxbourne event, but I'm planning an indoor picnic for someone who's been very poorly. However, I may pull out all the stops to loiter around the car park early that morning as I would dearly love to solve the Emperor puzzle of that particular wood.

Thanks for the notice Robin.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Deb London

Bricket Wood is highly recommended by me if anyone is thinking of going.

I'm _very_ surprised 'Deb'! I used to live 5 mins walk from the wood and always regarded it as a damp, dark and dreary place (but I see there's been a lot of work been done on the School Lane side of the common more recently).

You've aroused my interest - what's (now) special about the place?

Jim

[Deb London]

Have you visited the main ride?

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Deb London

Have you visited the main ride?

I've visited all over many times in the past. Like I said I used to live literally 5 mins walk from the wood.

Do you mean the heathland to the NW of School Lane, or the NW track leading to Bucknalls Lane (where I used to live) over the 'Bricket Wood Flyer' railway?

Bricket Wood has an odd history. It used to have two permanent fairgrounds and my late father in law remembered visiting from Kentish Town on special train excursions. The platform was especially long to accommodate the trains. The land where the main housing development is was sold off for £40 an acre between the wars - it's now probably worth nearer £4 million an acre!

Bricket Wood is also the location of (I understand) one of the first nudist clubs in the UK - 'The Spielplatz'!

Jim

[Deb London]

Hi Jim,

Neither (I think). It's a wide ride that runs roughly north-south and is east of the railway and the path is nicely overgrown.



Very interesting history by the sounds of it. I have a fear of nudity though, so keep talking along those lines and I'll be as unenthusiastic about going there as you are!

[RobinP]

Jim & Deb

The Common is the area bounded by the railway line and School Lane, there is a main entrance (of sorts) about half-way along the lane and a path leads NE across open ground to the bottom end of the main ride, which runs roughly parallel with the railway line.

If you can make it on Sunday that would be great, there are good numbers of SW Frits and White Admirals flying and PE has already been seen just last week. This is a popular event, about 25 turned up last year and a good time was had by all!

Robin

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Deb London

Hi Jim,
Neither (I think). It's a wide ride that runs roughly north-south and is east of the railway and the path is nicely overgrown.

I know the 'ride'. It was a lot clearer years ago and I always had the feeling that it was the result of clearing to lay a pipeline. It's the section between the ride and the railway line that's pretty grim - low lying, damp, dark and full of rotting birches. I've never seen much in the wood, just an occasional muntjac and a few fungi. I was at the heath part a few weeks ago and noticed a lot of honeysuckle, so it might be good for night flying moths. I've never seen anything of interest in the pond by School Lane, it's always cloudy with clay silt, probably constantly stirred up by dogs.

Just down the road towards 'The Fox' pub from the 'entrance' to the common, there's an interesting house on the R.H. side of the road. The upper part of the house has terracotta friezes of Edwardian sporting scenes. The house was quite run down at one time, but I see it's much tidier now.

Further down the road near the pub, there's a nice thatched cottage with a pond, set back from the road. The story is that it used to be the original 'Fox' pub, but had its licence withdrawn. As a private dwelling it was subsequently called 'The Old Fox with its Teeth Drawn'!

Jim

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by RobinP

Jim & Deb

The Common is the area bounded by the railway line and School Lane, there is a main entrance (of sorts) about half-way along the lane and a path leads NE across open ground to the bottom end of the main ride, which runs roughly parallel with the railway line.

There's a layby near the entrance you describe, on the other side of the road a few yards down from the entrance to the Munden Estate. IIRC it will take about 4/5 cars.

Jim