We've made another trip back to Herefordshire - just for 3 nights this time. We went on the Thursday and came back on the Sunday.
Timothy on the journey there.
This is the Whittington Tump which you can see as you leave the motorway at Worcester South and for me a sign I am nearly back!
In the afternoon we did the usual click and collect at Leominster.
The weather forecast was suggesting that Friday would probably be the only dry day so it seemed wise to go out. We wanted to stay local as we wanted to be able to get back quickly to watch the continuation of the Andy Murray match. I suggested Ledwyche Meadows at Burford House as D wasn't with us when we walked there last time.
Burford House and pools
Then we hit a slight problem there was a sign saying you now have to pay at the nursery shop rather than just leaving a voluntary donation. This provoked somewhat of an argument as D and I wanted to pay what was really a reasonable admission price for such lovely gardens and meadow but B argued we might not have long there if it appeared the Murray match was starting and it wasn't worth it!
Well B won the argument so we had a quick look round the nurseries
This scabious was covered in Small Tortoiseshells
I suggested we should try and find the Tenbury Community Orchard which I was sure was about a mile away opposite a layby as I had seen a sign when we turned round there once after missing the entrance to Burford House.
Well all we could find was this orchard which was not the community one I don't think. The day was really not turning out how I planned and to crown it all it was very hot!
So back to Tenbury Wells. We stopped off at Tesco as B wanted to buy something and I had the brain wave of walking to Tenbury Tump.
There is a public footpath to the tump and gosh I struggled to get over the stile I really hadn't realised how bad my knees had become.It wasn't getting over the stile that was the problem but stepping up onto it :( I have never had problems with stiles before!
Anyway, it was good to get closer to Castle Tump which is an early Norman motte castle and causeway 150 metres west of Teme Bridge. It is one of several constructed along the River Teme to control crossing places. It is 25 metres in diameter, 3.6 metres high and has no ditch. There is a legend that King Caractacus who fought the Roman expansion of Britain was buried here. As I believe he ended his life in exile in Italy I think that is well and truly a myth! But these old legends can be so charming.
So back to Tenbury Wells - there was still no sign of the match starting so we went a wander up the High Street in search of icecream.
Burdock growing by the River Teme
With all these fish in the river no wonder we have seen Kingfishers on the River Teme!
This is Teme House which was built in 1837 as the work house for the Tenbury Poor Law which comprised of 19 parishes. The system ended in 1929 and from 1937 until 2001 the building was used as Town Council Offices.
Bridge over the River Teme
We bought ice creams here and then it was a rush back for the tennis.
Hatfield
The Octopus Tree
The Herefordshire Oak
The Constable Tree
We took a bee box that I found in the garage at home. Its now in a pot on a stake and I'll take a photo next visit.
Hollyhocks are flowering better than last year.
I've long wanted to grow Teasels but I am not sure if it will flower in the first year.
Meadow Grasshopper I think.
We watched and listened to bats several nights and I suspect a different species appeared on the final night.
Saturday was rainy so we only ventured as far as B and Q in Leominster to buy a terracotta pot and wooden post for the Bug house. I also treated myself to a pot of mini alliums.
Sunday the final day as we were going home in the evening we went to a Flower Festival at Kingsland Church - a new church for me and I'll write about about that in the next two posts.
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
Photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 and those marked *D were taken by my son with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would be grateful for an email first - many thanks)
