Celebration of Walking 3

The Celebration of Walking really got into its stride today….I’m feeling really confident about my ankle – I can walk quite fast (I even ran for the bus the other day…) and do quite a few miles, without worrying about hurting it. I still feel tired when I get home, more tired than I used to before the accident, it seems, but I must remember to take into account the months and months I spent doing not a lot, and how much I’ve improved.

But, as well as me making  progress, so is the River Ver! It’s grown in girth and volume until now, south of Redbourn, it’s worthy of being called a river.  Here’s the place I stopped last week (in the sunshine) and where this week’s section began (no sun):

For a while the footpath was a little way away from the river but at Redbournbury Mill they coincided:

At the mill I couldn’t believe my luck – it was Friday so the bakery was open! They mill their own flour and bake their own bread….and cakes….could not resist an Eccles cake….deelish….

The next stretch is through beautiful water meadows and the river is an absolute delight. It was around this area that I saw several Lapwing close to the water’s edge.

I stopped for a coffee and a pleasant birdy chat with John Pritchard the chair of the Ver Valley Society, then onward along a stretch of the main road, with tantalising glimpses of the river in the grounds of the Pre Hotel. Upon reaching St Albans the river started to get the recognition it deserves:

I sat in Verulam Park and ate my lunch –  sandwiches of back-of-the-cupboard tuna and sweetcorn with mayo….

The river runs alongside the lake here:

I went a short way further then, after seeing 2 of my favourite things (allotments and river) in close proximity ….

…I decided to call it a day. Just as I was leaving I saw this notice…

Hmmm – something to investigate!

This was a short section to walk – only 7.6 miles, including a bit of shopping in St Albans. I caught the 34 bus back from St Peter’s Street with my backpack heavy with library books, and dry food (no plastic!) from the Refill Pantry. Feeling very pleased that I was having a relaxing journey home with no worries about traffic or parking.

Here’s the route:

As always, more photos on my Strava page https://www.strava.com/activities/3119216932

I remembered to take my binoculars this time, and managed to see 34 species – not bad for not particularly brilliant bird-watching conditions. I’ll rattle them off incase anyone’s interested:

Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Pheasant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Red Kite, Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Long-Tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Greenfinch plus Shoveler and Pochard on Verulam Lake.

I used the Birdtrack App for the first time – I imagine all my sightings go direct to the Birdtrack database at the BTO so it’s of some scientific benefit as well as for my own interest.

What about Storm Dennis I hear you ask! Isn’t the river overflowing its banks? Well, further downstream, south of St Albans, there is real evidence, so I understand, of surplus water. However, last Sunday in my neck of the woods ie upstream of Markyate, although it veritably tipped down with rain in places – the water was across the road coming down from Kensworth – the poor landlord from the Packhorse pub was frantically digging out ditches and putting down sandbags (see lower photo) to stop his pub flooding…

….and Buckwood Road, the valley coming down to Markyate from Whipsnade was completely awash…

(My son gave me a brilliant video but I can’t include it as I’ve only got the free version of WordPress) ….the water never got as far as Markyate, where there was only a bit of very stationary runoff in evidence along the river course….

The groundwater level at the head of the valley is still well down, due to excess extraction, so a lot more rain (or less extraction of course!) is needed to offset this and create a decent flow.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the river Ver, look at the Ver Valley Society webpage https://www.riverver.co.uk/ – and join! We have workparties along the river and indoor meetings – the one I went to last night included a brilliant talk called ‘Have I got poos for you…’ – everything you ever wanted to know about mammal excreta – and loads more besides…..

Most importantly – here’s the updated map!

Not much more to do now – only one more day’s walk – but I will have to research buses for my return trip or I might get stuck in Smug Oak….sounds pretty unsavoury to me….

For more information about the Green Challenges:                          https://sue6665.wordpress.com/about

Celebration of Walking 2

Continuing with my celebration of walking, for which I’ve chosen to walk the course of the River Ver. Reason being that it runs very close to my house, although, as I’m very near to the source it has hardly ever got any water in it. Here’s a map showing in green where it goes from source to confluence with the Colne – 17 miles:

And here’s another map with the bit I did in January with cross lines on it:

So I went out today, Feb 13, EXACTLY ONE YEAR (and a day) since I broke my ankle. (I walked very carefully.) Most importantly, I LEFT THE CAR AT HOME, as that was the cause of the accident.

Here is today’s route:

(If you want to see more details and lots more photos, here’s the Strava page: https://www.strava.com/activities/3096315660)

I set off to the very Spring-like sounds of Great Tits, Chaffinches and Dunnocks calling. Annoyingly, I’d forgotten my binoculars so had to rely on eyes and ears.

The idea was to start where I left off last time, in Markyate, and walk down to where the Ver meets up with the Red at Redbourn. There had been rain in the night so I was hopeful of seeing a bit of water in the river – and yes, there was the odd puddle – this in Markyate:

This near River Hill:

But also there were long dry stretches as well:

It wasn’t until I reached Redbourn that things got wetter.

After fording the not particularly deep ford on Water End Lane….

…it got considerably more interesting. After passing through a very wet wood just north of Redbourn High Street….

…the River Ver appeared from under the road looking pretty stream-like, with a bit of a trickle to it.

At the flow- monitoring place there was definitely a flow to monitor:

And, behind the Chequers I could feel my heart begin to leap – it’s starting to look like a proper river:

I delved around in a rather wet wood to discover the actual place where the River Red joins the Ver – in this photo you can see the Red motoring along from the left, to meet the comparatively sleepy Ver:

I had reached my objective for the day so sat in the early afternoon sun in what looked rather like a graveyard for agricultural implements to eat my ham, cucumber and coronation coleslaw sandwiches….

My bird highlight of the day happened here – I saw a Treecreeper scampering up the trunk of an elder (that elder right in the middle of the photo) – magic!

Other birds I saw, with naked eyes and ears were: Buzzard, Moorhen, Mallard, Skylark, Red Kite, Reed Bunting (I think), Kestrel, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird, Robin, Long-Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Song Thrush, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Goldcrest, Wood Pigeon, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Redwing, Little Egret, Pheasant. Added to the ones already mentioned makes a species list of 29.

I walked onward to join the A5 – and over the road was an absolute treat of a view:

So that’s the delicious starting place for the next part of my celebration of walking.

There is a very handy bus-stop just down the road a bit, so, after waiting about 2 minutes (not planned, honestly – they go every hour) I went back home on the 34 bus (St. Albans – Dunstable). Luxury!  (Free, as well…)

I’d walked nearly 9 miles – much easier this time as it was so flat and all downhill – and put loads more little green lines on my map:

For more information about the Green Challenges:                          https://sue6665.wordpress.com/about