Sunday 6 April

We made for the Barrow Field on Eaves Green, to visit the pond that was put in when the new houses were built

 This is one of the old Beech in Burgh Wood - it's huge, the kids use this one to attach a rope swing, to cross the gully, none on it at the moment so I did not get to try it out :)

 The new pond and some of the houses, Sue has seen Great Crested Newts in it 

 We only managed a frog

 Hornbeam - Carpinus betulus

 Female Flowers

 Very pretty

Some sort of shelter probably built by the local school children - it was quite good

Take Care

Sunday 16 March

Good morning for photos 

 Colt's-foot - Tussilago farfara

 Frog Spawn

 Gas Burner on the meadow - This use to be the old tip so it has to have regular checks and this methane burner - the burner enclosure does have this lean on it, check it against the sky line.

 Goat Willow - Salix caprea

 Just wish the sun had been out to show the Goat Willow with it's Golden Catkins

 Gorse - Ulex europaeus

 Hawthorn - Crataegus monogyna

 New Pond on the Lower Burgh

 Taken from the path that leads down to the lodges

 Primrose - Primula vulgaris

Homeward Bound up Sunny Brow

Take Care

Sunday 23 February

More Sunday photos

Big Lodge 

Canada Geese on the Big Lodge

Big Lodge from the near the Lower Burgh

 Hartstongue - Asplenium scolopendrium

New Pond on the Lower Burgh, long way to go before the plants are growing naturally

Lower Burgh Path

Take Care

Friday 17 May

Damp Morning 

We went out for dinner and called at the Cemetery on the way back to look how the ponds were doing, they were set up a few years ago and now look like they have been there forever.

 Plenty of plants in and around - 

 Water Avens - Geum rivale, planted and a few in the area, not one that we find growing wild in this area, although not impossible.

Water Plantain - Alisma plantago-aquatica, we get this in our local ponds growing wild, the treat was the Water Horsetail - Equisetum fluviatile the two thin stalks in the middle of the plantain, not a rarity as we see it a lot on the canal

Take Care

Friday 15 February

Dry & Very mild 

I went with Sue and the Dogs to Rivington again, we made it to the Chinese gardens where we once played as children (long ago) they used to be over grown then, they are slowly being brought back to - I can't say their former glory but still impressive, this was all designed and landscaped pre 1920s it must have been stunning then.

We found the pond and worked our way back down through the Ravine what a task that must have been, a lot has been sealed off from the public - but what is available are the views.  I certainly did not appreciate them as a child - I am just glad I can see them again and the beauty of the terraced gardens.

 Garden Lake/Pond

 Looking down the Ravine to the bridge

 Look at the work that went into that bridge

 It even has stalactites forming beneath it

 Now we are below the bridge - I am sure every stone was placed with care and thought - to impress and it does.

We also found a small specimen of Arrow Bamboo - Pseudosasa japonica at the bottom of the Ravine, we also saw bigger specimens further up that we could not reach, they were probably the original plants.

A stunning and enjoyable walk

Take Care

Monday 23 April Afternoon

A Walk to the library after dinner - I did a bit of wandering.

 Barberry - Berberis verruculosa

 Barberry - Berberis verruculosa

 Barberry - Berberis verruculosa

 Bogbean - Menyanthes trifoliata

 Bogbean - Menyanthes trifoliata

 Bogbean - Menyanthes trifoliata

Mill Pond

Take Care

Thursday 1 December

I can hardly believe it is the 1st day of December, my Grandmother always said on my impatient younger days just wait as you get older the days fly over and they do. The rain is back this morning and it's cool so feels colder with the rain.

Red Campion - Silene dioica

 Dogwood - Cornus sanquinea 

 This is the pond that I think a lot of people have never seen even though it's on the rucks, it is over grown and needs a bit of tidying up - then it could be a great area for viewing pond life, at the moment there is no access that is safe. You need wellies and a stick to help through the mud. 

Look what's peeping through Daffodils - found a few clumps showing on the rucks.

Take Care.

Wednesday 9 November

Damp again - we headed for the Lower Burgh Meadow 

 As we passed the Big Lodge we found the Cormorant still on the tern raft, I bet there are a few disgruntled fishermen.

 This is one of the trees planted in memory of a loved one - it is not a wild crab apple but I would guess at Golden Hornet a garden variety 

 Fungi (Turkey Tail) on Lower Burgh Meadow

 I think this is a man made pond as it has a run off to the reconstructed pond on the Lower Burgh. After this point we found very little as this part of the Burgh seems to have been levelled and could almost take a lawn mower!!

 We made our way back to the big lodge and on our way down we spotted this nest in the distance  - we saw a Magpie nearby and wondered if it was one of theirs?

 Quite a big construction

 Young Swan getting some flying time in

 this young pair are already being picked on by Billy their Dad.

 Not a bad landing

Feeding Time

Take care.