In 2014 the Prince’s Countryside Fund had run big social media campaign around National Countryside Week, their annual awareness week. The challenge had been to walk a “country mile” and post up a “walkie” photo of you out on your walk. This had proved to be hugely popular!
In 2015, however, there was no campaign and no events in my local area. So I decided to spend the week discovering more new places in our local countryside.
National Countryside Week 2015
On day 1 I headed off to Wildlife Trust BCN Brampton Wood, a lovely quiet place with lots of different paths through woods and and area of heath land. I saw Silver-washed Fritillary butterflies for the first time and at one point I could hear a deer barking, although I never managed to see it.
A Small Skipper butterfly perched on a sedge flower. Photos from Wildlife Trust Brampton Wood in Cambridgeshire.
A male Gatekeeper butterfly. Photos from Wildlife Trust Brampton Wood in Cambridgeshire.
A Silver-washed Fritillary butterfly looking a bit worn. Photos from Wildlife Trust Brampton Wood in Cambridgeshire.
The tiny delicate flowers of what I think is Wavy Hair-grass. Photos from Wildlife Trust Brampton Wood in Cambridgeshire.
The little pink flowers of Common Centaury emerging in the shade of the trees. Photos from Wildlife Trust Brampton Wood in Cambridgeshire.
A Green-veined White butterfly feedingon a thistle flower. Photos from Wildlife Trust Brampton Wood in Cambridgeshire.
One of the paths around the wood, dissapearing off through the trees and shrubs. Photos from Wildlife Trust Brampton Wood in Cambridgeshire.
Purple Loosestrife flowering in the marshy areas of the wood. Photos from Wildlife Trust Brampton Wood in Cambridgeshire.
Day 2 took me to RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes. Almost as soon as I arrived here I saw Green woodpeckers, but they were far too quick to get any photos. I saw plenty of great minibeasts though, including Brimstone butterflies and Ruddy Darter dragonflies. I also saw a tern catch a fish right infront of me, but no photo of that either – sometimes it’s better to just watch something happen than miss it while trying to get a photo!
A Ruddy Darter dragonfly perched on a branch. Photos from RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
A Leafcutter bee on a Burdock flower. Photos from RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
A Brown Argus butterfly resting on a dead flower in the sun. Photos from RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
A Large White butterfly on a thistle flower. Photos from RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
The vibrant yellow-green coloured Brimstone butterfly, feeding on a Burdock flower. Photos from RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
Patches of sunlight breaking through the trees on the path ahead. Photos from RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
A Green-Veined White butterfly on a Burdock flower. Photos from RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
A Ruddy Darter dragonfly looking a lot like a helicopter. Photos from RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
A Mute Swan out for a swim on the choppy waters of Ferry Lagoon. Photos from RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
A pair of Great Crested Grebe’s looking like one bird with 2 heads. Photos from RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
On day 3 the weather forecast was for rain arriving in the afternoon, so I spent the morning at RSPB Fowlmere. It’s a nice small reserve centred around chalk streams and a disused watercress bed. There were trout and crayfish in the streams, and kingfishers fishing outside one of the hides which resulted in one of my favourite photos from 2015.
A Comma butterfly on a Burdock flower. Photos from RSPB Fowlmere nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
A female Mallard duck looking for food in the water. Photos from RSPB Fowlmere nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
Close up of a hoverfly on a Sow-thistle flower. Photos from RSPB Fowlmere nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
The delicate flowers of Common Water Crowfoot, punctuating the dark green of the pond weed below. Photos from RSPB Fowlmere nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
Looking across the now disused watercress bed from the spring. Photos from RSPB Fowlmere nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
Kingfisher perched on a tree branch. Photos from RSPB Fowlmere nature reserve in Cambridgeshire.
On day 4 I fancied something different, so I headed off to the National Trust Chilterns Gateway Centre for a walk around the Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate, also taking in a wander round Whipsnade Tree Cathedral.
View across the valley from the top up the Dunstable Downs, not far from the Chilterns Gateway Centre. Photos from a walk around National Trust Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate SSSI’s, in the Bedfordshire area of Chilterns AONB.
Carved owls in the Lady Chapel of Whipsnade Tree Cathedral. Photos from a walk around National Trust Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate SSSI’s, in the Bedfordshire area of Chilterns AONB.
Close up view of one of the carved hawks in the Dewpond Enclosure of Whipsnade Tree Cathedral. Photos from a walk around National Trust Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate SSSI’s, in the Bedfordshire area of Chilterns AONB.
A poppy wreath laid in the Chancel of Whipsnade Tree Cathedral. Photos from a walk around National Trust Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate SSSI’s, in the Bedfordshire area of Chilterns AONB.
Close up of one of the carved hedgehogs in the Summer Chapel of Whipsnade Tree Cathedral. Photos from a walk around National Trust Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate SSSI’s, in the Bedfordshire area of Chilterns AONB.
St. Mary Magdalene church in Whipsnade. Photos from a walk around National Trust Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate SSSI’s, in the Bedfordshire area of Chilterns AONB.
A Small Copper butterfly basking in the sun on the walk down from the church to Whipsnade Heath. Photos from a walk around National Trust Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate SSSI’s, in the Bedfordshire area of Chilterns AONB.
Three Common Buzzard’s circling, high up in the sky. Photos from a walk around National Trust Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate SSSI’s, in the Bedfordshire area of Chilterns AONB.
Paragliders flying over the top of the downs, with a couple of gliders above them. Photos from a walk around National Trust Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate SSSI’s, in the Bedfordshire area of Chilterns AONB.
Paragliders and kites flying over the top of the downs, with the Chilterns Gateway Centre in the background. Photos from a walk around National Trust Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate SSSI’s, in the Bedfordshire area of Chilterns AONB.
As day 5 arrived so did a patch of bad weather. The forecast was for rain around mid morning so I took an early trip to Wildlife Trust BCN Felmersham Gravel Pits. Quite a small place, which turned out to be a good thing since it started raining before I made it back to the car!
Unusual plant for a nature reserve, a lot of Everlasting Peas in flower near the entrance. Photos from Wildlife Trusts Felmersham Gravel Pits nature reserve in Bedfordshire, UK.
A family of Mute swans out on the lake. Photos from Wildlife Trusts Felmersham Gravel Pits nature reserve in Bedfordshire, UK.
A male Emerald damselfly. Photos from Wildlife Trusts Felmersham Gravel Pits nature reserve in Bedfordshire, UK.
The weather cleared up again for day 6 so I decided to revisit Twywell Hills and Dales – the previous time I’d been here had been in the rain. From my GPS track I think I managed to explore the whole place this time!
One of the massive bright flowers of the Woolly Thistle. Photos from Wildlife Trusts Twywell Hills and Dales nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
Harlequin ladybird on a Woolly thistle flower head. Photos from Wildlife Trusts Twywell Hills and Dales nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
Long hoverfly on a wild carrot flower. Photos from Wildlife Trusts Twywell Hills and Dales nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
A thistle gall fly, on a Woolly Thistle. I think this is terellia serratulae. Photos from Wildlife Trusts Twywell Hills and Dales nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
A Ringlet butterfly catching some sunlight in one of the woodland rides of Twywell Plantation. Photos from Wildlife Trusts Twywell Hills and Dales nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
A Large White butterfly drinking nectar from a thistle flower. Photos from Wildlife Trusts Twywell Hills and Dales nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
A Peacock butterfly drinking nectar from a bramble flower, in a patch of sunlight at the bottom of the Gullet at Twywell. Photos from Wildlife Trusts Twywell Hills and Dales nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
A shaft of sunlight lighting up the rocks in the bottom of the Gullet, left exposed by the extraction of ironstone. Photos from Wildlife Trusts Twywell Hills and Dales nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
An early start again on day 7, a return to Summer Leys for a short walk on familiar ground before the rain came back again. I didn’t expect the Sand Martins to still be there, so it was quite a nice surprise to see them bringing food back to their nests like the ones in Norfolk had been doing at the start of the month.
Juvenile Bluetit perched on a lichen covered branch. Photos from an early morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
A Sand Martin coming in to land in concrete nest holes. Photos from an early morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
Great Crested Grebe adult with two stripy babies. Photos from an early morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
Mute Swan swimming with its rippled reflection. Photos from an early morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
One of a few groups of Canada Geese on the islands in the lakes. Photos from an early morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire, UK.
The Start of Autumn
At the start of September I took another week off work with the intention of visiting a few more local places looking for early signs of autumn, however it didn’t really pan out like that due to not-so-great weather.
On the Tuesday I went to National Trust Lyveden New Bield for the first time, and also went for a bit of a damp walk along a route following some of the Lyveden Way. There were plenty of blackberries and Sloe berries around, definite signs of the approach of autumn.
Beehives in the Lyveden apple orchard.
Looking through the trees and over the moat to the New Bield, from the garden labyrinth.
View across the countryside from the only part of the Lyveden New Bield garden lodge that has a floor.
Inside the Lyveden garden lodge, a big fireplace for the kitchen at the bottom, leading up to a small one on the top floor.
Dark bush cricket basking in the sun on one of the footpath markers. Pictures from a walk round most of the Lyveden Way.
Blackberries starting to ripen on the brambles. Pictures from a walk round most of the Lyveden Way.
Speckled wood butterfly sunbathing. Pictures from a walk round most of the Lyveden Way.
Sloes ripening on the branches of a Blackthorn. Pictures from a walk round most of the Lyveden Way.
The tall straight trunks of a forest of pine trees. Pictures from a walk round most of the Lyveden Way.
Farmer cultivating the valuable soil ready for seeding next year’s crop. Hard to tell from this distance but I think the tractor is pulling a press. Pictures from a walk round most of the Lyveden Way.
Later in the week we had a day of nice weather so I went for a morning walk round Summer Leys. Some days I like to just go for a walk without the weight of carrying camera equipment, so this time I just took my compact camera with me.
A Spiked shieldbug (Picromerus bidens) on a fence post. Photos from a morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire.
Hoverfly on a flower of Bristly Oxtongue. Photos from a morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire.
Lots of bright red pomes on the hawthorn. Photos from a morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire.
Buzzard circling over the lakes. Photos from a morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire.
Brimstone butterfly catching the sunlight on a Bristly Oxtongue flower. Photos from a morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire.
A bright red Bedeguar Gall on a dog rose stem. Photos from a morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire.
Bluetit on the bird table in the feeding area. Photos from a morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire.
Female Ruddy Darter dragonfly resting in the sun. Photos from a morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire.
The red wings of Maple seeds ripening in the sun. Photos from a morning walk round Summer Leys nature reserve in Northamptonshire.
In the afternoon I went for a walk along the Grand Union canal at Stoke Bruerne, again only taking my compact camera. I’d been here once before, but it was quite ago!
The A508 road bridge almost at the bottom of the Stoke Bruerne locks. Photos from a walk along the Stoke Bruerne section of the Grand Union Canal.
A canal pusher tug called Pochard. Photos from a walk along the Stoke Bruerne section of the Grand Union Canal.
A morred up narrowboat catching the afternoon sun. Photos from a walk along the Stoke Bruerne section of the Grand Union Canal.
A female mallard standing on the canal bank. Photos from a walk along the Stoke Bruerne section of the Grand Union Canal.
The long arms of the lock gates just below The Navigation pub. Photos from a walk along the Stoke Bruerne section of the Grand Union Canal.
Wire sculpture of a horse and wagon along the woodland walk. Photos from a walk along the Stoke Bruerne section of the Grand Union Canal.
Wire sculpture of a fox along the woodland walk. Photos from a walk along the Stoke Bruerne section of the Grand Union Canal.
Boat store and blacksmith up near the tunnel entrance. Still working, just wasn’t open when I was there. Photos from a walk along the Stoke Bruerne section of the Grand Union Canal.
Still more to come…
I know at the end of part 1 I said I’d finish the story in part 2, but it ended up being so long with all the photos that I’ve had to break it up into 3 parts.
If you haven’t read part 1 yet, please do. Part 3 will be available shortly!
Links to stuff mentioned here:
The Prince’s Countryside Fund
Local Flickr albums:
Local places visited:
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Oliver Andrews Photography 
Some brilliant photos here – and two places I’ve actually visited (Lyveden New Bield & Twywell Hills and Dales). This is often what happens on my main blog – I end up posting so many photos from walks/visits that I have to write two or three posts!
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