For illustrated talks on natural history and history see www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk

For illustrated talks on natural history and history click here for www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk

Tuesday 16 October 2007

William's High Weald Explorer. Tuesday 16 October 2007

"Professor" William Coleman hands out informative sheets and a map (latter courtesy of Tony Osmand) before setting out from Horam car park.

This 10 miles walk was one from the Mid Sussex Ramblers' program of walks. It was to be a botanical, mycological, historical, zoological and geological cornucopia. And we also got to drink some beer. The weather started off misty and drizzly and cleared up for a fine afternoon.


William spots a Honey fungus(?)

Here we are heading towards Warbleton church from Vines Cross. Click on the above panorama (or any other picture) to view it better.











Richard Woodman, an iron master from Warbleton, and other Protestants being burnt to death in Lewes for objecting to the return to Catholicism under Queen Mary.
Please see the blog entries for August for more pictures from Warbleton church and transcripts from Mr Woodman's trial. You can find the index if you scroll to the bottom of the blog.
(In October 2000 I played the part of Francis Nurse in Arthur Millar's "The Crucible" with the Cuckfield Dramatic Society. My innocent wife in the play got hung. As a consequence I have some special empathy with Richard Woodman and his innocent associates.)

















Happiness after a pub lunch at the Horse and Groom!
Are these donkeys descendents of Eyeore, one wonders.















Right is a newly emerged Stinkhorn fungus, Phallus impudicus, demonstrated here by Betty. Eventually it will smell of rotting flesh that can be detected from 20m.














Liverworts and ferns
The streams were a rusty colour on this day from the iron in the water.













Looking back towards Rushlake Green.










Janice has a sharp eye for fungi
and spotted this little beauty, the Porcelain mushroom, Oudemansiella mudica, growing on a dead beech branch.
Click on any pictures to enlarge.
This meadow at St Dunstan's Farm is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) for the diversity of plants, having been farmed traditionally since 1935. It is used for research by students of Ecology and Biodiversity. William was one who did so.







When gorse is in flower, 'tis the month for kissing.











Old Heathfield Church by zoom lens. In 1606 the Rev. Robert Hunt, vicar of Heathfield, sailed with John Smith (of Pocahontas fame) and Captain Gosnold to America, 13 years before the Pilgrim Fathers. They were pioneering settlers.

We left the church following ancient droveways.




Shaggy Ink Cap or "Lawyers Wig" is also good to eat.









Below, the Cuckoo Trail on our way back to Horam.














1 comment:

Wooflykiss said...

Envious to have missed such an interesting walk. Whole blog looks very professional and shows how beautiful the Sussex Countryside is, as well as full of interesting flora.

Blog Archive