Here and there

It's been a bit of a hectic few weeks, what with my birthday celebrations, and travelling with work, hence the delay in posting!

My birthday was a civilised affair, with the lovely circuit from Fovant Badges down to Broadchalke on the Saturday. I've posted about it before - although the weather was a bit gloomy for pics, it still has some amazing views.

The Sunday saw a group of us converge on a pub in Beckhampton for a walk to Windmill Hill. Beckhampton is in the World Heritage Site containing Avebury stone circle. I'd not been to Windmill Hill before, and the route took us passed some standing stones and other lumps and bumps in the ground, before reaching this Neolithic causewayed enclosure, apparently the largest in Britain. The view from the top across this ancient landscape - now mostly agricultural - were very pretty but again, the anticyclonic gloom permeated the day.

Then last Sunday, with a hankering for birdwatching, we opted to potter around Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve, before following the Avon Valley Path to Ringwood for lunch. Surprisingly close, and although the route followed a stream behind an industrial estate, it was very pretty, and might feature in a future painting. We attempted to continue the path the other side of Ringwood, and were partially successful - the fields were extremely boggy, but we did make it as far as a lovely stretch right next to the wide, sweeping River Avon, before bog-factor increased massively.





Now is a great time to visit the reserve, which is internationally important for overwintering and breeding wildfowl. Its woodland is also great for other species of birds, many of which we watched at close quarters on feeders, including siskins, gold finch, chaffinch, nuthatch, robin, blackbird, great tit, blue tit and a dunnock scuttling around below the feeders accompanied by a very fat squirrel! We also disturbed a twitcher photographing a treecreeper with an enormous lens - with a bright white breast, they skulk close to the branches (hence the name), picking out insects (that's the treecreeper, not the twitcher).

 On the lakes we were very pleased to encounter goosander in the dying embers of the day, aptly viewed from the Goosander Hide. However, there was a slight complaint at the good-sized flock of lapwing circling in and landing, when they should apparently have been landing by the Lapwing Hide (which we didn't have time to get to)! Goosander are one of the saw-billed ducks, specialising in fish, with their fine, toothed beaks. At this time of year, mixed flocks of males and females gather, preparing for the breeding season ahead.

We also saw copious tufted ducks, a possible goldeneye, little grebe, great crested grebe, wigeon, pochard, gadwall, teal, and of course cormorant. We did not stick around to fruitlessly peer at the trees by one of the hides with the twitchers - we had noticed the carparks were full. this was due to the spotting of a yellow-browed warbler, normally found in Asia, so a bit of course. They're usually doomed to die, having landed exhausted, and now pursued by crowds of enormous lenses and scopes attached to camouflaged-twitchers anxious to tick it off their list. Very sad.

Finally, work has taken me to Kendal and Lincoln this week, with brief opportunities to explore. I did manage a lovely little walk at Sizergh Fell, only a short way from the glamourous Kendal Travelodge, and an evening foray up to see the beautiful Lincoln Cathedral.

A more sedate week now beckons thankfully!

Into the gloom

I suppose we've been lucky - the end of 2018, and the beginning of 2019, have both been dry but murky. Days have seemed shorter than the season predicts. Nevertheless, we've made the most of the freedom from work and enjoyed a fair few forays, to keep the mince-pie-calories at bay!

It's been a while since I've been up the hill behind my parents' house in Harnham on the outskirts of Salisbury. Sadly, this area of farmland is now to be turned into houses - where will the skylarks and yellowhammers go? It's the trouble when they're not legally protected species and yet they are declining rapidly through loss of habitat. The Chalkpit (a geological SSSI) and Harnham Slope (County Wildlife Site) will both remain, so walkers and some wildlife can continue to enjoy, but alas, not the farmland birds for the habitat is very different.

I also managed a quick walk on Martin Down - as I'm moving to Winchester in the spring, I'm not sure how often I can get back there, so I will miss it dearly. Not much wildlife to speak of - it's like the gloomy weather has them all hunkered down - but the views are always amazing.

We then had a day in the New Forest, visiting the Setley area for two shortish walks, punctuated by a lovely roast lunch at the Vineyard tea rooms. Although the first walk was rather mundane - the usual flat, open heathland, not exactly at its best this time of year - the second walk was a bit longer and looped through woodland along cycle paths, returning to the car parked at Tilery car park by balmer Lawn. The lawns of the New Forest are a bit of a speciality - some might say they are over-grazed, but in fact the short turf provides ideal habitat for a whole host of diminutive plants.

Another day of walking, starting at Langford Lakes Nature Reserve for a spot of birding - lots to see, including wigeon, tufted ducks, little egret, a possible snipe, cormorants, teal, gadwall and a possible shelduck. The afternoon saw us yomp along to Stone Henge on one of our favourite archaeological walks, returning in the deepening gloom!

Then New Year's day dawned, and we arose in sufficient time to head off to Lulworth Cove. It was rather busy when we arrived at 11am, and got busier throughout the day. Some of the coastal path is through military ranges, which are only opened at certain times of the year, New year's Day being one of them. Not that the crowds were there - it was a lovely sunny day, albeit a bit blustery, and most had headed to the Durdle Door beach for a picnic lunch. We could see why - it's a beautiful spot, and worth the slog up the hill to get there. If you haven't been to see the amazing rock formations, you're missing a trick.

We, on the other hand, walked back to Lulworth for a spot of lunch in the pub, before heading the other way along the coastal path. This part was very quiet and tranquil, and the views of Mupe and Worbarrow Bays, as far as Kimmeridge, were stunning. We retraced our steps back to the cove itself, where we had walked along the beach and climbed steps to the coastal path. This time we opted to head overland, which may have been a mistake, as we ascended many very steep steps to the top of the ridge. The path then took us behind the cove, as the sun was setting behind distant views of the Isle of Portland, then diverted inland, away from the carpark we could see below us. We did find a path back, but it was boarded up, prompting a climb, as there were no signs to say the path was officially shut. Phew - back in time to be able to make out the car in the gloom!

I wonder what other walking adventures 2019 will hold, and will try to keep packing them in - aren't we lucky?