On Wednesday 16th April, Rob Stallard led a circular walk which started from the car park next to the cricket pitch and village hall in Woodcote. The route led northwards from the village, following lanes and footpaths and crossing the busy A4074 Caversham – Oxford road, heading towards the Woodland Trust’s North Grove Wood. An old Ash tree beside the path had multiple trunks which had fused together a number of times. There was a big patch of Goldilocks Buttercups in the verge near the entrance to the wood. Leaving the main track, a footpath led westwards along the southern side of the wood. Flowering Woodruff was found at the top of a chalk pit. Half way along, the woodland floor became carpeted by a sea of Bluebells and their scent carried on the still air. At the far end of the wood were Yellow Archangel plants, some with plain green leaves, some with variegated leaves. Walking back to the main track, a number of new Beech seedlings were spotted, coming up through the leaf litter. The track emerged on the north side of wood, with distant views north-westwards across the Oxfordshire lowlands. Oil-seed Rape fields formed blocks of yellow and Skylarks were singing high above. On the far side of the valley, two Kestrels mobbed a Buzzard. The first butterfly of day, a Small Tortoiseshell, was spotted in one of the field margins.
After turning eastwards along the lane at the bottom of the valley for a short distance, the route followed another footpath back up through Hammond’s Wood. Hairy Wood-rush, with small white flowers, was noted on the banks beside the path and Bush Vetch, with dull purple flowers, was found on the verge in front of the houses at the end of the track. The route continued along another track, Corker’s Lane, with Wood Anemones and Wood-sorrel in profusion at the side of path. A single clump of Moschatel was seen and a singing Blackcap was heard. The walk continued across the fields to Exlade Street, then on through the grounds of the Oratory School before heading back across the cricket pitch to the car park. Most of party then headed to the Red Lion for lunch.
Pictures by Rob Stallard and Laurie Haseler