The first weekend of May, a public holiday and an ideal time to introduce local people and families to the lovely trees and abundance of wild flowers in Hodgemoor Woods. Thanks to the Chalfont St Giles newsletter, places on the first guided walks of the year, quickly filled.
The mornings weather was more a case of liquid sunshine, but this dampen the spirits of the families that joined the mornings walk. With the day warming and sun shining on us, all be it around some dark clouds, the afternoons walks was truly lovely.
By the end of each walk, the groups were becoming quite the natures-detective. They used there senses to see, touch and smell each plant, sometime crushing leaves to release the fragrant smell of ransoms, jack-by-the-hedge and ground ivy.
[divider_flat]There was plenty of tree-hugging going on! We were getting up close, feeling the textures of the bark, observing the shapes and colours, really getting to know the trees. There were lovely examples of silver birch, from young beautifully smooth surfaces, to rugged, rock-like older specimens. beautiful big oaks, there branches reaching out and fabulous ash and scots pine reaching up though the canopy.
One of the prettiest flowers was undoubtedly the lady’s smock. The children were quick to start identifying it; pale pinkness, four petals, tall stems and groups of flowers.
All the way around, we were being a detective, looking for the clues that identified plants. One confused wood sorrel for lady’s smock, later in the walk – it was lovely to hear one of the children help point out the differences, the number of petals being five on wood sorrel and it being on short stems. The children did very well!
BIG thank you so much for the guided walk this morning, we all really loved it so much and are looking forward to future events
Thank you to the local folks, couples and families that joined the walks – it was lovely to meet you all and to see you get to know the plants in Hodgemoor.
There will be more guided woodland walks coming along later in the year – by all means subscribe to the newsletter to keep up to date with future events, activities and courses.