I got out the os map last weekend to work out a new short circular walk and found one near Meriden which just happened to go past a church and was also fairly close to the Bear at Berkswell! It was yet another dull and gloomy day so not exactly ideal for photography again.
I love looking at the structure of hedgerows in the winter when they are bare of leaves.
A little gate hidden in ivy.
Plants in Walls - ivy and various species of fern.
Just outside the churchyard is a sandstone mounting block from the days when some members of the congregation would arrive regularly on horseback.
The church of St Laurence has many interesting features - I knew it wouldn't be open last Saturday but I understand it is open on Sunday afternoons in the summer so I will be returning.
Daisies in flower in the churchyard.
The church is at the top of a hill with good views over the surrounding countryside.
Two species of lichen seen on the walk
and there were loads of ivy berries along the hedgerows.
Opposite the church as an old farmhouse which I found rather spooky. The timber framed Moat House has been dated to 1609 but, according to Pevsner, many parts are older.
There weren't many birds about - just Blue Tits and the occasional Wood Pigeon or Magpie but somewhere in the distance I could hear shooting so perhaps the lack of birds wasn't surprising.
There were loads of male Hazel catkins in the hedgerows although I couldn't see any female red flowers yet.
We saw Groundsel in flower plus Smooth Sow Thistle
White Dead-nettle and
Daffodils in bud.
I am not sure what species this flower is - does anyone have any idea? Sorry the photo is a bit blurred - it was windy!
Back at Meriden and just a short walk up a lane to the car.
We did pop to The Bear at Berskwell but there was a 45 minute wait for food so we just had a quick drink. It was good to get out in the fresh air and walk somewhere new.
*D Photos taken by D with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera
Rest of photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera.
It's great to have flowers of any kind to provide a splash of colour on a gloomy winter's day. I was interested to see the pictures of the lichens. They fascinate me and so many birds use them in nest construction. I swear you need two lifetimes, however, to get a grasp of their taxonomy!
ReplyDeleteDavid Gascoigne - Thank you. Lichens are fascinating but hard to identify. I once spent hours with a hand lens and Field Studies Lichen guide trying to id some without a lot of success to be honest. Yes you are right you do need two lifetimes to study all the things you want to!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely lovely walk. At first I thought, oh Celandine, but it isn't, so I will have to retreat to my wild flower books and see if I can find it for you!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to internal church photos when you find it open.
Another great walk with plenty to see.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the petal and leaf shapes the nearest I get is Ragwort but it's the wrong time of year to be flowering.
Hope someone can positively identify it.
A great & varied post Caroline. Quite a few plants still in flower up here too but i never made a note of them.
ReplyDeleteIt is always good to discover a new walk especially if it passes a church and pub! Love that old farmhouse. Interesting looking lichen also
ReplyDeleteBovey Belle - Thanks so much especially for trying to id the flower for me. I am still looking here too :)
ReplyDeleteMidmarsh John - Thanks and special thanks for trying to id the flower. I agree the leaves look like Ragwort but as you say too early. I will keep looking!
Dean Stables - Thanks so much Dean. I am trying to get to grips more this year with flowers I can't identify hence the list and photos! :)
Margaret Adamson - Thank you. It is a good discovery and was all on lanes but when the weather is better there are several public footpaths to explore. Somewhere nearby is a holy well which I would like to find!
Lovely photos, the little ivy covered gate is just a delight, I love things like this! It's a shame when a walk is marred by the sound of shooting :/
ReplyDeletePam - Thank you so much. I was rather taken by the little gate too :) We could hear shooting when we were at Kenilworth Castle too :( To say it riles me is putting it mildly!!!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely walk with lots to see and explore. I hope you can get back to look inside the church when it is open. Isn't it funny how some places seem spooky without knowing why? I've no idea what the yellow flower is but it was lovely to see all the plans and flowers you spotted. We saw hazel catkins today and primroses too:)
ReplyDeleteRosie - Thank you - it is not far from here just over 20 minutes so will do my best to visit the church.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about some places seeming spooky - I even googled ghosts at the farmhouse but couldn't see anything reported.
It is so lovely to see signs of Spring - I did find some female red hazel flowers today on hazel in the garden and the wild primroses are flowering nearby too - the clumps spread every year :) and oh joy snowdrop leaves finally appearing so the plants have survived :)
I had to look up Entmoot!
ReplyDeleteI do like the Lichens and the Ivy berries, mine are not quite ripe.
Toffeeapple - Thanks:) I had only heard of the ent bit from Tolkien but my son has an encyclopedia like memory!
ReplyDeleteIvy berries in our garden are not fully ripe either except perhaps for a few.
Yes, RR, you certainly win high marks for making the most of the January weather! I wonder what the church will reveal when you return on an open afternoon. It seems to me to be a good year for catkins around here, and I'm intrigued what the yellow flower might prove to be.
ReplyDeleteCaroline Gill - Thank you - believe me it was a short walk (it was cold and rain threatening!) about a mile.
ReplyDeleteThere is a good history section on the church website - stained glass looks good and there is a leper's squint.
Lots of catkins here too :) I will go through the #wildflowerhour hashtag on twitter and see if I can see it there and let you know if I find out.
It looks like a lovely walk and the church looks interesting. I even like the look of the old farmhouse, although I might feel differently if I actually visited.
ReplyDeleteCherryPie - Thank you - yes it was a nice little walk - just the right length for this time of year as it was cold! Farmhouse had a real spooky atmosphere in my view but perhaps I am just over sensitive!
ReplyDelete