Bluebell Walk in Cowdray Forest

Some places are just magical.  And for me, the Cowdray Forest, just north of Balcombe, is one such place.  We are fortunate that the enlightened owners allow us access to enjoy a wide range of forest types.  Starting off at 19.00hr. through copiced chestnut and mature pine forests, 48 walkers then entered a magical birch grove, followed by a steep sided valley with Alder trees lining the stream.  Those in the front watched a roe deer watching us before it dashed away through the birches.

Walking poles can be useful in negotiating a couple of steep ghylls.

This 2.4 miles walk, lasting just 65 minutes, was from the Mid Sussex Ramblers' programme; on this occasion lead by me.
Click on any picture to expand it.  Enter "Cowdray forest" in the search box on the front page of this blog to pull up walks in this same area at different times of the year and with less benign weather!

Green-winged orchids on Pagham harbour 9 miles circular walk.

In light winds and 16C temperature, this was perfect weather for walking.  The harbour side path was full of red and white campion, gorse, thrift and bluebells.  Click here for a map of the route.
The walk was from the Mid Sussex Ramblers' programme, lead by me.

The tide was right out, which made bird watching less fruitful.  However, we did get some fine views of distant ringed plovers with a cameo appearance of a little egret.

There were a number of shell ducks close by...

...and this handsome pair of oyster catchers.

The sea kale was about to burst into bloom on the shingle beach.

Sea campion was already in bloom.

After a picnic lunch on the beach, we were entertained by Nicky who went for a swim.... and then went for a swim again -- just for the camera.  For sheer bravado Nicky is awarded the highly coveted "Sussexrambler award of Merit".  He is only the fourth person to be awarded such high honour!

Click on the above picture (and any other) to expand it and read the text.

Leaving Selsey, the public footpath goes through an extensive caravan park, a couple of fields and some roads before passing this wonderful field, which was bursting with orchids.  My digital camera fails to record the colours of orchids accurately.  Has anyone any ideas how to overcome that - short of manual enhancements, which I dislike?  The actual colours were more red than these pictures show.

These orchids are Green-winged Orchids. 

These orchids were just beautiful and made up for the paucity of birds that we saw.
We never spotted a tern, but probably could have seen nesting birds had we headed east along the beach and viewed them from behind the protective wire.

Bluebell Walk from Cuckfield, 8.5 miles

Although not exactly firing on all cylinders whilst still recovering from a very nasty respiratory infection, I managed to lead this walk - rehydrated after 5 miles with a quart of excellent ale from a local Sussex brewery in the Ansty Cross pub.  On this day we started off with a detour through the magical New England Wood.  The walk was from the Mid Sussex Ramblers' programme.

The Bluebells were magnificent -- especially so with Yellow archangel, Lamiastrum galeobdolon mixed into this wonderful floral display.  Click on any picture to expand it.

We passed this newborn foal, all legs and head.

19 happy ramblers, including the photographer.

The Pickwell estate is at its best perhaps at this time of year, when the specimen azaleas and rhododendrons are in bloom.

This meadow was a feast of dandelion seeds for small birds.  Having watched goldfinches eating such seeds in my own lawn, I have now learned to welcome such weeds and seed heads in my garden.

It was a lovely day and the promised rain hardly touched us.  Too bad!  The garden needs the rain.