Exploring The Countryside Around Denmead

Yesterday morning we packed a lunch, and set off with my mum and sister for an all day walk to explore the farmland and countryside around Denmead. We parked in a lane and started off along a beautiful shady bridleway leading to Pitt Hill, we saw lots of hazel nuts growing along the hedges and found this lovely little 'fairy pool' in the hollow of a tree.

Hannah thought this Ivy was amazing as it had plaited it's self to the tree!!

At the bottom of the bridleway we were in open farmland. It was hot out of the shade and the smell of ripe corn, and the sounds of the breeze rustling through it were wonderful. Hannah had so much fun following the pathways through the corn, and spotting wild flowers and insects along the way.

She found poppies,

Daisies,

Scabious,Burdock,

and Wild Marjoram with these beautiful butterflies on it.

We walked along footpaths alive with the sound of grasshoppers and birdsong,To a little pond with dragonflies dancing over it.Hannah practised her tracking skills by following hoof prints and working out the pace of the horses that made them,Until we came to a dairy farm, which we walked through to complete our circle. The cows were very friendly!

It was wonderful to be out in the countryside for the whole day, the change in Hannah is lovely to see when she gets out in the fields. Her whole body relaxes and you can almost feel the peacefulness radiating from her - my mission is to get us out of the city at every opportunity!