After having done some chores this morning, because R&L, A&M, Ange are coming rouind for a curry tonight, we headed off to Wendover for a walk to Coombe Hill.
On the way there we popped into our painter’s to have a look at his PC. He had managed to get some fake antivirus software installed which he could not get rid of. We sorted it and were soon on our way.
We parked in the public car park and headed off up past the railway station. The weather was sunny but there was a cold wind. I think we were on the cold side of the hill too, as there were not many signs of spring about, as there is else where round and about. There are fragments of an old fence up round the Coombe Hill area which I wonder maybe belonged to Chequers in a era gone by. See the photo’s attached to the post. The fences are serious structures, the posts are cast iron and the fence part is quite fine (you would not be able to climb them), and very pointy on top (even more reason not to try and climb them).
Any way we did a loop round and ended up coming down the “usual” route up Coombe Hill with the view. When we got back to Wendover we went into Rumseys for a coffee and some lunch, I had Chocolate truffle cake and Helen had carrot and orange, very health concious we are.
On the way to and from work this morning it looked like the canal was going to over flow. Not sure if it was caused by the recent rain/snow or a lock open up stream. The water was flowing fast through a closed lock, it was only a bout 1 or 2 inches from over flowing, and generally the canal was clear rather than the usual murkiness.
Long weekend up to lovely Yorkshire. Bright sunny day all the way up and the M1 was kind. Got there in plenty of time for N to potter of to the school play whilst I babysat. An eventful afternoon involving one small child launching herself down the stairs (swiftly distracted courtesy of “Room on the Broom”) and a cat fight in the garden. On Friday we refused to let a very misty morn disuage us and matched off around a local reservoir (not that we could see said reservoir). Home made curry for tea & then on Saturday off for a brighter but muddy walk around another reservoir. Home made pizza and tiramisu for tea (decadence on a stick & no mistake) and a round of the really nasty Golf Game. I have not made that name up. Early start & back home via the delights of Costco. Birds: canada geese, blackbird, pheasant, tits, redwing, kestrel, greylag, woodpigeon, mute swan, magpie, buzzard, robin, starling, missel thush, pied wagtail, gold finch, jay, mallard, chaffinch, coot, little grebe, common gull, black headed gull, red kite (must be back in Bucks!)
Out with C&A table booked for 1pm. Tit flock in the garden , with a couple of Redwimg in the apple trees, then Helen spotted a Snipe flying over head. Seems Snipe were the order of the day as we saw another later on.
Then it is the return leg through Asheridge golf club and back to the Alford Arms for a lovely lunch. I had roast garlic and bread starter, followed by a grilled mullet boulliabaise (not sure about the spelling), all washed down with a pint of Flowers.
After the meal during which Helen had a glass (or was it two) of the local Frithsden white wine. So we walked back up the hill to have a look at the the vineyard and buy a couple of bottles.
Bought Helen some boots at Foxes of Amersham then off for a walk round Little Hampden. Red Kite, Wood Pigeon, Great Tit, Rook, Jackdaw, Pheasant, Goldcrest, Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Buzzard, Chaffinch, Jay, Wren. Big loop of a walk from the pub. Got a bit lost after hampden house, but got back on track and founds the pub again, for a pint of Adnams shock horror it was shut, we were half an hour late. Jumped in the car and went on down to the Black Horse in Great Missenden for a spicy bean burger and chips. Lovely burger with thin chips and a side salad, washed down with a pint of Black Sheep.
Out for a walk with the people who live on the hill side. Started near the pub (that means we end near a pub), and walked round Frithsden, Nettleden, and Potten End. Weather cool but sunny, very clear atmosphere got some good photos. Towards the Potten End part of the walk you end up walking on roads so not that dog friendly.
There are a lot of cherry trees on the walk, hence the walk name, but we are out of season. The plums however were spot on just about falling off the tree with ripeness. Found some that looked like giant cherries. They were a bit sour but would make great jam.
Finished the walk back at the pub called The Alford Arms, for a pint and something to eat. The menu was great we had crispy szechwan squid, and crab and broad bean salad. Other highlights included, poached duck eggs, slow cooked Chiltern lamb, smoked Grimsby haddock, courgette dauphinoise with broad bean pistou. The pub website is at www.alfordarmsfrithsden.co.uk
Thought I would give you all an update on my walk to work routine. Things are going well I have not missed a day yet, in the three weeks I have been walking.
I am getting to know the wildlife that is about on the route, and this morning I thought may be there was an ark nearby, as all the birds seem to come in two’s. First I saw a Grey Heron fly along the canal, and later another one fly the other direction. In a regular spot I saw two Bull Finches (male and female), they seem to always been in the same short section of the canal, and I suspect that are always there unless someone has passed before me and scared them off. Then I saw a Kingfisher fly past twice, it was a bright iridescent blue because it was flying away with the sun behind it. It may have been the same bird twice, but I am claiming it as two different birds!
Other stuff that is often out there are Hares in the fields adjacent to the Buckland Road, as well as an elusive warblerish bird that I have yet to get in the binoculars.
I have recently been trying out a new (free) GPS tracking system called BuddyWay (link). It works with any GPS enabled phone (pucks work too), you can set the frequency of the updates and how often they are sent to the site. there are clients for most mobile phones. See the screen shot of a walk Helen and I did at the weekend.
The final day of the weekend, we were determined to make the most of the weekend in terms of birds seen and time spend by the sea. We were first in for breakfast, a great veggie affair mushrooms, potatoes, eggs, beans, spinach and tomatoes, then we checked out and headed down to the car park at Titchwell, strangely we were not the first birdwatchers to arrive.
Apparently there was another very high tide which was about to turn, this meant that all the waders that normally spend their time on the mud uncovered by the tide would be on the scrapes of the bird reserve! True to form there were hundreds of them, knot, godwits, plovers, turnstone, the full monty. We headed on out to the beach (eider in eclipse plummage), then took a stroll down the beach for a mile or so to the end of the sand spit.
On the way back we spotted no less that 5 spoonbill, and a bloody-nosed beetle, and so after spending some money in the RSPB shop we had to head home.
After having done some chores this morning, because R&L, A&M, Ange are coming rouind for a curry tonight, we headed off to Wendover for a walk to Coombe Hill.
the photo’s attached to the post. The fences are serious structures, the posts are cast iron and the fence part is quite fine (you would not be able to climb them), and very pointy on top (even more reason not to try and climb them).
