Health Walk - Tuesday 2nd February 2016

Photos by Michael - Please click on photos to see a larger one

Fourteen walkers battled the wind, Bernadette, Carmel, Carol, Elizabeth M, Frankie, Graham, James, Lawrence, Linda E, Michael, Pat, Paul, Peter and Sue.  

Michael, leading, was thinking of walking up the Cow Field but not sure of the walkers.  He led into the Pinetum and round the Viewing Area to see birds on the feeders.  Peter had earlier done a reccy and seen many.

Photo 1
We were lucky to watch two Long Tailed Tits however we were urged to press on as we hadn't warmed up yet..

We carried on down towards the Wooden Bridge.

At the Wooden Bridge Peter was leading the short walk with Sue and they turned left along the Cycle Track - green route - while we turned right and walked up into Gravel Hole Wood.

Michael raced on ahead to see if the Cow Field was too wet to the accompaniment of rumblings that some walkers weren't all that enthusiastic but he was saved by the strong wind notices forbidding us to walk through the woods.

Photo 2
Graham leading the followers over the stile.  Unfortunately the styles aren't very friendly to most of us and it can be a struggle to get our legs over and high enough but we managed.

We walked up the field to Cam Lane and struggled again at the stile out of the field.

We crossed Cam Lane and entered Green Wood.  Pat was pleased when I suggested that perhaps she and Lawrence might like to take a short cut past the Ponderosa to save climbing up round Green Wood - blue route.

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After walking along the top we descended the steps, the lower ones somewhat flooded - you can't see the water in the photos.

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Back on firm ground

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Lovely flowers to cheer one up - Blackthorn blossom - spring must be not far away

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This puddle seems to survive all year round but it's particularly wet today, Carol trying to find a drier route

Leaving hawks Clough behind we walked along the Field and down to the Lake

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Disappointed that I couldn't get the gulls in flight, there seemed to be a lot more today.  We always thought when the gulls were inland it was stormy at sea which today was true but we seem to always have a large flock whatever the weather at sea.

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You can just make out Lawrence and Pat having crossed the Stone Bridge

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A last look at the Lake - no Herons, Cormorants and Grebes in view..

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A lot of progress round the front of the building.  The veranda is still on the plans, will be supported by the tyres you can see.  Four of the volunteers and rangers enjoying a well earned brew.

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More work going on despite the conditions.

Peter and Sue had walked (1.5 miles) up to and alongside the Lake and over the Stone Bridge - green route - leading Lawrence and Pat on our route up Snake Hill and back to The Barn,

Today's walks

Hopefully some statistics to come from Graham:

We walked kilometres (miles) over at the rate of km per hour or minutes per kilometre

Michael Swarbrick