Rye House Marsh RSPB (and HMWT)

Today I took a train to Hertford station and rode along the River Lea towpath to Rye Meads RSPB reserve.

I wasn't really in the mood for walking around a reserve and I only came across two species of bird in the reserve that I had not already seen during my journey. I should have just gone as far as Amwell gravel pits.

Anyway it was a pleasant way to spend a few hours, and I took some photos:

Lea at Hertford.

Olympic legacy?

Amwell gravel pit. I am old enough to have visited this place when this view would have contained a giant excavator.
Today the view included redshank and a little egret.

Rye Meads RSPB reserve x 3.

Rye Meads HMWT reserve.

Fresh otter dropping in HMWT reserve. It smelt like Shippham's anchovy paste.
I have my suspicions about the taste too.

Trying to be arty with Rye House gatehouse remains, but failing miserably.

Moat.

Lunch companions.

Rye House.

Hardmead Lock. The towpath here is paved with dinky little bags of dog poo.

Mid Herts village wander.

Today I went for a moderate length ride southwards today visiting local villages and using a couple of roads and bridleways I've not used before.

 I left Stevenage going eastwards to Walkern then climbed up to Benington. I ate my banana in a very warm and pleasant churchyard then rode southwards to Whempstead (does this village name have the same derivation as Wheathampstead?) then to Little Munden (or is it Dane End? I find it very confusing) and Sacombe. 

At Sacombe I rescued a Roman snail that did not stand a snail's chance on tarmac of crossing the road safely.

I rode along a bridleway through the grounds of Sacombe House, crossed the nasty A602 and down to Stonyhills. The area in which I live is called Stony Hall and the soil in both places is very similar consisting of nearly overlapping pieces of flint. It is almost impossible to use tent pegs in my garden.

This stretch was delightful. It was a long gentle descent where I was surrounded by cow parsley and accompanied by swooping swallows.

I stopped to eat at Stapleford then rode on to Bramfield where I, err, stopped to eat.

I rode through Bramfield Woods to get to Datchworth. For a while I found myself following a big, healthy and very red fox who was going my way.

Finally I enjoyed the long swoopy (Adj) hill that whizzed me down to Bragbury End.

Walkern Hall.

Yew in Benington churchyard.

Five views of Benington (the pretty end)

Sacombe.

Tonwell water tower.

Elm near Stonyhills.

Stapleford church.

Bramfield church. Has a stone west door.

Rape. I love the colour. Unfortunately my camera doesn't,

Horse mounting block at Datchworth. I have often meant to take a photograph, but I can not usually be bothered to stop so near to the end of my journey.

WED 24.APR.13.

Two male red-crested pochard on the wildfowl lake at Fairlands. And I didn't have my camera or my phone with me!

Also I was fascinated to read that In the Netherlands nearly 3/4 of those who die while cycling are over 60 tears old, including 1/4 who are over 80.

Trying to download the Goodwin report 'Get Britain Cycling' onto my phone so I can read it later during my break at work.

Still Alive.

As title.

Pigeonswick Loop THU 14.MAR.13

A bit windy today so I went for a walk. Its a couple of kilometres from where I live to the point where the walk gets interesting. What I usually do is cycle to Caxton Way and lock Ellen to a lamp-post and then begin my walk. 
It was a little muddy in places but nothing like as bad as I had feared. Some sheltered areas where still frozen. Also Kitchen lane has been treated in some way. It looks as though excess mud has been scraped off and the surface rolled.
Not many birds around.I should have gone out earlier in the day but was trying to earn Brownie points by spring cleaning in the house.

Stevenage viewed across Norton Green landfill site. A good spot for spring passage migrants.

 The highlight was two buzzards and a red kite sharing a thermal.

Wallington 2.MAR.13

Just went for a little bimble around local lanes. I rode about 40km. 
I still can't summon any real enthusiasm for cycling at the moment. Perhaps when spring arrives...

Rushden. Where I ate my lunch.

Two views looking north-east ish from Wallington. Open, dull Hertfordshire countryside.

Pond on right overflowing into road, then downhill into the village.

  

George Orwell's house.

Views of Wallington.

Old road from Wallington to Baldock. Now closed to motor traffic.

Picnic spot at Willian. Here I finished my lunch.

Buntingford