Monday 29th July 2013
Today brought a surprise that's for sure. On the spur of the moment my daughter and I decided to walk to the pub for this afternoon's walk - a walk's a walk after all! It's a mile to the pub from home and after a quick drink we wandered back. Not far from home is a cut way that we use to get back to our estate, well just opposite this cut way I happened to notice a deer - a roe deer - he or she saw us too so we stood looking at one another across the main road. It looked at us, decided we were far enough away not to worry about and carried on munching at the hedgerow. It kept an eye on us but appeared not to care about the traffic going by. At this point we decided to leave it to it in case we frightened it into the road. We wanted to take a photo but because we were close to home I didn't bother taking the camera as I didn't think we'd see anything - typical!! (and it would have been a blob on the horizon if I had taken it with my phone). You just never know do you?
Monday 29 July 2013
Stuck in the Mud
Sunday 28th July 2013
I posted a photo in a recent blog of how the ground had dried up considerably since the wet winter and spring. Well, today I know it has dried up for sure and that it was obviously very wet at one time, how do I know this ................
I posted a photo in a recent blog of how the ground had dried up considerably since the wet winter and spring. Well, today I know it has dried up for sure and that it was obviously very wet at one time, how do I know this ................
............. because we came across an abandoned wellie well stuck in the dried up mud, oh how it made us laugh (not so sure the owner of the wellie will have found it so funny) !!!!!!
We had a quick walk at Stoney Cross in the Forest again today and didn't come across any particularly wet ground.
The sky once again looks washed out but in fact it was blue with little white clouds in between. Just after taking this photo we saw a couple of deer mooching around not far from us, apart from that there wasn't much else to report.
Friday 26 July 2013
Longparish - East of Andover
Friday 26th July 2013
We decided to attempt a circuit of seventeen geocaches at Longparish near Andover today. The walk was just over three and a half miles so with seventeen caches to do we were obviously stopping every few minutes! It was a really well thought out circuit with very pleasant views and we didn't meet any other people at all. Todays notes need to include that we saw a hare on the footpath not far away from us, we saw a field of freshly shorn alpacas (and don't they look funny all skinny and bare!) and there were lots of bees on the wild flowers at one point which was good to see. All along the paths there were masses of butterflies too, and every time I tried to get a photo of one, despite being stealthy, they either closed their wings or flew away - do I smell or something?
We decided to attempt a circuit of seventeen geocaches at Longparish near Andover today. The walk was just over three and a half miles so with seventeen caches to do we were obviously stopping every few minutes! It was a really well thought out circuit with very pleasant views and we didn't meet any other people at all. Todays notes need to include that we saw a hare on the footpath not far away from us, we saw a field of freshly shorn alpacas (and don't they look funny all skinny and bare!) and there were lots of bees on the wild flowers at one point which was good to see. All along the paths there were masses of butterflies too, and every time I tried to get a photo of one, despite being stealthy, they either closed their wings or flew away - do I smell or something?
This is a plant we in our family have always called the ball bush, I have no idea what it's really called, but it's covered in lots of sticky little balls that end up stuck to everything if you happen to rub against them - our cat sometimes used to come in with them stuck to him too - simple things and all that!!!!
View across the fields - looking rather yellow now.
A thatched barn in need of a new roof!
Freshly shorn alpaca (shame it turned away!)
After that very wet winter, it's definitely drying up now.
Sloes coming on nicely.
One of the more unusual cache containers today - a plastic crow well hidden in a tree.
At this very nice spot on the River Test, having completed the circuit with very hot feet, I paddled in the cool clear water - absolute bliss!
This swan was having a fab time splashing, wing flapping and rolling in the river having a proper clean and preen.
As a final note, we found all seventeen of the caches successfully and thoroughly enjoyed the circuit, especially with some more unusual containers which made a change.
Monday 22 July 2013
Hiltingbury Lakes - Again!
Monday 22nd July 2013
In order to get some steps in today we had a walk at Hiltingbury Lakes - again. The last time we visited the lake there were several families of ducks with very young ducklings, today there were plenty of young ducks still evident. Most of the ducks were dozing happily on the various islands around the edge of the lake but they soon perked up and got moving at the first sign of food! Even the fish splashed and flipped around nibbling at bits of food. It was far too hot to sit in the sun again and very hot in the shade.
In order to get some steps in today we had a walk at Hiltingbury Lakes - again. The last time we visited the lake there were several families of ducks with very young ducklings, today there were plenty of young ducks still evident. Most of the ducks were dozing happily on the various islands around the edge of the lake but they soon perked up and got moving at the first sign of food! Even the fish splashed and flipped around nibbling at bits of food. It was far too hot to sit in the sun again and very hot in the shade.
The sky looks totally washed out but it was actually very blue!
This was on the opposite side of the lake from the last photo.
Sunday 21 July 2013
Romsey - Flowers
Sunday 21st February 2013
We had a walk around Romsey this morning and what particularly struck me today was the abundance of hanging baskets and planters. I don't like to photograph other people's homes, so I was a bit limited as to what I could take, but here are a few;
We had a walk around Romsey this morning and what particularly struck me today was the abundance of hanging baskets and planters. I don't like to photograph other people's homes, so I was a bit limited as to what I could take, but here are a few;
The Abbey Hotel
The River Test
We walked alongside the River Test for a while, and whilst this heatwave has only lasted for about the last two and a bit weeks, the grass and verges are beginning to look very dry and brown, something we haven't seen for a long time. We also passed Romsey Abbey, where the side doors as well as the main doors were open with a service in progress and the congregation singing, it was quite atmospheric on an early Sunday morning.
Friday 19 July 2013
Millyford Bridge
Friday 19th July 2013
It's still very hot and muggy but despite this we had a walk of nearly four miles this morning at Millyford Bridge near Lyndhurst. There isn't much to report on, the forest was really quiet, even the birds were silent - too hot for everyone and everything I reckon. The River Blackwater was at the lowest I think I have ever seen it. At Christmas we had a family Christmas picnic and duck race at the same point, and the water level has significantly gone down.
It's still very hot and muggy but despite this we had a walk of nearly four miles this morning at Millyford Bridge near Lyndhurst. There isn't much to report on, the forest was really quiet, even the birds were silent - too hot for everyone and everything I reckon. The River Blackwater was at the lowest I think I have ever seen it. At Christmas we had a family Christmas picnic and duck race at the same point, and the water level has significantly gone down.
The River Blackwater December 2012.......
....... and the same spot today.
Taken looking back to where the last photo was taken - mid morning.
This dead tree looked quite epic against the blue sky.
We came across a man bird watching, apparently he thought he might have heard a wood warbler but I couldn't hear anything and neither could he once he had spoken to us and no doubt we had scared it right off! Shortly after this we came across this young adder on the gravel path, well to be honest we didn't find it, a couple of walkers were taking photos of it as we passed them. When we first saw the snake it was in a strike type pose with it's head up and very alert - I think this was possibly because the other walkers had two dogs that were keen to take a look (they did put the dogs back on leads). By the time we had the camera out the adder was on the move into the undergrowth.
A young adder.
The only other animals we saw were ponies, all keeping cool under the trees, I can't say I blame them, as out in the open in the sunshine it was sweltering, luckily there was a fair bit of shade along the route we took.
We had a previous walk at Millyford Bridge that I blogged about on 9th February 2013, when it was snowy and freezing, a bit different to today!
Wednesday 17 July 2013
Go! Rhinos - Southampton City Centre
Wednesday 17th July 2013
Today in the incredible heat my daughter and I went to see about a third of the rhinos that are currently dotted around Southampton. Marwell Wildlife has brought Go! Rhinos, a world class, community based, mass public art event to the streets of Southampton. From 13 July to 22 September, the city is being invaded by a herd of rhinos, charging through it's streets and parks. Raising the profile of rhinos and the conservation work that Marwell carry out has been a key part of the project.
I realise this may be stretching the nature notes and observations a bit, but it was well worth a decent walk in the heat and they are observations!
Today in the incredible heat my daughter and I went to see about a third of the rhinos that are currently dotted around Southampton. Marwell Wildlife has brought Go! Rhinos, a world class, community based, mass public art event to the streets of Southampton. From 13 July to 22 September, the city is being invaded by a herd of rhinos, charging through it's streets and parks. Raising the profile of rhinos and the conservation work that Marwell carry out has been a key part of the project.
I realise this may be stretching the nature notes and observations a bit, but it was well worth a decent walk in the heat and they are observations!
West Quay Shopping Centre
Bargate Northside
Bargate Southside
Holy Rood Church
St Michaels Church (painted by mouth & foot artist Tom Yelland)
Western Esplanade by the Old Walls
Westgate Hall by the Old Walls
Western Esplanade Corner (with epic rhinos hanging off of cranes)
Mayflower Memorial
The Wool House (with the Red Funnel Terminal and Town Quay behind)
Town Quay (with the docks in the background)
Town Quay Park
High Street
Houndwell Park
At this point I realised our parking ticket was about to run out so we had to leave the trail for today. More to follow some time between now and September!
Tuesday 16 July 2013
Goodworth Clatford - Near Andover
Tuesday 16th July 2013
For the past two weeks it has been far too hot for walking - at least for me it has. Today however we decided to get on with it and get out despite the heat. Back eighteen months ago we visited this area to do part of a circuit of geo-caches and today we came back to finish off the circuit. We managed to successfully find seven and didn't find one (it was too hot to spend too long searching high and low!!!) on a four mile walk. We found the first few caches in the village itself, a lovely quiet pretty place. We then walked through farmland, alongside rivers and back to the village.
For the past two weeks it has been far too hot for walking - at least for me it has. Today however we decided to get on with it and get out despite the heat. Back eighteen months ago we visited this area to do part of a circuit of geo-caches and today we came back to finish off the circuit. We managed to successfully find seven and didn't find one (it was too hot to spend too long searching high and low!!!) on a four mile walk. We found the first few caches in the village itself, a lovely quiet pretty place. We then walked through farmland, alongside rivers and back to the village.
A field of wheat coming along nicely.
Wheat close up.
Through a tree lined archway to the heat haze.
It's funny but very often if we are walking alongside a river there are weeds floating down it, well today we found a man at work actually clearing the weeds in the River Anton.
The next good looking crop we came across was barley.
Lunch at the Royal Oak in Goodworth Clatford was absolutely delicious!
A perfect seed head.
We headed for close to the village church to find a geocache and as it was so hot we popped into the church for a cool off. The stained glass windows were amazing in the sunlight.
Sunday 7 July 2013
Late Sunday Evening Walk
Sunday 7th July 2013 - 100th Post
It was so so hot today we couldn't face a walk during the day, it was more than enough to just sit in the garden and swelter (even in the shade). I did however come across this funky frog whilst watering the poor dried out garden. We have had a frog in the garden for quite a few years, I have no idea how long they live but maybe it's the same one? We don't have a pond, so it's a wonder he or she is happy here.
It was so so hot today we couldn't face a walk during the day, it was more than enough to just sit in the garden and swelter (even in the shade). I did however come across this funky frog whilst watering the poor dried out garden. We have had a frog in the garden for quite a few years, I have no idea how long they live but maybe it's the same one? We don't have a pond, so it's a wonder he or she is happy here.
At around 7.30pm we felt more inclined to go out walking so we popped to the forest for a two mile brisk walk at Long Cross - a few miles from Brook.
We came across this great swathe of foxgloves, they looked very epic and unfortunately this photo doesn't do them justice.
Back at the car park the sun was going down, not something we tend to see on our walks normally!
Well, that's it, post 100 done, I started this blog at the end of December last year so that I could compare things easily from one year to the next, and it's been easier than I thought and I have really enjoyed it. It's certainly made me remember to take the camera everywhere I go if nothing else!
Saturday 6 July 2013
Anderwood and Ant Hills
Saturday 6th July 2013
This morning we actually managed to get moving early for once and left home at just gone 9am. We parked at Anderwood and had a three mile walk before it got too hot. This afternoon has been really hot and I dropped our daughter at work just now (6pm) and the car thermometer reckons it's still 26C, it feels like it too. Anyway back to this morning, we found a few clues to a multi-cache near here a few weeks ago so we came back to find the rest. Well, the clue was something to do with the number of letters engraved on a gatepost and how many diagonals there were on the actual gate. We could have answered this if the gate hadn't been completely destroyed during forestry operations over the last few months!!! There was no chance of going any further with this cache so we gave up and carried on with our walk anyway, some you win, some you lose!
There are no pictures of dead things today! We didn't see much alive let alone dead! I saw a vole scurrying off away from us at speed and a few birds and that was about it.
This morning we actually managed to get moving early for once and left home at just gone 9am. We parked at Anderwood and had a three mile walk before it got too hot. This afternoon has been really hot and I dropped our daughter at work just now (6pm) and the car thermometer reckons it's still 26C, it feels like it too. Anyway back to this morning, we found a few clues to a multi-cache near here a few weeks ago so we came back to find the rest. Well, the clue was something to do with the number of letters engraved on a gatepost and how many diagonals there were on the actual gate. We could have answered this if the gate hadn't been completely destroyed during forestry operations over the last few months!!! There was no chance of going any further with this cache so we gave up and carried on with our walk anyway, some you win, some you lose!
There are no pictures of dead things today! We didn't see much alive let alone dead! I saw a vole scurrying off away from us at speed and a few birds and that was about it.
Taken from the car park at Anderwood.
A nice orderly line of ponies who were not bothered by us at all.
We had to cross this ford, fine on a day like today, not so sure what it would be like in wetter times!
Towards the end of our walk we saw about five or six quite big ant hills, it was a case of take the photo and get moving quick before the ants were on the move up your leg! In fact, it's making me itch now just thinking about it. These were the big wood ants.
There are still plenty of foxgloves about providing a splash of colour here and there. This foxglove was back at the car park, where it had started to get quite busy with what looked like a large family get together so it was time to get on home for lunch.
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