Amwell Revisited

You can't really re-visit places you've seen before, because no matter how many times you return there's always something new to see - and not always what you expect.

What my brother and I had been hoping was that a few migrating birds might find their way to the old gravel pits along the River Lea, leading towards London. It's not such a daft idea as it may sound; for reasons best known to avian minds, many migrating birds find their way here every year - but not today! Instead we were royally entertained by Kingfishers, diving and catching their breakfast.

If you think that's a rather unnatural nature photo then you're dead right! The Kingfishers were not co-operating and stationed themselves directly between our position and the glaring sun; impossible to take proper pictures, but suitable to be manipulated into a more graphic image. The only bird that may have been migrating was a Common Sandpiper; they spend winters on our coasts, but at other times they can turn up anywhere.

Lets go for a walk. We set off along the River Lee Navigation, lined by brightly-painted craft of all shapes and sizes, before turning off along the Walkway, which was once the course of an old railway.

The gate to Hollycross Lake and the dragonfly boardwalk was open, so we made a diversion to see what was around.

Well, plenty of dragonflies. And by the look of these two Migrant Hawkers there'll be plenty around next year too! But what's that faint chewing sound I can hear?

And there he was, in amongst the reeds - "Ratty". Despite what you learn in Wind In The Willows, he's not really a Water Rat but a Water Vole. And very happy I am to see him. Their numbers have been falling disastrously in recent decades. You used to be able to see one by sitting quietly beside almost any river in the country but now they are becoming a rare sighting indeed. Loss of habitat, agro-chemicals and mink that have escaped (or been set free) from fur farms are variously blamed.

Cross the River Ash, then proceed uphill through the green pastures....

....watched by 301252 and her friends.

They make a splendid job of keeping the grass neat and tidy. Our path led past the farm and through woodland before turning back down into the Lee valley once again. Rather distantly we could see some Magpies squabbling over what looked like a dead rabbit. After a minute of two a Buzzard came swooping down, talons flashing, and the Magpies fled. You'd think that would be the end of the story, but no, the Magpies returned and mobbed the Buzzard till he flew off. The whole process was then re-enacted with the Buzzard swooping down once more...etc...etc.

We then had to walk through the village/tiny town of Stanstead Abbots, passing this elegant Edward VII postbox.

And its rather splendid church that is Perpendicular in style but actually only dates from the early 1880s. Despite its recent date there's some doubt as to whether it was designed by Alfred Waterhouse or Zephaniah (or maybe Zedekiah) King.

Then it was back along the River Lee to complete the circle.

Take care.