Rob Stallard led a walk which started from the Fox Inn at Hermitage on the sunny but cool morning of Wednesday 19th April. A footpath across the road from the pub led up onto Oare Common, where there were big old birch and holly trees, and oaks with spreading form that indicated that they had started life in a more open, less wooded, landscape. Wavy Bittercress was in flower in a damp patch, there were flowers on the Solomon’s-seal plants and the first butterfly of the day, a Holly Blue, was spotted. A tall mystery plant beside the pond in the village of Oare defeated the botanists. Bright orange eggs of the Orange-tip butterfly were spotted on some of the Cuckooflower plants and spikes of horsetails were emerging form the damp ground around the pond. The walk continued over the motorway and then along a track through farmland, where several Small Tortoiseshell and Orange-tip butterflies were seen.
The woodland around Oareborough Hill was carpeted with Bluebells. Other flowers seen here included Moschatel, Greater Stitchwort, Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Wood Speedwell and Three-nerved Sandwort. The ancient trackway of Old Street runs between high banks through the Oareborough Hill woods and continues south-eastwards. There were many big old multi-stemmed trees on the banks, including an enormous Wych Elm with apple-green seed clusters. Blackcaps and Garden Warblers were heard, and Brimstone, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral were added to the butterfly tally. The route led back across the motorway, through Oare and back towards Oare Common. On a bank in front of a house were Primroses, Goldilocks Buttercup, Slender Speedwell and a rosette of Common Spotted-orchid leaves. A footpath across the Common led to the densest Bluebells of the morning, together with Wood Anemones, Pignut leaves and several apple trees which were covered in blossom. The path crossed a field and came out at the bottom of Doctors Lane, where Tansy, Star-of-Bethlehem and Leopard’s-bane were growing on the bank. After walking through a section of Hermitage, the next footpath followed the old railway line. Wood Spurge and Brimstone, Peacock and Holly Blue butterflies were seen here. The walk was followed by lunch outside in the sunshine at the Fox Inn.
Pictures by Rob Stallard and Laurie Haseler