What do you do on a Saturday morning, when you wake up to a powerful blue sky and what looks like the cold day that has been forecasted? Well, it’s a no brainer really, after a dank, and foggy week – forget the housework, the shopping and the washing, and go for a walk with friends.
The wind was particularly cutting this morning, which came as a shock after a few unseasonably mild days. It was the sort of day that if it was the height of summer, you knew you were in for a scorcher. Clear blue skies in the winter are indicative of a what probably is going to be a very cold day so we knew that scarves, gloves and warm coats were the order of the day.
We headed off mid-morning towards Patcham, West Sussex and the woodland behind which is part of the Angmering Park Estate. I was ready to take lots of autumnal colours for a new blog post.
The intention was to look at, and take photos of, the autumn leaves. It was with a little disappointment and surprise as we looked across the fields to see plenty of bare trees and very little of the expected russets and golds.
When we reached the woods, we could see that the ground was carpeted with autumn leaves but there were still lots of green leaves on the trees. We stood for a while watching the yellow and brown leaves raining down on us. I tried to capture them on the camera but no success, sadly.
It was at this stage, I decided that my post was fast going to turn into a nature walk. In amongst the leaves there was an abundance of horse chestnuts. Also bathing itself in the sun we found a Red Admiral butterfly – not what you expect to come across during a woodland walk.
There were some fabulous fungi. I am not at all knowledgeable about fungi so have no idea what they were all called, and these are just a few of those we saw on the woodland floor and growing out of trees.
As usual, in most woodlands, there are some interesting shaped tree stumps and just to prove you are never too old to do silly things and have fun, my two friends decided that the hole in the tree stump would make a good frame for a face and a leg! It was beginning to cloud over at this stage and the sky looked decidely wintery.
It always pays, when walking to through a wood to remember which way is back to the car park…. eeerh which way now?
By this time our boots were caked in mud and leaves, it was certainly wet and boggy underfoot. We were lucky not to slip over – although I was ready with my camera, just in case.
As we left the wood back to the car and headed downhill across the farmer’s field, there were a lot of pretty wildflowers along the edge.
To end a refreshing and interesting Saturday morning walk, on a brisk winter day, what more do you want than a great pub lunch, and no surprises where we headed off to.
What about the housework, shopping and washing? Well there are other days that can be done aren’t there?!
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