From Hilltop Church to Wildflower Meadows
Geoff and Rachel’s Friday evening ramble, 5 June
On a cool, evening twenty members met at Pipers Hill, Hanbury, hoping that the squally showers of the previous few days would abate for the duration of our ramble. Pipers Hill and Dodderhill Common, also known as Hanbury Woods, contains some of the oldest trees in the county and is maintained by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.
Leaving the carpark at Pipers Hill, we had a gentle climb to Hanbury Church, with its magnificent views across to the Cotswolds and The Malverns. This church was once the site of an Iron Age Hill Fort and later the home of monks. The present building dates from 1210. It is famous for being the model for St Stephen’s, Ambridge, enjoying a sixty year filming and recording relationship with the BBC radio.
After a short sharp decent we arrived at Hanbury school, where the new tepee Early Years classroom and outdoor provision area, which cost £850,000, made us think what fun we would have had at school if these facilities were available in our childhoods.
Making our way towards Fosters Green Nature reserve and Eades Meadow, we walked along quiet tracks with a few rabbits nimbly hopping out of our way, a large field of barley and some noisy sheep.
Finally arriving at Eades meadow, we were not disappointed at the variety of flora to be seen. Fosters Green and Eades meadow lie within the Living landscape project of the Forest of Feckenham and are designated national Nature Reserves for the wealth of plants found there. These meadows once belonged to Fosters Green Farm and have not been ploughed for at least 100 years, nor have been treated with any chemical fertilisers or herbicides.
Leaving Eades Meadow, we walked along a quiet lane and through Fosters Meadow, to return to our cars…..and it didn’t rain!
Geoff & Rachel
5.6 miles.
Everything but Snow
Geoff & Pat’s Midweek Ramble, 10 June
The weather had been awful but when we met at Piper’s Grove car park, Snowshill it was bright and dry.
We completed the morning walk without any rain, through the village and past Great Brockhampton Farm with views of the beautiful Cotswold countryside. We returned down the Cotswold Way and enjoyed lunch at the Snowshill Arms.
The afternoon walk was through Snowshill Hill and back through bridleways crossing the Plantations and Buckle Street, the old Roman road. We were able to shelter under pine trees during the one downpour and then the weather was fine.
On the way we saw sheared sheep, lambs, Belted Galloway cattle, two hares dashing across a field, Red Kites and several kinds of orchids including the Common Spotted orchid, the Early purple orchid and the Butterfly Orchid which is quite rare. We listened to the birdsong from skylarks and corn buntings.
Altogether a very enjoyable ramble.
Geoff & Pat
5.0 miles am 5.0 miles pm.