Reading & District Natural History Society

We run an series of outdoor events throughout the year, though summer is the main season. These events are usually around the Reading area but also include an annual coach outing and regular trips to the coast for bird watching.

Field meetings take place on mid-week evenings as well as Saturdays and Sundays. The Wednesday morning walks, which are four to four and a half miles in length, are of general interest. There is the option of a pub drink/snack afterwards. All meetings start at the Grid Reference at the time stated. Please bring your own refreshments for all-day outings. If requiring a lift, please telephone the contact number given against the excursion. No responsibility for any mishaps occurring during the walks is accepted by the Society or by the walk leaders. All persons attending excursions do so at their own risk. No dogs are allowed on Nature Reserves, and in other places must be kept on short leads.

* BBOWT Reserve non-members will be expected to make a contribution VISITORS WELCOME

2010 Summer Programme

10th April (Saturday) 14.30 at SU772741
ALDER MOORS AT WOODLEY
Leader: (Tel. 0118 986 2149)
Meet at the car park off Denmark Ave. Enjoy the spring flowers in this ancient woodland which is now a local nature reserve.

21st April (Wednesday) 10.15 at SU 624693
KENNET VALLEY AT SULHAMSTEAD
Leader: (Tel. 0118 947 1170)
Meet at the car park to the south of Sulhamstead Lock for a spring walk along the canal and river meadows. About 4 miles.

25th April (Sunday) 14.30 at SU 853842
QUARRY WOOD AND WINTER HILL
Leader: (Tel. 0118 962 0622)
Meet in the Forestry Commission car park on the left going up the hill towards Maidenhead from the Bisham roundabout on the Marlow by-pass. Ancient woodland with spring flowers and some grassland too.

9th May (Sunday) 14.30 at SU 333687
* HUNGERFORD MARSH
Leader: (Tel. 01635 863 372)
Meet at the parish church in Hungerford. To reach it from Hungerford High Street, turn west into Church Street and then take the second turning right into Parsonage Lane. Park near the church. We should see wet meadow plants including Southern Marsh Orchid, Water Avens and Fen Bedstraw. Most of the local warblers should be present.

11th May (Tuesday) 19.00 at SU 573664
WOOLHAMPTON
Leader: (Tel. 0118 947 1170)
Park at the Rowbarge Inn. An evening walk for spring flowers and reed-bed birds, including Cetti’s Warbler and Nightingale.

19th May (Wednesday) 10.15 at SU 723832
HERNES VALLEY AND ROTHERFIELD GREYS
Leader: (Tel. 0118 926 7441)
A general interest walk along the valley bottom, returning through woodland and past Rotherfield Greys church. Mostly flat with easy stiles. 4.75 miles ( Shorter option available. ) Off-road parking at the south-eastern end of Rocky Lane.

29th May (Saturday) 14.30 at SU 558623
ASHFORD HILL
Leader: (Tel. 0118 957 3419)
Park in the old road on the east of the B3051 just to the north of the Ship Inn. We will explore the meadows between Ashford Hill and Oxford Bridge, then move on to the National Nature Reserve for marsh orchids, Dyer’s Greenweed and perhaps Adders.

3rd June (Thursday) 10.30 at SU 770816
HENLEY
Leader: (Tel. 01491 578 633)
Park in the Mill Lane car park. See the Water Vole garden which has been created by the River and Rowing Museum. The wet meadow flowers in the conservation area of Mill Meadows should be at their best.

12th June (Saturday) 14.30 at SU 664789
GUTTERIDGE’S WOOD
Leader: (Tel. 0118 972 2137)
Meet at the former King Charles Head pub (now a private house) for a woodland walk, looking for ferns and orchids.

23rd June (Wednesday) 10.15 at SU 756753
AROUND SONNING AND THE RIVER THAMES
Leader: (Tel. 0118 984 4859)
Take the B4446, Sonning Lane, off the A4. At the end of the lane, before entering the village, park on the left hand side. A short walk through the village to St. Patrick’s Stream and along the Thames to the Lock. 3.5 miles

26th June (Saturday)
CHILTERN GATEWAY AND COLLEGE LAKE
Coordinator: (Tel. 0118 941 4750)
See enclosed letter with details and booking form

6th July (Tuesday) 19.00 at SU 463608
SANDHAM MEMORIAL CHAPEL, BURGHCLERE
Leader: (Tel. 01635 866 122)
Leave the A34 4 miles south of Newbury and follow the brown National Trust signs for ½ mile. This is a new venue for the Society. We will enjoy the wild flowers in the orchard, before going inside for a private viewing of the Stanley Spencer paintings on the walls of the Chapel.

10th July (Saturday) 11.00 at SU 380616
WEST WOODHAY AND COOMBE GIBBET
Leader: (Tel. 0118 947 1170)
Joint meeting with BBOWT. Park in the car park to the east of Walbury Hill, where the Wayfarer’s Walk meets the road, for chalk flora, butterflies and ravens. Bring a packed lunch. Distance - about 4 miles.

14th July (Wednesday) 10.15 at SU 525856
BLEWBURTON HILL
Leader: (Tel. 0118 957 3419)
Coming from Reading, go through Blewbury on the A417, then turn left beyond the village for the car park in Boham’s Road. This will be a pleasant walk along the waterside lanes in Blewbury, then up to the Iron Age fort at Blewburton Hill. Distance - 4 miles with one stile (twice).

24th July (Saturday) 14.30 at SU 519441
MICHELDEVER
Leader: (Tel. 0118 941 1688)
Take Micheldever Station road from Overton. Just north of A303, take track north of grain silos and park in wood storage area north of track. Please avoid grain store turning. Harold Makant from Natural England will lead a farm walk and tell us about agri-environment schemes on a holding of national importance for arable plants (by kind permission of Mr John Harley). Afterwards, we will have the option of visiting Micheldever spoil heaps SSSI for plants and butterflies.

31st July (Saturday) 19.00 at SU 678523
MAPLEDURWELL FEN AND GREYWELL
Leader: (Tel. 0118 970 0805)
Park in Greywell Road, by the entrance to Hants and IOW Wildlife Trust’s Mapledurwell Fen reserve, described as ‘the richest half-acre in Hampshire’. Then on to Greywell Moors reserve, then at dusk to the Basingstoke Canal at Greywell for bats. Be prepared to stay out late and bring a torch.

7th August (Saturday) 20.30 at SU 644777
8th August (Sunday) 09.00
MOTHING NIGHT AT CHALKHILLS, WHITCHURCH
Organiser: (Tel. 0118 975 1499)
We are delighted to be invited back to Chalkhills (formerly Bozedown Vineyard), the site of one of our most successful recent mothing nights. Bring torches and wear warm clothing. Be prepared to stay up late - but if you need an early night, you can come back on Sunday morning to view the contents of the traps.

15th August (Sunday) 14.30 at SU 583807
THE HOLIES, STREATLEY
Leader: (Tel. 01635 866 122)
Park in the National Trust car park across the road at Lardon Chase. A superb site for chalk flowers and invertebrates. Chalkhill Blue and second generation Adonis Blue butterflies should be on the wing. There will be some steep slopes on the walk.

18th August (Wednesday) 10.15 at SU 579940
DORCHESTER ON THAME AND ISIS
Leader: (Tel. 0118 984 4859)
Park in Bridge End - over the bridge and on the left opposite Dorchester Abbey. Exploring these two rivers and the lanes and meadows around this ancient village. 4 miles.

21st August (Saturday) 10.30 at SU 721879
*WARBURG RESERVE, BIX
Leaders: (Tel. 01235 511 861)
Park in the reserve car park at BBOWT’s Bix Bottom reserve. General walk looking at invertebrates, plants and whatever else we come across at this diverse site. Bring a packed lunch. Expected finish time - 15:00.

3rd September (Friday) 10.30 at SU 597761
UPPER BASILDON
Leader: (Tel. 01491 651 609)
Park at the Red Lion, Upper Basildon for a 5 mile walk in woods and quiet roads & villages - almost stile-free but a steep hill near end of walk. Expected finish time: 13.00 for lunch at pub.

15th September (Wednesday) 10.15 at SU 825840
HURLEY
Leader: (Tel. 0118 942 9108)
Meet at the free car park close to the Thames at Hurley for a four mile walk, firstly west along the Thames Path then south and uphill past Hurley chalk pit BBOWT reserve.

19th September (Sunday) 14.30 at SU 850630
WILDMOOR HEATH
Leader: (Tel. 0118 962 0622)
Park in the lane heading north off Rackstraw Road, Owlsmoor. The reserve is a mix of wet alder woods, heathland and bog, and in the past has had Dartford Warblers, Sand Lizards and a variety of unusual bog plants.

2009/2010 Winter Programme

2009

17^th October (Saturday)                       14.00 at SU767782
SHIPLAKE CHURCHYARD AND ENVIRONS
Meet at the main gate of the churchyard for an introductory exploration of the lichens in the area. Bring warm clothing and a hand lens if you have one. (Tel. 07920 138757)

5^th November (Thursday)
COACH OUTING WITH READING GARDENERS TO WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM, TETBURY, GLOS.
Tel. 0118 933 2508 for booking form.

15^th November (Sunday)                      14.00 at SU704857
NETTLEBED WOOD - FUNGUS FORAY
Meet at Highmoor Trench to enjoy our annual hunt for fungi in the woods. (Tel. 0118 947 1772)

12^th December (Saturday)                   10.15 at SU711746
RIVER THAMES BELOW CAVERSHAM
Meet at the Hill’s Meadow car park (parking 3 pounds but easy access from public transport) to look at winter wildlife by the river as we walk downstream towards Sonning. The walk will go to the View Island nature reserve, then to Kennet Mouth, over Horseshoe Bridge and into the larger nature reserve, back along the Thames Path. (Tel. 0118 957 3419)

2010

23^rd January (Saturday)                      10.00 at SZ856966
CHURCH NORTON, SUSSEX
Meet in the car park of the Pagham Harbour Visitor Centre at Selsey Road, Sidlesham for a day of ducks, grebes, geese and waders at Pagham Harbour. Bring a packed lunch. (Tel. 0118 947 1170, Mob. 07971 476144)

20^th February (Saturday)                     10.30 at SU491717
CURRIDGE AND HERMITAGE FOR GEOLOGY
Meet at Curridge WI Hall for a look at the local geology, including sands, chalk, sinkholes and landslips. (Tel. 01993 814 147)

13^th March (Saturday)                          14.00 at SU608892
WALLINGFORD FOR MOSSES AND LIVERWORTS
Meet at the Cattle Market Car Park on Wood Street, Wallingford. We will investigate a number of bryophyte habitats, including a churchyard, the riverside, trees and arable fields, with a good chance of a kingfisher. (Tel. 0118 987 4298)

10^th April (Saturday)                            14.30 at SU772741
ALDER MOORS AT WOODLEY
Meet at the car park off Denmark Ave. Enjoy the spring flowers in this ancient woodland which is now a local nature reserve. (Tel. 0118 986 2149)

25^th April (Sunday)                               14.30 at SU853842
QUARRY WOOD AND WINTER HILL
Meet in the Forestry Commission car park on the left going up the hill towards Maidenhead from the Bisham roundabout on the Marlow by-pass. Ancient woodland with spring flowers and some grassland too. (Tel. 0118 962 0622)

2009 Summer Programme