Health Walk - Thursday 31st December 2015 - New Year's Eve

Photos by Michael - Please click on photos to see a larger one

A bit nippy but the sun was shining brightly in a clear sky.

Thanks to Ranger Joe for opening up the Barn for us!

Twelve today, thanks for turning out.   Bernadette, Carmel, Carole, Colin, David H, Graham, Jacqueline, James, Linda D, Michael, Peter and Sue.  Equal males and females, things are looking up.

David H was nominated leader again and we set off towards the Cinder Path.

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Again Peter led the short with Sue while the rest of us entered the Cinder Path.  Then there were ten.

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Emerging from the Cinder Path there was still lots of water, here coming from the field.

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As we entered Cock Cabin Wood this runner passed us.  We often come across runners, those were the days when I could run.

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Why do the trees branches grow into wrinkly shapes?  Do they grow old like us?

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Cock Cabin Pond

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Still a lot of water all over the Park, it must have rained heavily last night.

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Leaving Cock Cabin Wood and

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walking down to the Stone Bridge.

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Avoiding the direct path to the Stone Bridge because of standing water seemed to give Carmen, Carole, Jacquie and Linda permission to leave the group and make their way up Snake Hill back to the Barn - green route.

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Then there were six

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The Ford, again an interesting build up of debris on the west side of the river like the Stepping Stones.

Across the Picnic Area and up to the Lake.  Here Graham spotted four Cormorants, he had brought his binoculars.  There were many Mallards and Black Headed Gulls as well as the Grebe and a Moorhen.

We walked up into the Field and back down to enter Dog Kennel Wood.

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Walking through now that the leaves have fallen we can see the new visitors centre

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Approaching the Women's Institute Bridge to cross into Gravel Hole Wood.

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The stream that divides Gravel Hole Wood from Black Banks Wood. this week I suddenly started to wonder where the water disappears to.  It goes under the path and under the Cycle Track to the river except it does flow over the track.

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Looking along the track as we turned left to go over the Wooden Bridge.  We walked up Cardiac Hill and entered the Pinetum.

I climbed up to the Viewing Area but there was nothing in the feeders but there was a Robin on the seat and, I think, three Dunnocks on the ground under the feeder.

Peter and Sue, blue route, carried on to the end of Sue Ryder Drive then returned and went through the little idyl on to Shady Lane and up Berkerley Drive into the Pinetum and up alongside the new visitors centre and back to the Barn

We arrived back at the Barn and then we were thirteen.  Mary had joined us for coffee.

Today's walks.

Michael Swarbrick