May Visit to Herefordshire - Part 1: Hatfield

 

We returned to Herefordshire last week arriving on the Tuesday lunchtime.

The Herefordshire Oak in all its glory

The Octopus Tree

I was quite pleased to see that the new owners  have not mown the top field just a strip around the edges and we are now starting to get wild flowers appear - masses of dandelions :)  A new warden for the site has been appointed but we haven't seen him or his wife to speak to.

The Constable Tree(s)

There has been quite a change in all the trees particularly the Herefordshire Oak since our last visit in April.

I just love May with the hedgerows full of flowering Hawthorn, Cow Parsley, Dandelions, Wild Garlic, Garlic Mustard, Greater Stitchwort and a few late flowering Cowslips.

Hawthorn

I saw bats and listened to them several nights on the bat detector - I am sure they are Natterers from the large range of their echolocation calls as revealed by the detector. I treated myself to this bat suncatcher to hang in the window by the table.

A trip to the Hen House for eggs and lots of Dandelions in the field there too.

We have masses of flowers on the Rosemary

There is a lot of blossom on the apple tree in the garden and I am hoping for a bumper crop this year.

Forget me Nots - the centre of the flowers fade from yellow to white when they have been pollinated to alert insects that no nectar is now available.

I don't think Periwinkles ever stop flowering!

Garlic Mustard

Stamens on Hawthorn flowers change to a dark red colour when the flower has been pollinated and just as with Forget Me Nots it alerts insects to the fact that there is now no nectar available and they need to look elsewhere.

White Honesty

One of the bee hotels is very popular with a species of mason bee - Red Mason Bee I think.

Timothy back on his shelf!

I bought this paper tree to hang Easter decorations and I decided to take it to the caravan as it would be ideal to hang the silver birch bark apples I bought at Tenbury Wells Apple Festival. I would have preferred a natural tree twig but it is finding one that is the right shape that is proving difficult!

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 of mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks.)

Herefordshire 2023 (10) - Part 1: Hatfield and Leominster

 

Just back from another trip to Herefordshire. We stayed four nights again - honestly, sometimes I think it would be much easier just to buy a house and live there permanently!

Timothy on the journey.

The Hollyhocks are still flowering in the border by the hawthorn hedge.

The insect hotels which are being used already. I was really chuffed to see a Leaf Cutter Bee going in and out with leaves.  The "Strawberry and Cream" geranium cuttings have taken and are growing at the base.

The Herefordshire Trees in their late summer glory.

D got some photos of Blue and Great Tits on and near the feeders.

*D

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I used the bat detector most evenings and was picking up a few bats but they mainly seem to be foraging over the ponds and fields and not round our caravan.

We arrived Monday lunchtime and did the usual click and collect at Morrisons in Leominster and filled up with petrol.

Tuesday it rained all day!  So it was a matter of doing a bit of housework and reading and relaxing.  

Wednesday was lovely weatherwise and really I would have liked a day out but to be honest I really am going through a phase of sleeping really badly - waking up at silly o clock and not being able to get back to sleep so in the end we just popped into Leominster to get some food for a barbecue and B wanted a better quality garden trowel.

I've tried to take some different photos this time as we parked in a different area and walked into the town centre via a different route.

This is Leominster's masonic centre - it was also, according to a blue plaque, once the site of Battle Bridge which spanned the town's defensive ditch. The bridge was named after the 1052 Battle between the Welsh and the Earl of Hereford's army.

The town centre is always very colourful with flower displays everywhere.

D and I looked round Rossiters bookshop while B went to several places in an unsuccessful hunt for the trowel.

I loved these stone faces on one of the buildings.

"Plants in Walls"

"Pavement Plants"

A disused car park where nature was beginning to take over.

We had a small barbecue in the evening - the site was very quiet again just as I like it!!!  We have found that it is by far the busiest at weekends.  Monday to Thursday is usually very quiet with just a few cars further up the site.

Thursday was again lovely if a trifle too hot!  We were having a tv aerial fitted.  Up until now we have used the internet to watch the tv which has usually not been a problem but the internet hasn't been so good this year for some reason. So at least with an aerial we can watch terrestrial channels. Luckily the engineers came mid morning and were only there for 30 minutes so we were able to go out in the afternoon.  We visited Westonbury Water Mill Gardens near Pembridge which I'll write about in the next post.

Photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. Those marked *D taken by my son with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).