While I sit here listening to the wind and rain beat my window, it makes me so much more grateful for getting out for a walk with Roz last night. Regular followers will know Roz is a great friend and fellow nature lover who is also quite nifty with a camera! So she is very pleased we can get out again after she has finished work in the lighter evenings. Our destination was the Chapel at Boltons bench to see the cherry blossom and what a show it was against the grey and dreary backdrop.
There is something very magical and peaceful within the grounds of this little Chapel despite neighbouring one of the busiest places of the forest. There is nothing sad about this place, just joy and colour in the arms of nature.
Our wander to the Chapel through Pondhead was just as rewarding. As Roz and I chat and put the world to rights we are always easily distracted by plants, trees, fungi and creatures and this walk was no different. The blackthorn flowers were so beautifully delicate and trees are ready to burst into leaf.
Fungi fruits in all different shapes and sizes amongst the quiet woodland as we negotiated puddles and ditches to get a better look.
Mossy stump lined our path and hazel catkins gentle sway from the end of branches like silent windchimes while blackbirds, chiffchaffs and great tits chanted an encouraging melody along our way.
As we headed onto the open heath, beautiful ponies grazed the land and rabbits fed, bound and played close to the gorse. We spotted crossbills high in the canopy as we admired still green mistletoe weighing heavy in the crab apple trees.
After having a wander round the Chapel grounds we headed back as the skies grew heavy and dark, but we risked a detour to see any signs of badgers. Only tracks witnessed in this blustery evening but we did spot a small herd of fallows. With rumbling tums and need of a hot chocolate we made our way back to crown stirrup pub but not before we enjoyed the acrobatic flight from our first bat sighting of the year.