Saturday 24th February 2007
Balcombe - Ardingly
8 miles
With no bike and no money we needed to keep things cheap
and simple today. To that end we got the train to Balcombe and did a circular
walk around Ardingly Reservoir. From there we headed west to the spectacular
Balcombe Viaduct, through farmland and back to the railway station just as it
turned dark. A great walk of about 13 kilometres (8 miles) mostly on thick mud.
Lots of birds about today; buzzard, sparrowhawk, kestrel, yellowhammer, red
legged partridge, tree creeper, as well as a brown hare running across a field.
Gill also found a Wood Mouse hole with a nibbled hazelnut outside it.
The biggest surprise of the day was finding some Mink scat on the doorstep of
the reservoir hide. We would have had no idea they were there apart from that
clue.
Some barn owl real estate!
A view of the reservoir with the hide on the left.
The mink scat that Gill identified on the doorstep of the
hide.
Lots of this today. It was great fun sploshing through it
all day.
An expertly nibbled hazelnut.
A statue on the bank of the reservoir.
The Balcombe Ouse Valley Viaduct comprises of 37 arches
and was completed in 1842. It is very impressive and when you cross it on the
way to Brighton you get great views in both directions.
For all you railway buffs out there, I have made a small
film
(3.25 mb).
A photo that many people have taken over the years, but
worth repeating here.
Lichen flowering, they seem to think it's spring!
And the cherry blossom is coming out too, so what more
proof do you need that it's spring already.