Yesterday in spite of the weather three of us met up for a walk around the Helipad and North’s Seat and in fact the rain held off the whole time, just! Starting at the roundel with the view not what it can be on a good day, Phil said that he could remember the wooden viewing platform that was once there which burnt down as did the Windmill in 1869. Walking round we came to the reservoir the site of the most recent fire. North’s Seat is so called because of the seat put on the site of the windmill by Marianne North best known for her botanical paintings of which there is a gallery at Kew Gardens. The seat was to commemorate her late father Frederick North MP.

Moving toward the Helipad  (not sure when it got that name or where one would land a helicopter there now) we checked out the hedge that we planted last November and were pleased to see almost 100% survival of the whips. This hedge is pretty much on the line of the of the two fields on the 1839 tithe map, the one that the footpath across it being Down Field and the other was called Cricketing Field, however there is no evidence of cricket ever having played there. On a post at the Helipad entrance Sam spotted this Ichneumon, Rhyssa peruasoria, a parasite whose larvae feed on the larvae of the Horntail, a sawfly. It has drilled into the post in the photo and is ovipositing.

Walking round we noted there is still evidence of the RAF domestic site of WWII  and the early Cold War. Here we saw Goldfinch and plenty of Bristly Oxtongue and Spear Thistle.

We also took in the two heather patches and pondered such mysteries as why plastic doorstops have been fitted to kissing gates and the history behind the British Anzani Iron Horse.

A number of Meadow Brown were in evidence along the walk and walking home I saw two raven fly off Brakey Bank field which was freshly topped, rare to see them that close and be able appreciate what a massive wingspan they have.

Outside today you could call it flaming June but the recent rain has made some very unseasonal conditions. Our group walk yesterday was cancelled as we would have got soaked just getting to the meeting point.

It cleared up and I decided to go out in the afternoon. Saw my first Meadow Brown of the year on the verge in Fyrs Way before I got to the Country Park. I had only planned to go as far as Warren Glen but arriving at the bottom of Lovers Seat steps carried on through Fairlight Glen as it looked like the weather would hold and I had not yet seen the new bridge in Ecclesbourne Glen. When I got as far as Ecclesbourne Meadow I felt a few spots of rain and I realised that I was going to get wet anyway but it was worth it to see a small flock of Goldfinch in Ecclesbourne Meadow.

The path down into the glen afforded a little shelter and at the bottom I found what must be the longest footbridge for miles. I counted 26 paces. The old collapsed culvert has been completely removed allowing the stream to flow unimpeded again.

Standing on the bridge there is a lovely smell of freshly sawn Douglas Fir. Leaving the glen by the track up past the reservoir I came across the ESCC team who had just finished the bridge having problems extricating themselves in the very wet and slippery conditions. I spoke to them briefly and they told me that they were going to leave the other two bridges they have still to do for a few weeks to let it dry up. These are harder to access than the one in the photo being down the path where repaired the revetments last year.

It would seem that because of the very wet winter that we had it has not taken much rain to make some footpaths quite muddy again.

Sitting writing this in a thunderstorm, I’m glad we had better weather yesterday for our walk around Warren Glen. Andy, Phil, Sam, Stephen and myself met at the top of Brakey Bank at around 10:00 and had a very enjoyable walk around nearly the entire glen, taking in the flora and fauna and also visiting a few points of interest hidden away from view which are part of the history of the glen which it was remarked that it is a shame that none of this has any interpretation and is thus missed by the many visitors to the Park.

Another observation made was that due to the more open nature of this glen there is a great view from most parts. We stopped for a while at the bench below bollard 18 where we enhanced the view into the bottom of the glen. We were to have carried on and improved the view of the sea later this year at the end of the nesting season but this looks unlikely now.

Stopping again at the top of the opposite side we gazed at this remarkable cloud formation.

Well, it’s now four weeks since we were informed of the massive reduction in our Conservation Days and still no indication of any future dates except that they may be on any day of the week. If we get any further news it will be posted here.

In an effort to maintain the social side which is all part and parcel of volunteering we have started to meet up for walks on a Thursday when people are available. We started last week with a foray into Ecclesbourne Glen, Sam, Stephen and myself and today Phil, Stephen and myself walked around the Firehills, taking in the Plantation, Hibernaculum (Phase 2 access for all trail) and the Quarry. We came across this very faded Oak Hook-tip moth on one of the areas cleared of gorse.

As we left the Hibernaculum for the Quarry we saw the Country Park’s new acquisition of five Belted Galloway cattle with an Exmoor pony looking on. One of my neighbours remembers Belted Galloways grazing Warren Glen when he worked on Fairlight Place farm as a youngster. At the moment however these cattle and the ponies seem to be favouring the two heathland compartments south of the Quarry.