Spring Walk at Pennyfeathers, Ryde
A welcoming sunlit morning greeted people ready for the walk around Pennyfeathers. Prepared with wet weather gear in case of sudden showers, we trouped off along the path squelching our way through puddles, bouyed up by the scent and sight of blackthorn in full bloom, a throng of bird song filling the air:- chiff chaff, great tit, green finch etc. We wound our way over stiles, slid along sodden paths and crouched amongst wildflowers, chewed wild garlic just coming into flower in the wood. Amongst the ancient woodland and trickling stream at the back of Smallbrook junction a carpet of wood anemones, primroses, violets and tail end of celandines flowered, elusive birds sang in the tree tops, a black cap was spotted.
This fragile place is protected by the surrounding countryside and fields. Concerned residents of Ryde are aware of how easily development, houses, roads etc. can leave the small pockets left behind become dumping grounds for litter and habitat destruction. Wildlife is threatened by encroaching human activities, the domestic pet is notorious for predating wild birds, mice, red squirrels, hares, rabbits, voles, shrews, etc., and foxes and badgers lose vital room to roam bringing them into contact and conflict with traffic and human and pet problems.
Dark clouds appeared on the horizon, and the rain started just as we gathered to say our goodbyes and depart.
When you take a walk along footpaths, fields and copses, you realise how close places are, and how roads have distorted our perspective of the distance we need to travel to get from one place to another. If you are in good health it can make a welcome change to get off the monotonous grey slick of pavements and roads and encounter the variety of different surfaces, and textures under foot.
Further walks around this area are being planned, one starting from St.Johns station to Sharon apple orchard, and the other to mark the changes in flora and fauna from the path by Busy Bees to Smallbrook and back.
