Skylarks of Kinder Scout

I recently walked up Kinder Scout and was treated to some fantastic encounters with Skylarks (Alauda arvensis). In this video below you can see them feeding off the lichens and mosses that live on the rocks.

Hambleton Peninsular

My walk started in the village of Hambleton in the county of Rutland. Ever since 1970 Hambleton has been situated on a peninsular, surrounded by the waters of Rutland Water on three sides. A walk around this peninsular would offer stunning views as well as some interesting wildlife.

As mentioned previously on this blog we spotted a fledgling on the ground and so I left my camera filming nearby to try and catch a glimpse of a parent. We didn't have to wait long before a Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatix) turned up to feed it.

Looking over to the south shore of the reservoir you can see the spire of St Mary's Church in Edith Weston.

Also visible to the south is St Matthew's Church at Normanton. When the valley was flooded in 1970 the Church would have been flooded up to the tops of the pews, so in a rescue effort the church was surrounded by an embankment and the floor level raised. The top half of the church is now a museum.

Whilst wandering through a wood I was astonished to see this Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja). I've never seen any of the Fritillarys this far north.

Towards the "land bridge" of the Hambleton Peninsula you can see the spire of All Saints in Oakham. Considering the proximity of Oakham to Rutland Water you very rarely get a view of the county town from the reservoir.

Just as we were on the last stretch I spotted something on a leaf that looked a bit like a pumpkin seed. A closer look revealed it to be a Scarce Footman Moth (Eilema complana). I've never seen one of these before and I really has no idea what it was so thanks to the galleries at Wild about Britain for helping identify this lovely creature.

Wood Warbler

On a recent trip to Rutland Water I came across a fledgling on the ground. I left my camera nearby on film mode and sure enough a parent came along to feed it. Low and behold it was a Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) and the first I have ever seen. The strange warbling noise during the film is coming from my child, not the bird.

The view from Kinder Scout

I recently went up Kinder Scout in Derbyshire and was rewarded by fantastic visibility. Take a look.

Many thanks to this website for providing the names of the distant hills.

Oadby to Thurmaston via Keyham

Last year I walked to and from work regularly. Thurmaton to Oadby and back again. I took the shortest route and often did it walking as fast as I could. This year I decided that on the last day of the school term I would do it again, but this time entirely through the countryside. The route was significantly longer but it had its rewards. Solitude, nature and of course pubs! I started my journey near the Oadby Owl and headed up the A6 until I found a footpath heading north east. I took it. It was a mistake. Oadby was just off the bottom of the map I had, but I supposed that I couldn't get lost in a town I had worked in over the last two years. But I did get lost. I had left the A6 one footpath too early and ended up heading almost due east. The cloudy sky gave little indication of direction and nothing looked like anything on the map. I decided that so long as I just kept going I would have to come across the Gartree Road and then I would know exactly where I was.

Whilst still lost, but at least in the country, I was treated to one last look at Oadby. The town's St Peter's Church could be seen clearly.

After finally finding the Gartree Road I soon was on my way to Stoughton. The earthquake damaged spire not visible from this direction.

Coming into Stoughton I could see this in the far west. Its the top of the Cardinal Telephone Exchange building in Leicester and to its top right, Bardon Hill. I have a photo of this building from Bardon Hill and due to the symmetry of the situation the land above the building on that photo would be where I was standing when I took this photo. Understand?

After Stoughton the path follows the road a short way before plunging back into rape seed fields and horse paddocks. The village of Thurnby appears on the next hill. Its pretty towered church sits resplendent at the top.

After a swift one in the pub at Thurnby the path leaves the village to the north. It crosses the abandoned railway (above) and then onwards to Keyham.

The path is in a state of disrepair here. The styles are rotten and the farmer has sowed across the path.

A local high point offers a tremendous view over to the north west. On the horizon is the chapel at Ratcliff College. A photo from here the other week would feature the field I was standing in.

Keyham is difficult to spot irrespective of your direction of approach. The Church can only be seen when you get to the edge of its church yard!

But what a pretty little church. Built out of the glorious orange yellow Jurassic sandstone that is common out in east Leicestershire.

The northern horizon is dominated by the wood at Barkby Holt. I've wandered this way before on a circular walk. This was the southern extremity of that walk.

The path charges onwards through yet more rape seed towards Beeby. Its unfinished spire visible the whole way.

Beyond Beeby, the distant spire of Barkby can be seen silhouetted against the Charnwood forest hills.

This was where it poured it down and I got soaked.

Leaving Barkby the path cuts towards the sprawl of Thurmaston. The City of Leicester clearly visible on the southern horizon.

Leicestershire Round part 3. Frisby to Burrough Hill

Day three of our hike around the Leicester Round began at Frisby Church where the last walk finished. Leaving the village by the old village cross we climbed up towards to main Leicester Melton Road. A daring crossing later and it was due south straight on to Gaddesby.

The view to the west offered a glimpse of Bradgate Park from where we had come. It was still close enough to see Old John, but by the end of the walk the whole park was just a distant hill.

The view to the east was briefly open enough to see our destination. The Jurassic ridge with Burrough Hill fort on it (Behind the left pylon in this picture) was slowly rising up above the Wreake Valley.

After endless fields of maturing rape seed, we eventually reached Gaddesby. the church spire didn't pop into view until we were nearly there.

Inside the truly ancient church at Gaddesby is this unique statue of Colonel Cheney loosing his fourth horse to gunfire during the battle of Waterloo. This was a good spot for lunch.

On leaving Gaddesby the trek eastwards was long and hot. The fields changed from meadow to Oil seed rape quickly. In this part of Leicestershire every village is surrounded by ridge and furrow. Coming across ridge and furrow was a positive sign, indicating that the journey was either over, or that a pub was at hand.

Speaking of Pubs, there is a cracking one at Ashby Folville. The towered church (above) was not prominent and the village appears almost surprisingly. After a quick refreshment it was off again eastward across fields of sheep pasture towards the village of Thorpe Satchville.

The path goes under this dismantled railway and then into the village. The chapel yard offering a nice place to sit and have a sandwich. The pub marked on my map was disappointingly a closed French Restaurant.

The path leaves Thorpe Satchville and heads eastwards towards the hillfort. The view to the south shows Whatborough Hill on the left and Colborough Hill to the top right of the cow.

Descending Salters hill revealed the awesome Burrough Hill Fort. Its iron age ramparts rising high above the valley. A truly impressive sight and a daunting climb on a hot day.

Climbing up Burrough Hill gives us one last look west to the distant Charnwood hills. Bradgate Park is almost indistinguishable from here.

The Jurassic ridge rises above the plains of Leicestershire. Billesdon Coplow or Life Hill as it is sometimes known (the tree covered hill on the horizon to the right of this picture) marks a local westerly projection of this ridge.

From above the fort the ramparts are still impressive. This fort was the central defensive capitol of the Coritani tribe. Negotiations with the road building Romans led to a bridge being built over the river Sour down at place the Romans called Ratae Coritanorum, or Leicester as we know it today.

An information sign shows what the fort would have looked like 2000 years ago. A good place to stop for the day.

MMF PARTNER TOOL --