Another walk to The Green Dragon and back....

Today I went on my weekly walk to The Green Dragon through the fields and back down the main road. It was really hot and I felt like I had been in a sauna when I got to the pub....soggy shirt an all! Fortunately they have some seating outside so I took my pot of tea in the cool shade and read the Daily Telegraph for an hour to dry off! Very civilised.

Here are some of the things I saw today....


Mugwort






































Wild Marjoram

















Woolly Thistle

















Six-spotted Burnett Moth


























I chased one of these spotty guys around for about five minutes before I realised that there were hundreds of the little fellas around me!


Gatekeeper (female)











And lastly......this is our cat, Sable -she is always on the lookout for little mice, voles, shrews to bring in as presents!

Going about their business....

I was waiting for dinner to arrive (mushroom strogonof) so thought I would just pay a visit to the other side of the road to see what I could see.

Unfortunately, it was a bit windy and the little beasties did not always co-operate but I hope you enjoy these shots anyway. Some bees...

Some hover flies...

Some little beasties I cannot name...

Finally, a couple of snails tucked up for the night.

Plants in the shots are - Field Scabious, Hog Weed and Stinging Nettle. All very common roadside flowers.

To Pen Hill and back...

Yesterday I walked to the top of Pen Hill, which you may recall is one of the highest points in the Cotswold Hills at 267m above sea level. The views from the top on a sunny day are wonderful. The use of wide angle has flattened thing s a bit but I think the following shots speak for themselves. They represent a sort of panorama of the view facing south and from west to east.

On the way up I found a few old friends....

Lady's Bedstraw

Self-heal

Common Restharrow



















Red Clover

Dwarf Thistle and Tormentil.

Sitting on the top of Pen Hill is just marvellous. No traffic noise, a lovely gentle (ish) breeze and big skies to contemplate as you try to forget the job interview you have coming up later in the week! Fingers crossed...

To the Green Dragon and back....

Well, this is my first proper posting. Previous version of text about Colesbourne have been moved to the right hand column as subsequent attempts to post went pear-shaped!

Today I did my usual walk to the Green Dragon pub at Cockleford. It's about 4 miles there and back....just a nice stretch to work up a sweat as part of my ongoing [unsuccessful] attempt to lose some weight! The Green Dragon is a 17 Century inn nestled next to the River Churn and is hidden away from the main road.


The furniture in the pub was all made by Robert Thompson, "The Mouse Man of Kilburn". He carves his trademark mice into the furniture he produces, including the gate in the car park!

The walk goes through fields along a track that is officially a road, through to Cockleford and the Green Dragon and back along the main road (A435) to Colesbourne. Walking down the main road is fun even if a bit dodgy at times. Eyes in the back of your head would be useful! Even though I was walking quite hard I still managed to see loads of wild flowers...too many to mention here...as well a number of butterflies and other critters. Here are a few pictures...

Meadow Crane's-bill

Pineapple Weed

Pyramidal Orchid

Common Centaury

Pineapple Weed and Common Centaury both have medicinal uses. Pineapple Weed has been used as an infusion to treat intestinal worms and also as a sedative. Common Centaury can be used as an infusion to treat arthritis and anaemia or in homeopathy it is given for liver and gall bladder ailments. It was worth the trip simply to see the Common Centaury, which I have not seen here for some time.

The sun today also brought out some lovely butterflies, although it was a bit windy for easy photography. Anyway, here are a few....




















Marbled White and Meadow Brown (female)

Ringlet

Meadow Brown (female)

I also saw these critters but have no idea what they are....pretty though!

Many of the flowers and butterflies shown above I saw on a piece of grassland forming a wide verge on the main road. It just goes to show that you do not necessarily have to go into the back of beyond to see wonderful wildlife. Walking down a main road does have its benefits!