Covid-19 Guided Walk for One. Number 5: Westcott to Denbies Hillside.
Number 5: Westcott to Denbies Hillside.
Marbled White.
This is a short walk full of interest. The road section up Hole Hill has very few cars. Please note that beyond the cattle grid onto National Trust land is a private road. No entry to vehicles. It’s worth noting that for all these Covid-19 walks we describe the walk. We do not cover car parking anymore. Most country car parks, including the NT ones, are very busy.
So the walk starts in Westcott Village. Heads north down Balchins Lane. Turns right up Hole Hill and down again to the cattle grid entering NT land. You can now follow the walk via the pictures and map. Couple of miles maybe. The pictures are all current. The Marbled Whites are on the wing. Or were on 4 July…
Westcott to Denbies Hillside.
See the note at the foot for A or B return routes.
Turn right up Hole Hill.
Down to the cattle grid. Private road for vehicles. Bridleway for walkers, cyclists and gee gees.
Under the railway bridge, looking up to Denbies Hillside.
National Trust pond at Landbarn Farm, just before the railway bridge.
Landbarn Farm. Headquarters of the National Trust for Denbies Hillside and beyond.
Another woodcarving by sculptor Ian, who carved the Adonis Blue sculpture (later).
Head west from Landbarn Farm up the carriage road…
…soon to turn east continuing on the carriage road. Lathyrus (Everlasting Pea).
Very colourful in late June.
Lathyrus.
First Marbled White on a Thistle.
Past the 150 year old gate. Dorking to the right.
Hypericum (St John’s Wort), complementing Lathryus.
Another Marbled White.
And two more on Field Scabious.
He was hoping it would sit on my nose! This is as close as we got.
Pyramidal Orchid.
Isn’t the carriage road a beautiful walk at any time of year.
And here’s the Adonis Blue sculpture.
I love the sculpture!
Field Scabious.
Thistle.
Looking back west down the carriage road. Turn right downhill, just after the sculpture.
But see the footnote.
Down to the meadow, where cattle are often grazing. There are a number of water troughs that Bobby and the other NT volunteers empty and clean each winter.
And what a meadow!
The simple things are free. Including dandelions.
Cross the railway line at the crossing. Take care. Read the signs.
Belted Galloways.
Including one called “Spring”.
Field Bindweed. Better here than your garden.
Wonderful Poppies…
…bordered by Moon Daisies.
And Hogweed.
Keep heading south down the path back to Westcott. But note Bobby went back to check last weekend.
Last weekend.
Here is the path downhill. Just past the sculpture. But closed until September.
The path down to the crossing. Also closed by the NT.
The DIVERSION shown on this and our map is route B, just a few minutes beautiful walk east along the carriage road.
To these steps heading steeply uphill. Built by Bobby and the volunteers some years ago. But your path is directly opposite, heading downhill across the railway and back into Westcott.
Last weekend we saw that the scene was changing with the season.
Lathyrus was going to seed, showing those distinctive pea seed pods.
The Rowan berries are plumping up for a bumper crop.
And this beautiful little plant is flowering close to the ground.
Common Rest Harrow. May not be so common now.
… and finally …
We DO believe it!
Following on from “We Saved the Moondaisies“, we joined this brilliant Facebook group, that included a post from Redditch Borough Council proclaiming how they were making “bloomin” changes”. And so say all of us.
And here is the psychology of achieving change. “Encourage” the authorities to want to make a difference. It could even be “their” idea and that’s fine. It’s the result that matters.
Lighting a Candle for Diddley.
Diddley loved reading this book to her grandchildren.
It will form the basis of a new story shortly called “Layla’s Library”.
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Bobbie, I do not have or want a WordPress account. When did this silyness begin?
Jim
Hello Jim. I am not sure where you got this from?
Wordpress is a computer programme that people writing blogs use through templates and the like to set up a blog and publish it. There are others but wordpress dominates. My friend Tim is the technical director who does all the wordpress stuff. I write the stories and take the pictures. Put them into a draft for him to use the wordpress account. You and I are as one. Neither of us uses WordPress. Or need to. Be cool. Bob