Last Sunday I was giving myself a day off after my 20km run the day before, but not this weekend! With the weather still good if rather chillier, I figured a Trent-side run was in order, and ran to Hawton and across to Willow Holt in Farndon before coming home along the river.
Farndon is a schizophrenic sort of village, with the southern end being very quaint and chocolate boxy, dominated by the manor house and church of St Peter, while some horrendous 60s estates are bolted on in the centre and the north of the settlement. The nature reserve at Willow Holt starts at the south end of the village and the path crosses water meadows that in high summer will be full of chimney sweeper moths and ringlet butterflies, before entering the Willow wood proper which is a favourite spot for common darter dragonflies in warmer months.
The path then leads along the river back to the Ferry area, where the bars and restaurants would tempt a far weaker willed runner than myself to stop for refreshments. Ahem. I often wish that an old style ferry crossed the river here, a really creaky hand drawn one with a stooped old boatman, Charon made flesh.
It would certainly add scope to my running routes.
The holt has been heavily pollarded, but the wild garlic is in flower which is really what I came to see. Alas I was a bit early, in a week or two parts of the wood will be carpeted in their spiky white flowers.
I wonder if anything can be done with them from a culinary point of view?
Si
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| Pre run inspection of red wasp stings |
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| Looking south from the A46 flyover |
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| Farndon village |
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| Cottage in Farndon |
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| Forget me nots have taken over from celandine at St Peter's church |
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| Entrace to Wilow Holt proper |
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| Wild garlic |
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| Pollarding |
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| Out on the river |
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| Plenty of kayakers about today |
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| I love these "natural bridges" |
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| Yes, I love the windmill too |
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| Plenty of this stuff about as the river path comes back into Newark |
The Wild garlic is just starting to come out at the park, church yard looks wonderful full of wild flowers, beautiful set of bright sunny photos and the sting looks sore...
ReplyDeleteAmanda xx
Hope the sting is better soon. Yes, you can cook with wild garlic using the leaves. Although best to be careful where you collect them from and wash well! Just google wild garlic recipes for ideas :) To me, it has a delicate flavour - like chives.
ReplyDeleteLooks an interesting route. The Trent looks more inviting these days than it did in the nineteen sixties when I lived In Burton-on-T! I'm enjoying your flower photos.
ReplyDeleteThe river is in pretty good nick, running swift and clean, home for a good population of fish, herons, kingfisher, reed warbler etc. Walking, or in my case, running alongside it is a fine day out! That sting has turned out worse than a common wasp sting!
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