Wednesday
15th November 2007
Tilgate Park - Pease Pottage - Cottesmore - Buchan Park
After being cooped up at home for
three days we decided to walk south through Tilgate Park past the main lake and
out into the Forestry Commission land beyond known as Cherry Tree Plantation.
This was once all coniferous trees but is now mixed woodland. It looked great
covered in dead leaves with the low sun bathing everything in a golden light. On
reaching Parish lane we headed west until we reached the footpath at New
Buildings Farm. This took us out through farmland that made us forget completely
that we were still in Crawley. At Cottesmore we walked across the golf course
and down into Buchan Park where we saw a kingfisher patrolling the lake edge.
This was a short walk of about 6 miles or so that impressed us with its feeling
of isolation despite being close to a major town and a motorway. There were
plenty of birds around too that included; Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, Fieldfare,
Redwing, Kingfisher, Coal Tit, Green woodpecker and Long-tailed tit.
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Blistered Cup (Peziza vesiculosa). We found this
inedible fungus growing in the centre of a recently ploughed field and wondered
how it got to be there. The answer is, it was transferred there with the manure
that the farmer had applied.
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Intense squirrel activity today
This was a new type of gate for us. It seems to be a
device to stop horses entering, or possibly short men with big hats.
My brother suggests its for ladies with big bottoms!
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Another gorgeous autumnal sunset