exploring around dolanog

River Vyrnwy

At the end of a half term of rain and a lot of restoration work at home, the boys and I were very excited to get out for a little adventuring. I have recently discovered a beautiful area of Montgomeryshire around Dolanog through doing some bird surveying for the BTO, and I was keen to explore further. Dolanog is a small village nestling in the valley of the river Vyrnwy.

 

 

Eager to try out their new fishing nets, the boys searched for minnows to catch...

 

There are a lot of beautiful old houses up here. This one had 1664 inscribed on a beam, wow!

  

 

I was equally taken with the the old barns... I think I have a thing for old farm buildings.

  

 

Bluebells were still in flower in shady spots, and the meadows were covered in pignuts and buttercups.

Common Speedwell

And I spotted a new speedwell, a Common Speedwell - not so common to me!

Yellow Archangel

  

Rowan

The hedgerows were full of hawthorn and rowan blossom. Things up here were a little behind than the trees at home.

Unfurling bracken fronds

The boys were unsuccessful in their quest for fish, but they did catch a lot of bugs and buttercups. Having the nets and hunting for prey (!) did help them walk over 6 miles with very little moaning!

Speckled Yellow moth

We left the river to walk back along quiet country lanes. Littlest spotted a colony of Speckled Yellow moths. The verges were gorgeous as they were full of wildflowers. Montgomeryshire at its finest up in these hills.

EDIT: The problem of writing a blog post with constant interuptions is you forget to include things that there isn't a photograph of! I meant to include some of the birds I spotted like redstarts, pied flycatchers and my highlight - a cuckoo! A first for me in Montgomeryshire. 

the field - may

 

The Field in May is full of buttercups...

 

and cows! Who have a lot of lush grass to eat.

The bank of the field has less buttercups and more pignuts which look absolutely gorgeous - so delicate and fine.

A damp bumble bee sheltering under a marsh thistle flower, which are just starting to bloom.

 

Red campion growing amongst brambles and ferns.

 

And yay! The elder is coming into flower. I need to get my cordial ingredients ready.

 

Baby conkers on the horse chestnut trees.

 

Ummm... how to get back home round those cows! Luckily they seem friendly.

The Field in January : February :  March : April

garden flowers with a new lens

 

 

 

 

I have taken the plunge and bought a new camera lens (a Tamron 17-50mm if you are into lenses!). Upon its arrival I went into the garden to put it through its paces. It was rather nice to play with, and I got a little carried away with the aperture settings! What do you think?

the hawthorn tree - may

 

This month it's all about flowers... the blossom on the hawthorn is just starting to open, now that all the leaves have unfurled. From a distance, the tree is looking quite different now.

 

  

 

  

The blossom of the 'May Tree' has strong associations with May Day celebrations and the old traditions of Beltane. People would decorate their homes with bunches of blossom and even wear it themselves. The significance of this would be to celebrate new life and the beginning of the growing season. See 'Queen of The May' for more on this.

 

My companions on this little trip to the hawthorn tree enjoyed sitting underneath it...

Growing in the grassland under the tree was Thyme-leaved Speedwell, Dandelion, Pignut, Buttercup, Creeping Cinquefoil.

Pignut

Creeping Cinquefoil

Meadow Buttercup

The hawthorn tree in  March : April

Joining in with Loose and Leafy's 'Tree Following Project' - do take a look at the other trees that are being carefully observed.

I am also 'following a tree' on the Christ Church Welshpool blog, where I'm looking at an old apple tree in the churchyard.

blue and green

 

The best blue and green combination - bluebells; beech leaves; bracken.