Sheelagh Hill led a circular walk, starting from the Maltsters Arms at Rotherfield Greys, on the mild and damp morning of Wednesday 15th October. The walk started out across a grassy field, then steeply down through Parson’s Wood, a beech wood where the Sonning Common Green Gym have been clearing Holly. The path continued along a field boundary. Looking across the valley, the trees were still mostly green, with the first yellow tones of autumn beginning to appear. The route led across Rocky Lane and into the woods of Greys Court, where the Green Gym had been clearing Laurel. Several noisy flocks of small birds were encountered during the walk, including Great and Blue Tits and Nuthatches and at one point a chorus of alarm calls broke out as a Sparrowhawk flew by. Later a Raven was heard and several Wrens were seen. After an exceptionally dry September, recent rain had prompted the appearance of various fungi, including some cauliflower-like white fungi on stumps and the spikes of a number of Magpie Inkcaps. At one point, the tell-tale smell of Stinkhorns was detected, although none were seen. The walk continued through Famous Copse and a section of Lambridge Wood, before crossing the grounds of Greys Court. Sheelagh pointed out another section of wood where the Green Gym clear Bramble and Bracken to give a splendid display of Bluebells in spring. Beneath the Sweet Chestnut trees were a bountiful crop of glossy nuts, peeping out of their green prickly cases. On the return walk back up through Parson’s Wood, several clumps of one of the Clavulina family of fungi were found by old beech stumps. The group then returned to the Maltsters Arms for lunch.
Pictures by Laurie Haseler