where did you walk today?

[pammosley]

Hi, great photos on here as usual folks Our weekend walk was in the Wyre forest, Worcestershire. We had a great time, saw lots of birds & flowers. I was really pleased with my yellowhammer photo We also spotted a group of buck Fallow deer, including a white one . I nearly got a good photo of them as well This view is from the viewpoint in Hawkbatch woods looking onto the River Severn. Arley is in the top left of the photo.

[BigAl]

Well, yesterday we went to Fritham in the New Forest, where we walked around Eyeworth Pond. There are Mandarin Duck there , which my 30 year old daughter said she'd never seen before I don't believe that!. I may post a pohoto one I've downloaded 'em, and if they're any good

[foxy mars]

Originally Posted by badgerwatcher

These woods were lovely, because fallen trees had not been cleared, creating wonderful tangled shapes.

I particularly like the second photo, nice blend of green and brown, good array of shapes. Quite pleasing to the eye, I must try hard to get one like that.

[agrumpycow]

Finally the weather was nice enough for a walk, in fact, by lunchtime it was positively warm!
We decided to go to Wittenham Clumps, a reserve owned & managed by the Northmoor Trust in Oxfordshire next to the Thames. It's named after the two tree topped hills, Round Hill & Castle Hill on otherwise quite flat land.

After parking the car we headed between the two hills and down into the wood and along Broad Ride. There are ponds that are home to great crested newts & other amphibians. These pictures show Little Wittenham Wood and Castle Hill



Carrying on along a bridle way we came out onto Church Meadow. In these photos you can see the Thames & the tower of St. Peters Church



We then doubled back on ourselves towards Round Hill, along a footpath back the the car park which was just around the corner on the final photo. Note Didcot power station just visible on the far right of the last photo, spoils a nice view in my opinion & that's why I tried to get it out of shot



Once again my dogs wanted to get in a lot of the photos

[LynM]

Many, many moons ago, my OH used to go fishing at unbelievable times in the morning near to Wittenham Clumps! I hasten to add that we were living in the Chilterns at the time, so not too far to go.

Yes, Didcot Power station does manage to get in the way of many a good phot, doesn't it?

Thanks for a reminder of countryside once travelled.

[Pete Collins]

Nice photos Claire - I've never been to Wittenham Clumps but I've seen them from a distance many times when I've been walking in the Chilterns. Timeteam did a dig there one time.

As LynM says, Didcot Power Station has ruined many a photo!

[Pete Collins]

A dry day here after a few days of drizzle and light rain, so I set off on a walk to Hudnall and Nettleden and back (about 14 miles). This is one of my favourite local walks, but this was the first time I'd done it anti-clockwise for a couple of years or so. The weather remained generally a bit grey and gloomy, but with occasional sunny intervals.

Path from Whipsnade Zoo towards Studham church

Path across the Gade valley to Hudnall

Footpath approaching Nettleden

Path approaching Great Gaddesden

The Gade valley near Great Gaddesden

River Gade at Great Gaddesden

Path through Hoo Wood, near Great Gaddesden

Looking across the Gade valley near Great Gaddesden

Path along the edge of Holywell, Beds.

There were a lot of Buzzards about today, I twice saw four in the sky together and there were three as I got back home to Kensworth. I saw two Great Spotted Woodpeckers near Studham church - I spotted them at the same time, though they were on different trees. One was so near I could see the red on its neck indicating it was a male. Later on I saw two Green Woodpeckers. There were Skylarks singing almost everywhere, and I twice as a Yellowhammer.

A few more Bluebells were out, and there were still loads of Lesser Celandine. Greater Stitchwort is out too now, another of my spring favourites. Not many butterflies today though, just a couple of Peacocks and Brimstones.

[agrumpycow]

Originally Posted by Pete Collins

Nice photos Claire - I've never been to Wittenham Clumps but I've seen them from a distance many times when I've been walking in the Chilterns. Timeteam did a dig there one time.

As LynM says, Didcot Power Station has ruined many a photo!

I'd recommend it Pete, but avoid bank holidays, it's packed with parents trying to wear our their overactive kids The flora, fauna, views & history make it a lovely walk.
Looks like you had a nice walk too, although, that river Gade looks more like a puddle in a field
Pam: that view from Hawkbatch woods looks fantastic

[Pete Collins]

Today I did a figure-of-eight walk, mainly around the National Trust's Ashridge Estate on the Bucks/Herts border. Each loop started and finished at the Bridgewater monument, and the whole walk was about 15 miles long. Lots of woodland walking, so Pippa should enjoy most of these photos!

There had been heavy rain overnight, so the paths were very muddy in places. The morning started grey and gloomy, with the sun occasionally attempting to break through, but it was only around lunchtime that it became bright and sunny (and very warm). Even then it was very hazy, so the views were very limited.

Muddy bridleway at the start of the walk

Another couple of weeks and these woods will be carpeted with Bluebells

This path at Berkhamsted Common goes through a number of fallen trees like this!







Approaching Ivinghoe Beacon

Path near the golf course at Aldbury

I saw lots of Garlic Mustard, Lesser Celandine and Wood Sorrel, and saw my first Cuckooflower of the year (heard my first cuckoo too!). I saw my first two Orange-tip butterflies of the year, several Peacocks and Brimstones, and a Comma. I saw a Red Kite over Pitstone Hill, and a Buzzard at Berkhamsted Common. I got a very poor quality photo showing two Great Spotted Woodpeckers. There were Fallow Deer in two or three places - a large buck and another deer ran across the road in front of me as I was driving into Ashridge!

[ChrisJB]

Today's walk was over the quiet moors around Widdop, not too far from Hebden Bridge. I did a much shorter stroll in the vicinity yesterday, looking for ring ouzels and as I didn't see any, I went back today, doing a longer walk.
I parked up just before The Ridge pub and entered the narrow valley above Blake Dean, it wasn't until the end of the valley near the old house of Well Hole that I finally saw my ouzel, a male singing from a telegraph pole. There were also a pair of grey partridge and a couple of wheatears hereabouts. A good track took me into the grey, gloomy and very windy moors by the two Gorple Reservoirs, where a couple of ravens came under attack from the resident curlews. I then cut over Shuttleworth Moor, via the shooting butts, disturbing several red grouse in the process. Before descending to Widdop Reservoir, I took a detour along Cludders Slack (I just had to include that name) to admire some of the impressive tors of Millstone Grit. Reaching the road over the moors to Nelson, I headed back towards The Ridge, to join the Pennine Way, heading north into Walshaw Dean. From here I turned off, down Alcomden Water and past the Alcomden Yew and back to Blake Dean, where a willow warbler sang to herald my safe return.
Ultimately, I didn't really enjoy this walk. It was windy, cold and lacking in April cheer. Conditions were more akin to the middle of November. Still, mustn't grumble.
The Ridge (Packhorse Inn), taken yesterday in brighter conditions.
Millstone Grit tor, Cludders Slack
Alcomden Water and its famous yew tree.

Regards, Chris