18th February 2010
Windy Miller
Camberwick
Green
Out to Garston Wood in Wiltshire, reached via the back roads through rain varying from drizzle to downpour with slaphead-hurting hail getting through the slots in my cycling helmet. Ouch! I met a lovely OAP couple, Lois and Sheila, whose front and back gardens were totally taken over by a fabulous selection of windmills.
All of them were made
by recycling practically anything and I had to photograph them and have a
natter. Bicycle wheels, Snoopy toys, plastic bottles, United football action
figures, cats, balls, all made a brilliantly creative scene in both front and
back gardens. I wondered what the neighbours thought. If you want to see them
then go to Bishopstone on the minor road off the Salisbury to Blandford Forum
main road and they will be on your right.
Another excuse for a rest a
little later was for another natter with a local. This time with Wes, a trout
farm owner who told of Blackbirds taking his young fish.
Two young ladies at a bus stop warned of a coming hill. "You won't cycle up that," one said. She was not kidding yet the ride down the other side was worth the climb, for the road went down to yet another RSPB reserve.
Garston Woods RSPB Reserve lacked the soon to
be there bluebells but there were closed up flowers of Lesser Celandine; the
first I had seen this year. Also there were my first daffodils in flower away
from a garden.
It was sad to see a dead sheep in the field
opposite. It looked as though it had died giving birth to a lamb. I took photos
of the RSPB noticeboards and went for a walk along a section of conifers next
to deciduous, mainly Oak trees. I thought that I could not wait for the Spring
to bring the woods into their own for at that moment, with the weather so wet
and cold, things were quiet. Mind you I do love winter trees, when the shapes
and silhouettes can be seen before being lost in the green cloak. When each species
of tree can be discerned by their individual characteristics and here there was
a beautiful selection.
In the past I have had trees at this time of year as beacons of love. When walking to Stourbridge town centre as a child less than ten years old, I would always look out for the large Silver Birch tree at the top of a hill above where there used to be the town library.
When driving to Stourbridge from Bromsgrove,
along a fast dual-carriageway, After the Fairfield roundabout I would always
glance to my right to see what I considered a perfectly shaped Sycamore tree
alone at the far side of a field.
Down in the southern corner of this latest RSPB reserve, a worker was coppicing hazel but as it was downhill and the rain was particularly heavy, I cycled past on the way to Wimbourne.
Next stop was at a place where I had hitched-hiked to back in 1977 in order to see breeding Montagu's Harriers. High on a hill, along one of the best Roman roads I know, I remembered being there on an extremely hot sunny Summer's day to see the pair of Monties with, if I remember right, two flying youngsters. I met the gamekeeper whilst there who had helped protect the birds. I wonder if Montagu's still breed in the area?
To Wimbourne and into the Minster I cycled next. Inside there were impressive tombs and 'Moses'. The chained library was closed, unfortunately until April.
34.42 miles
1006 feet elevation up and 1170 feet down
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