Lockdown Walks-A Retrospective. 28th May-1st June

 28th May 2020

Wirksworth to Alderwasley

In glorious sunshine I headed up to Alderwasley, taking Wash Green up out of Wirksworth. A gorgeous brood of newly fledged Coal Tits were in a garden on Wash Green. A huge European Hornet, gentle giant among wasps, looked for a nest in a wall.  I crossed the field full of sleepy but occasionally playful Bullocks, and through the woods. The nodding bluebells and the carpet of anemones were gone to seed, but foxgloves and red campion bloomed abundantly. 

I returned via Kennel Woods, a thick deciduous wood which rang with birdsong, and spotted a fine pair of Bullfinches. I continued past a farmhouse where I encountered beautiful cattle and horses. On my return to Wash Green I was somewhat besieged by the Bullocks whom I had passed to peacefully earlier. I was relieved when they were distracted by the farmer, who delivered them a salt lick. A pair of Grey Wagtails flew overhead. 

Birds seen: Mallard, Pheasant, Buzzard, Moorhen, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit (+fl) Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Wren, Blackbird (provisioning), Mistle Thrush, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch. 

Butterflies: Common Blue, Large White, Green Veined White

Mammals: Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Weasel. 

Other notable invertebrates: Scorpionfly.

31st May 2020

The Conquest of Riber Castle

I walked, on a sunny, hot and slightly breezy day up to Riber Castle above Matlock. I trudged first to the Cromford Canal, where a Mallard enjoying the sunshine was the only bird to be seen, crossed the canal, the railway and the River Derwent, and Lea Road, and entered Bow Wood, the first time I had been to this pleasant woodland part managed by the Woodland Trust. The Bluebell ground flora had largely gone to seed. A family looking for Strutt's Mill were the only humans I encountered here. A Blackcap was up and singing and a beautiful Four-Spot Chaser Dragonfly was on the wing over the Bracken, deep green and gold, skillfully evading photography in speedy style.

I ascended by a network of paths, there seemed to be a choice of routes. The heat as I climbed as a little oppressive, lending a tropical atmosphere. I stopped when I reached a clearing on the hillside and looked down onto Cromford below me, the green expanse of rugby pitches, the shimmering meanders of the Derwent, the straight cut canal, with Black Rocks and Bolehill above. I paused to drink in the view before pressing on up, through old fields bounded by drystone walls, passing farm buildings and holiday cottages riotously planted in colour. Here I saw my first Goldfinch fledgelings of the year, lacking the distinctive head markings of their parents, but bearing the bright yellow wing stripe, begging youngsters perched on a wire. I reached Riber and with a couple of wrong turnings I approached the castle, an imposing building reminiscent of something out of Game of Thrones, once a zoo, now a building site being converted to flats. I used to refer to it as The Twins before I counted its towers. On the grass outside its Harris fencing there were a few people enjoying the grass and the sun. It had a commanding view of Matlock. After a cup of tea and my packed lunch, I returned to the farm track and took a left before Willersley Lane. Views from this footpath improved even on those from the castle. The Cable cars of Cromford hung over the shimmering Derwent, and Gulls could be seen over its surface. I could hear the occasional roar of a motorbike over the birdsong, the noise penetrating my leafy tranquility. The car park at Cromford still looked busy, and the whole Derwent valley was alive with humanity before me. I continued my descent through scrub and singing Whitethroats and Redstarts.

Cultivated Geraniums in Riber

Riber Castle

Matlock from Riber Castle. 

I reached the road and briefly took a wrong turning before being corrected by an affable and somewhat merry farmer whose drive I had mistaken for a footpath. I recovered the footpath and past a couple of ponds, and another Dragonfly, a Black Tailed Skimmer, was basking, a black and slatey blue beast. I reached Cromford Meadows, and found a little litter, evidence of humans reemerging to enjoy the sun, and corrected a memorial vase which had been upended.

Dragonfly.

After an aimless wander in the parched brown sheep field I took up a slightly perilous stretch of road, and crossed the Derwent by the big stone bridge. Bullocks were drinking from the brown, peaty water. I stopped breifly by the Cromford Canal, where Canada Geese were raising a family of downy yellow youngsters, and entered the network of alleyways, which led me, under flocks of House Martins, and past beautiful Tabby cats, up to the High Peak Trail. Music blared from car stereos in the Black Rocks car park, and dogs barked, and people drank beer out of glasses, the pub, it seemed, had moved onto these green thoroughfares for a sunny saturday night in the ongoing partial lockdown. I glanced back to Riber Castle and noted that it looked a long way away. I returned home in the late evening twilight.

Distant Riber Castle from Cromford. 

Birds seen: Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Buzzard, Moorhen, Black Headed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Swift, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, House Martin, Long-Tailed Tit, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Redstart, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Goldfinch. 

Not Birds Seen: Rabbit, Grey Squirrel, Four Spot Chaser, Black Tailed Skimmer, Scorpionfly, Black Soldier Beetle, Small Tortoiseshell, Green Veined White, Cinnabar Moth. 

1st June 2020

Stoney Wood

I took a breif bird and butterfly bimble over Stoney Wood, in not inconsiderable heat. 

Birds: Black Headed Gull (flyovers), Kestrel, Jackdaw, Great Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush. 

Butterflies: Common Blue (3) Dingy Skipper (1) Small Heath (1) Small White (1) Cinnabar Moth (1) 

I continued through Middle peak quarry, which was alive with valerian, buttercups and trefoil, and young people enjoying themselves, and a couple of police officers trying to stop them. A Redstart was disappearing into bushes and I could hear the sounds of noisy, begging young. Then I was on Middleton Top. The Cattle had moved up onto Middleton  Moor for some summer grazing. I came down through the grounds of the National Stone Centre. 

Birds: Black Headed Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Swift, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Swallow, House Martin, Willow Warbler, Treecreeper, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Redstart, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Goldfinch. 

Butterfly: Small Tortoiseshell.