On the morning of Wednesday 20 August, a dry, windless day, Jan and Jerry Welsh led a walk from the former King Charles Head pub at Collins End near Goring Heath. The group headed west along a footpath through grassy fields where Blinks, fairly rare in Oxfordshire, had been found previously after a wet spring. After passing heavily laden Walnut trees the track leading south-east by Pathhill Farm was taken. Chicken of the Woods was seen on a tree stump. The presence of Common Calamint was noted before the wood became more dense. In a more open area Nettle-leaved Bellflower and Spurge Laurel were recorded. The route headed downhill and then followed the valley bottom. There was some excitement when a climbing Bird’s-foot Trefoil was seen, but closer examination showed it to be the common form. Giant Bellflower, at its only Oxfordshire site, had been recorded here previously when the site was less scrubbed over. This track appeared to be the course of the route to the Thames for transport of timber and wood to Mapledurham from Bottom Wood and then on to London. A wide variety of trees including Oak, Lime, Cherry, Whitebeam, Maple, Birch, Alder and Wild Service were noted in Bottom Shaw. Shortly afterwards on turning north to Whittles Farm, an arable field with maize stubble had unusually both Sharp-leaved and Round-leaved Fluellen, and Welted Thistle, Fool’s Parsley and Burnet Saxifrage. The steeper area above remained species-rich chalk grassland with Knapweed, Marjoram, Salad Burnet, Perforate St John’s-wort, Dwarf Thistle, Rough Hawkbit, Clustered Bellflower, Centaury, Thyme, Yellow-wort, Small Scabious, Greater Knapweed and Quaking Grass, and an old orchid flowering spike, probably Common Spotted. Close to Whittles Farm the route crossed the road into Nuney Wood, the hamlet of Nuney then Gutteridge’s Wood where Marsh Cudweed, plentiful Water Pepper, Butcher’s-broom and a fine bolete with a yellow cap and dark brown pores were recorded. Most of the group enjoyed lunch at the Packhorse at Mapledurham afterwards.
