Today is the day you make new years resolutions. I don’t you should make any that are difficult to keep, so I am going to make an effort to keep a better track of the birds I see this year and Helen and I have also started an official garden list. What better way to start than to go for a walk with the nockers.
We were ready at the early (for new years day) time of 10am, and decided to head up to the area around Dancersend nature reserve, because there is a lot of game birds around which attract lots of country side birds. When we left the house it started to rain so we went up the hill to have a cup of coffee instead! Luckily for us there were plenty of birds on the bird feeders there including Greater Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch.
After coffee we headed out to Wilstone reservoir for a walk to the hide. The weather was miserable and grey, and we had the hide to ourself. Nothing unexpected was present it was great so see Little Egret, Snipe, and Common Gull. One we had endured the cold long enough we headed back to the car in the drizzle then went home for a bite to eat.
It was two o’clock and the year list stood at 33, not a bad start despite the dampened enthusiasm caused by the weather.
We felt the need to get out for some fresh air. We decided to do one of our favourite walks, not because it is spectacular but mainly because it is fairly local, just about the right length, and ends at a pub. The walk is circular and starts at The Old Swan at Swanbottom.
As we drover over to Swanbottom we left the bright skies of our side of the hills which were replaced by the fog on the Wendover side! We parked up outside the pub and headed down the path that runs to the left of the pub, and eventually got to the woods were we turned right and then came out at the filed that always seems to have stubble no matter what time of the year. Often you can see yellow hammer here. Once across the feild we headed across the road and along the footpath that eventually crosses Arrewig lane, at the house that has a very only combine harvester in an open out-building which is near the footpath.
Once through the garden we headed down a hill and into a woods where we headed right agin and kept in the woods for quite some time. There are lots of holly trees in the woods but although there were the odd berry on the ground there we almost none in the trees themselves, perhaps the birds have stripped them bare during the cold snap? I suspect not as I think we would have at least seen some in the trees, perhaps they were all males or female trees?
The weather then changed, it started to drizzle, we really had picked the best place to go for a walk today. Out of the woods by taking another right we headed up the hill away from the woods and cam across that lane with a funny name again. You come out at a large barn complex, and have to walk down the road for 100 yards before picking up the foot path the other side of the road. You then head down for a while before picking up a footpath that leads across a horses field that comes out at a road junction (T) on the corner of a woods. Out the other side of the woods, having kept rightish, we hit a field and then a road.
Just along the road the footpath goes through a farmyard, and then enters a wood which must be really close to The Lee. The path through the wood is always very muddy, but today the ground was still just frozen enough to keep us off of the mud. Just before you get to a house there is a footpath junction that heads towards Swanbottom. Another road to cross and then just up the path turn left past the large house with the horses field and you are back at the pub.
They do good food at the pub, father in law and I had fish and chips, Helen had veggie burger(not on the menu, but available to those that ask), and sister in law had proper burger. We had not seen many birds perhaps the weather was to blame, they were all on the other side of the hill in the sun maybe?
We were up at a reasonable 9:00 on boxing day and quickly had a breakfast and left my folks to head back home. The journey was straight but there were quite a few slow drivers about. You know the ones, those that only drive once a year, and are very cautious. Still we got back in good time.
Then it was off up the hill for Christmas part deux. Helen’s sister and brother in law were over and we had a lovely veggie lasagne for lunch. After lunch we headed out for a walk in the snow, along the canal towpath. We were a bit naughty as we all had a go at standing on the canal’s ice which held very well even if you jumped up and down on it.
After a walk the sisters went and did some sledging on a hill which in my opinion was not steep enough to get any speed up on. I went indoors to read the paper in the warm. Later on we went down the hill to join up with more in laws for more food and celebrations. Fun was had by all and the chase the ace trophy is now on it’s way to Wales.
We have had a surprisingly busy day. The usual sort of thing this morning; presents & mulled wine followed by much peeling, chopping, basting and boiling. Lovely lunch featuring home made chestnut stuffing and of course, bread sauce followed by…Christmas pudding, accompanied by flaming brandy or in Neil’s case, a bucket of custard.
Then Neil & I went for a walk down to the river for some much needed exercise. We walked around a mile and saw lots of birds, heron, long tailed tit, cormorant, redwing, fieldfare, blue tit, mallard, barnacle goose, red kite, buzzard, moorhen and a flock of geese that we struggled to id. Neil took a few photos and we pottered back as the sun was going down and it was getting chilly. Back to Neil’s folks where Neil realised he had lost his phone on the walk.
Was the phone lost here
Back out, assisted by Jack and down to the river. Some people were walking towards us and by chance Neil asked them if they had seen a mobile on their travels. They had spotted & retrieved it! They had called a number on it, my sis who had then called Neil’s Mum with their details, so Neil’s mum whipped on her wellies (complete with ice grips) to come in pursuit of us. So all was well, the nice folks did their Christmas good deed andwe all got a bit more fresh air & exercise than planned but did us good. Back now looking forward to an evening of Strictly & whist & maybe a tipple.
I think there might even be some bread sauce left too! Happy days 🙂
After yesterdays enjoyable walk I was keen to get back out into the fresh air again. I headed up Tring Hill so see what the traffic was like out and about. The road were nor to bad as it turns out there was plenty of snow and it looked icy on the road surface, there were far more 4×4 as a percentage of the total traffic, than normal. I even saw few cars with chains on! I am not sure if they are legal but I doubt the police would stop you for taking sensible precautions.
The traffic on the A41 was slow and there was only one lane of traffic each way. I then headed towards Tring and took a right towards the manor house which has a bridge over the dual carriageway. I was now back in to the countryside away from the traffic, it was very quiet. I was back on familiar ground and but could not decide which way to go, either a longer router via the crong or a shorter route straight up to Aston Hill. In the end I went in the middle, I headed towards Hanghill but then took a right along a foot path across the fields towards Dancersend manor. I came across the remanents of either a woodcock or a redlegged partridge, which had obviously become the victim of a fox in a struggle. Further on the was a large flock of yellow hammer. Once I had joined the footpath from Hanghill to the manor, I came across a dead crow, I wonder if it was a victim of the cold.
Dead crow
Once past the manor I headed back towards Aston but took the footpath that takes you up to the top of Aston Hill. It was a hard slog up the hill not many people had been up, so the snow was still deep. Just as I reache the golf club a bird flew across the path. It did not take long to figure out that it was a tawny owl. It had a stubby owl body and had that typical owl flight characteristics.
I then headed down the footpath that goes through the golf club. There were some people sledging on the fairways, I am not sure the green keepers would have approved but there was no golf going on so I guess it will do no one any harm.
Then it was down the hill for a coffee and cake at the in laws. Another great walk and a new life list tick to boot.
Snow was forecast for today so I planned my day around a walk towards the end of the dump. It turns out I got my timing just right, I left the house at about 14:00 then snow seemed about 6 inches or so deep.
I headed out up the main road past the village shop, the road was no longer clear and traffic was slow. Up to Stablebridge I headed along the canal towards Wendover then took the footpath that brings you out at the golf club junction. Then I headed into the woods and onto the entrance road to the woods. There was a single car track but it was about 3 inches under the snow. I had the woods to myself there was not a sound of foot print to be seen.
The going was hard as the snow was quite deep and it was all up hill. There was the odd animal footprints in the snow, it was fairly easy to tell the difference between fox, rabbit and deer. By the time I reached the cafe in the woods (which was shut!) I had a real sweat on. I took a rest under the porch of the cafe where there was a table a chairs with no snow on them. I had to take my coat off I was so hot. I sat around for a while watching the birds on the feeder, mainly tits, I have never see so many coal tits at one time.
After a rest I headed back down the hill, by this time a group of kids turned up they had walked up from the direction of the houses near next the Halton. On the way down I came across a couple (he had a massive beard) they had walked over from Tring. I headed back via the Chalet then the golf club, when I got to the Icknield way I started to see more people, it seemed loads of people had come out to see the snow.
Wendover woods
I dropped in at Hillside on the way where the path was being cleared and the women were inside keeping warm. I then headed back home. At the bottom of the hill at the Royal Siam roundabout the traffic was at a stand still I guess they were having trouble getting up the hill. The local farmer was out with his tractor and snow plough attachment.
All in all well worth the effort of dragging myself out of the warm house.
and by the time I was most of the way up to Wendover woods the snow had just about stopped.
Office xmas party last night we went to the White Hart, which is an improvement over Chicago’s. Did not an early start but have decided to walk to Tring over the hills and get the bus home.
The start was all up hill, through the village, up stablebridge then along the canal, up the hill to Wendover woods cafe where I am sat now typing this, eating fruit cake and coffee. Helen went for hot chocolate and carrot cake.
After the coffee stop we headed towards the ridgeway but got diverted by a possible Waxwing, we did a bit of trespassing to quickly get the the edge of the field but by the time we got there there was no sign of any bird!
That little foray diverted us from our planned route so we nipped through dancersend nature reserve then up the steep road called the Crong, to the top of the hill where we joined the ridgeway again. It would be all down hill from now on. The aim was to keep high for as long as possible so that we would end up going down the hill from high above Tring which we would enter via the Natural History museum. There we had some great views of both Tring and Yellowhammer.
Buildings Tring
Once in Tring we did a spot of shopping and a coffee before getting the number 500 bus back to Aston Clinton.
After shopping Friday due to weather we thought we would make the most of the day on Saturday. The temperature was warmer and the frost had all gone from the trees, but the mud was still hard under foot. We parked up at the picnic site at Cobblers hill, for some reason the turn off sign has the picnic symbol blanked out, but the car park is still there. We were going to do a reverse circuit of roughly the walk I did last weekend.
From the picnic site we headed up the hill on the right of the parking, hoping to take a right hand turn if one presented. It did and we entered a plantation of fir trees where we came across some badger tracks. Throughout the whole walk we kept our eyes open for animal tracks, and it is surprising how you come across, the snow made it very easy to see them.
At the top of the hill we headed down towards Little Hampden, but took a right at the bottom of the valley. This took us towards the Coombe hill and eventually we came to a horse stables, where we took a right up the hill towards the Ridgeway runs close to Coombe hill. Before we got to the Ridgeway we took a left which would steer us back from where we came via the Rising Sun pub, now a private house, at the end of the road that turns into a track that links it to the road the other side of Coombe hill that goes past Chequers, the prime-ministers country retreat.
Badger print
From the ex-pub we headed left down the hill to join the path at the bottom of the valley where we took a right on the way out. Then all we had to do was follow our tracks back to the car park. However I had a better idea lets try the other footpath down and see where it comes out. We tried to find it but to no avail so wasted some time back tracking, but we did some some coal tits and a couple of treecreepers. Once we were back on familiar ground it was easy to find our way back to the car park.
It was a great walk and we hardly met a should so we will surely return at some date.
The weather remains very cold and sunny, so to make the most of it I decided to get out early for a walk then get a haircut (not sure it was the right weather for that) then see if there was enough time to get another walk in later before Helen got back from her shopping trip to Burford with the cousins. My morning walk was to start at Dunsmore.
I was up at Dunsmore just after 9, and found parking difficult, not because there were lots of people (there were in fact none) but because there are no parking spaces at all. I found somewhere to dump the car on the grass verge and headed down the steep hill towards Coombe Hill parking but left the road at the bottom, and headed up hill to join the ridgeway. There were a few parties of scouts about all going in different directions, they were all either lost or all had different routes to take.
I followed the ridgeway for a bit then turned right to over a field toward the pub at Little Hampden. Turns out the pub is not a pub any more, it looks like a private dwelling. I am not surprised as the premises are at the end of a long country lane which is a dead end. You will not get passing traffic that’s for sure, still it is a shame because the pub makes a great stop for a pint if you are doing a long circular walk. Helen and I would like to time it so the pub was 2/3 to 3/4 of the way round, taht way it was a welcome break and left not too far to go before the end of the walk.
Little Hampden Valley
From the ex-pub I headed left back across the valley towards the ridgeway, where I took a left which took me back to Dunsmore. The weather had been cold but crisp ideal walking conditions. I had seen a few yellow hammers and got fooled by my green woodpecker message alert on the blackberry!
Once home I had a coffee started a new stored procedure to create requisitions from tasks (work stuff) and headed into Aylesbury for a hair cut. Silky Snips is my favourite barbers in Aylesbury they do a good job and there is never a queue on a Sunday. So number two on top and number round round the side it was all over in 10 minutes, and I was £7 lighter, and my head must 7 degrees colder!
Once back I did a bit more work on the stored procedure, then headed out to Dancersend for a quick walk round the valley in the hills above Aston Clinton. I parked up at the usual spot just before the grand manor house at the junction at the top of the hill. I headed up to the junction on foot took a right then the footpath on the immediate left, then headed down across the field. There is a local business that does shooting at the weekend and they must own most of the land in the valley. They have planted lots of sweet cord for the game birds and I was flushing pheasants and partridge left right and centre. I then headed up the hill towards the path that run along the base of the hill directly ahead and leads to the old water works.
The manor House Dancersend Hall
Back on to the road I took the path on the right which leads directly up the hill to the local phone mast, then I took a right along the top of the hill before dropping down the hill to come out near the farm where the shooting is run from. The hill is called Hang hill at the end of the road are three cottages, that are really tucked away as they are at the end of a road that goes almost full circle from the junction I set out from. From the cottages it is only about 200 yeards up a bridle path back to where I started.
The temperature was getting very cold by now as the valley is quite sheltered and the sun had gone down behind the hill, but I was well wrapped up and did not feel it. It is really great to get out and about on the fine cold days, much better than rainy or overcast days when the temperature is much warmer. I certainly felt I had made the most of my Sunday.
Helen was off at 11 this morning with the girls to Burford for a shopping and girly weekend. When she had gone I headed off up to the far end car park at Wendover woods where you on;t have to pay to park and is off the beaten track. I headed off along the Ridgeway toward Wendover but kept up in the hill heading towards Lording Woods.
The tops of the Chilterns were just in the clouds so the sun was always threatening to break and mists were always passing through. There were not a lot of people about, in fact when I got away from Wendover woods I saw no one for about an hour and a half, it was like I had the countryside to myself.
There is some strange country farmland furniture about up above the Hale, there are some old but expensive looking walls complete with narrow gaps lined with wood that act a styles. The sections of walls are all isolated from each other so I guess at some point there must have been fencing of some sort connecting them all up.
I head in the direction of The Gate and crossed a field which had obviously not had a crop for some time it appeared to be full of dead and dried up thistle plants, and it proved to be a great place to see some farmland birds. Flock of Yellow Hammer and great views of a fairly large fox who I spotted when a flushed a Pheasant, or should I say he/she spotted me. The fox ran off a little way but was then content to watch me for a while before walking off across the fields. That is what you can see if you get get away from the beaten paths that the general populous use.
The Green Grass Road
I then king of turned back and headed back from where I came. As I got back towards the car I came across a flock of tits amongst them was a Treecreeper (one of my favourite birds), and a Green Woodpecker. There was also some strange ice formations on some chalk out crops near a big hole, I have seen them before and I think they might be caused a water is somehow squeezed out of the chalk by the cold.Once back to the car I headed over to M&S at Tring to get some lunch and tea, them home and back in the warm for the rest of the day.
