The variety of Nordic Walks

The rut in Bushy Park and elsewhere continues.  This stag had found the cricket ground a good place to defend his herd from the raids by other stags.  Good pasture, great view to see rivals approaching, and a good fence around it to limit the hinds wandering....What more could a stag want?

Mute swans

The weather has been good for Nordic Walking - mild and dry.   The gates at Hampton Court Palace have recently reopened, allowing easy access to Home Park and more variety of routes around the area.

A group of Nordic Walkers this week started in Bushy Park, enjoyed the formal gardens in Hampton Court Palace, walked through the quiet of Home Park, then striding for  about half-a-mile along the Thames riverside, before posing with a guard waiting for Henry 8th, and one of his wives!

Hampton Court Palace formal gardens

Hampton Court bridge and River Thames

Palace guard and Nordic Walkers

An amazing variety of sights and scenery in just over an hour, and 3 miles of walking!

If you are interested in trying Nordic Walking in such lovely surroundings, please do get in touch with me.

I hold regular Saturday walks for differing abilities, including beginners and "Strollers".  All walks are sociable and enjoyable,

Peter

07703-404-931

Autumn Watching, and Nordic Walking

Nordic Walkers in Chestnut Avenue, Bushy Park. 

Autumn is in full swing, with leaves and conkers dropping from the trees in the parks. It's a beautiful time of year to be Nordic Walking.   However, the chestnut trees in Bushy Park, and across the south of England are dropping their leaves early due to a leaf mite.  This problem first appeared in Wimbledon a few years ago, and is slowly spreading across the country.  My thanks to a walker, Jackie, for alerting me to this.  For more details, see the Forestry Research site -

http://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/website/forestresearch.nsf/ByUnique/INFD-68JJRC

We regularly Nordic Walk in Bushy Park, where there is a mile-long tree-lined avenue (Chestnut Avenue), which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren to be the grand entrance to Hampton Court Palace.  Although not used as such now, it is still an impressive sight, especially in spring and autumn.  The chestnuts are flanked by six rows of lime trees, all neatly cropped by the deer.

Tree stump, Chestnut Avenue.  

Also impressive are the masses of mushrooms that have recently emerged.  At times, we have been walking over a carpet of sprouting funghi.  I know little about funghi so if anyone knows what these are called, I'd be happy to hear.  My mushroom book suggests they might be of the species Gymnopilus!

Abundance of mushrooms

The other major event that's happening in Richmond and Bushy Parks, as well as in the wild, is the annual deer rut.  Photos can't do it justice, so I'd encourage you to visit these parks and see one of Nature's free shows for yourself.

Red Deer stag with fallow deer behind

 There's nowhere else you can see stags battling for supremacy, at such a close quarters.

Some stags are used to people being close, but don't approach during the rut.

But you don't have to take my word for it.  The BBC's "Autumnwatch" programme returned last night and featured the rut in Richmond Park.  Go to the site (www.bbc.co.uk)  and find it under "iPlayer" if you missed it (UK only).

[The other wonderful animals on the programme were otters from Shetland, which I was lucky enough to see in the summer. See the "Shetland Safari" entry on this blog for more details.]

Lastly, if you are fed up with deer photos, here is one of an elephant, taken on a trip to Botswana.

You can learn more about elephants, Botswana, deer and mushrooms AND get fitter, if you care to join me for Nordic Walking sessions!

Please call or email to find out more.
Peter
07703-404-931

Walking in the Wine Country

A damp Sunday morning found us at Denbies Wine Estate, which nestles in the Surrey Hills, just north of Dorking.  Not only is it Britain's largest vineyard, but it has good shops and restaurants, as well as being criss-crossed by many public footpaths.

http://www.denbies.co.uk/Groups/126187/Denbies_Wine_Estate.aspx

Striding through the vines

After warming up as the drizzle changed to light rain, about a dozen keen Nordic (and a couple of 'normal') Walkers set off  through the 600 acres of vines, until we reached the North Downs Way.   This National Trail has been a long-distance path for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.  This excellent site give details of local walks on it,  as well as its history and ecology -
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Northdowns/

 The North Downs Way links Farnham in Surrey with Canterbury in Kent.  Pilgrims would use it to visit shrines at Canterbury and Winchester Cathedrals.  The rolling North Downs are made of chalk, and have very good drainage, which was just as well as the rain continued.

The poles come into their own on the slopes

Enjoying the views across the Mole Valley

On the gentle climb up onto Ranmore Common, we enjoy wonderful views across the Mole valley to Box Hill, Dorking and Leith Hill.

We often see the River Mole on our regular walks, as it joins the River Thames opposite Hampton Court Palace, but this stretch of it is very scenic.

On Ranmore Common we passed the church of St Barnabas, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, who built many of Britain's most famous and striking buildings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gilbert_Scott

From Ranmore Common, we headed downhill through dense beech and oak woods, and after about 30 minutes, rejoined the North Downs Way. Retracing our steps through the rows of grape-laden vines,  we soon arrived back at the car park, for a warm-down and some warming coffee or soup from the cafe.

Despite the weather, everyone seemed to enjoy the walk through beautiful countryside.  Exercise, good company, lovely scenery - what more do you want?  Did I hear "sun"?

The walkers kindly donated £50 to "Go Pink - breakthrough breast cancer".  If you wish to donate or find out more about this worthwhile cause, go here -

http://breakthrough.org.uk/gopink/

 

Watch this space for future walks in the countryside.  For details of regular Nordic Walks in Bushy Park, please call or email me,

Peter

07703-404-931