Wednesday 3 June 2020

Horsefield, Deadwood and Cemetery

A Long Walk Around the Horsefield and Deadwood and Back via the Cemetery

This turned out to be a much longer walk than normal: 6.5 miles, possibly because I had to visit the doctor's surgery for a blood test first. From the surgery and walked through Scartho village and on through the churchyard, pausing to photograph the church which looked wonderful in the morning light. Continuing, I met Heather who was waiting on the path over to the Horsefield. We carried on to the Horsefield and then wandered round the perimeter next to the cemetery. I was frustrated to have a linnet posing beautifully only to have left my long lens at home. I was delighted, however, to find that there were more butterflies on the wing, especially plenty of fresh small tortoiseshells, so perhaps there has been a recent emergence from pupae. I also found small heaths, a single large skipper, one common blue and several speckled woods, particularity in the woodland burial ground. We saw cuckoo spit for the first time this year and elderflower is comming into blossom now; I must order some citric acid so that I can make some elderflower cordial. The dog roses are looking spectacular now, one of my favourite early summer flowers. We found white campion, birds-foot trefoil and yellow rattle and in the wood there was the delicious scent of honeysuckle.

We walked on through the Deadwood, past the YMCA and into the cemetery where I did a lap of the woodland burial ground before making my way home. I did have a look for the sword leaved helleborines and found plant; a very poor specimen, but at least there is evidence that they are still there.