and that's just what they'll do.......

Wanted a fairly short walk to try out the new boots so a circumnavigation of  Cley seemed to fit the bill.

It was a glorious spring day and a chance to see Cley Hill from a different angle

This a nice shot of the barrow on the top. It was a busy day there but all the visitors were set on heading to the top. We were going around and didn't see another walker all day....

This walk took in several sunken lanes which were starting to show lots of new growth. Including lots of nettles! They were a bit small though for picking but I think net week I'll be going prepared for some nettle harvesting. Anyone for nettle soup?

Passing a superb example of a manor house.










We stopped for lunch at the Royal Oak in Corsley Heath. Don't think they really needed to have the open fire burning though.

After lunch the route took us close to the Longleat Estate.  Can you see what we saw?


No? Looking carefully you might just spot the herd of giraffe mother and babies in the trees. This is where I wished I had a decent zoom lens. Also just in sight were zebra, wallabies and rhino. Most bizarre sight in the English countryside.


Nothing could really top that and we were almost back at the car.

As for the boots - well I was glad the first outing was no longer. Just over 5 miles was enough but  I think they will be fine.

A walk in the Woods

Today it was  Old Wardor Castle - a 14th Century ruin on the edge of Wiltshire and Dorset now in the care of English Heritage. Very pretty, very well manicured and pretty busy with the Sunday picnic crowd.





We had a quick look around and then headed off into the woods where we had them pretty much to ourselves.

Spring is definitely well underway with a noticeable change from a few weeks ago.

The blackthorn is starting to go over, the hawthorn starting to come out and the path sides are thick with spring flowers. I counted lesser celandines, windflowers. deadnettles, violets,  and shepherd's purse as well as the common dandelions. daisies and buttercups. Plenty of primroses too.

It is a lttle early for bluebells but part of the woodland was carpeted with leaves with just a few flowers starting to appear. The Ramsons were also forming a deep carpet in another part of the wood but the leaves are starting to mature and looked a little tough so they were left in peace to scent the air with garlic.

Leaving Wardour Castle we drove back past Cley Hill  and on impulse stopped to climb it. A chalk outcrop, it has the remains of an iron age fort ( left) and some bronze age barrows on the top.





Although it looks a steep climb, rising as it does from the clay lowlands it isn't as bad as it looks and the view from the top makes the effort worthwhile.

The Bronze age "bowl" barrow.









In summer the hill is covered with chalk loving flowers and is an SSSI. Today though it was much too early for the orchids but the cowslips made a good show. It will be several weeks before we get them blooming at home.