April Visit to Herefordshire - Part 1: Hatfield and Leominster

 

We returned to Herefordshire last week for four nights as the weather forecast finally seemed a little better!

I remembered Timothy this time!  Here he is on the journey constantly asking "Are we there yet?" !!!!

We arrived on the Wednesday to a power cut! Luckily it didn't last very long.  After unpacking and lunch we did the usual click and collect at Morrisons.

We didn't go anywhere Thursday - to be honest I am still sleeping badly and if I have a particularly bad night I feel too tired to drive. B wanted to spend the day gardening and D was happy to work on his OU studies.

I took a few photos of the 

Herefordshire Oak

The Constable Tree and the

Octopus Tree

Hopefully, next month we shall start seeing leaves appearing.

B has put up the Tree Creeper nest box we bought although it may be too late for this year but I believe they have two broods a year so perhaps we will be lucky.  We often see Tree Creepers in the trees at the rear of the caravan where we have located the nest box.

Rosemary is growing well as are the mini Alliums.

Flowering Currant in the Walled Garden.  I wandered up there to see if they have information on this year's NGS Open Days in the little information room - no brochures to be seen there yet.

I went out with the bat detector most evenings and picked up calls on the detector and saw bats each time.  Some were emerging at sunset much earlier than the ones we saw last year so I suspect there may be several species on site not just the Natterer bats.  I also saw my first Small Tortoiseshell and Orange Tip of the year and there were several sightings of a pair of Red Kites over the caravan site. D could hear a Tawny Owl calling when we were out looking for bats. 

On Friday we popped into Leominster town centre for a few items.

I think I've said this before but whenever I see this shop I think of the Merrily Watkins' books by Phil Rickman. I am sure her daughter Jane would visit this shop :)

There was a market in the square and I quite liked some of these stone items.

B saw this museum featured briefly in a tv programme recently.  I think it is open most days so when we have more time we will visit.

D bought some asparagus to have with tea one night from this market stall.

No visit to Leominster is complete without a quick look in Rossiters bookshop.  I resisted temptation and didn't buy a book for myself but I did buy a signed copy of Crypt by Professor Alice Roberts for D's birthday.

After lunch D and I went to the local churchyard to look for primroses but I will write about that in the next post.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one or mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks)