Sunday spring walk

I would normally run on a Sunday morning, but I am trying to rest my body a bit and let my hip recover. I decided to go for a walk instead along a route I have done many times.

I started off by walking through Arlesey to the station. Part of the road is closed for the weekend and so I could walk up the middle. Before I reached the roadworks a lady on a cycle asked to come past me on the pavement (sidewalk). I did comment that she could be riding on the road as there was no traffic at all. I see a few adults riding on the path lately. I appreciate the road can be dangerous, but bikes do not have priority over pedestrians on footpaths.

Once you cross the station footbridge you can can enter Glebe Meadows nature reserve. Part of it is called Arlesey Old Moat and I think that refers to parts of the river that were dug out around an old manor house that is long gone. I was standing on a bridge that dates back at least 500 years. On Google Maps it says this is the River Purwell, but on OpenStreetMap it says it is the River Hiz. It is not very big anyway.

Looking down I could see a mass of yellow that was flowers from the willow trees that line the river. A bird flow out of the trees that I did not recognise. It was pigeon sized with a yellow back I think, but I was not quick enough to get a photo. Maybe it was a woodpecker. I would expect to see red kites around, but did not notice any today. I once saw a barn owl hunting in the meadows.

I saw a few other people walking around the reserve enjoying the nice weather. It is a popular place for taking dogs and you can access it from several places in Arlesey.

It is a while since I went this way and I think this tree must have fallen since the last time. It has been there a while and has plants growing on it. The river is a chalk stream with very clear water. I saw someone fly fishing by the bridge yesterday after parkrun. I am not sure what he expected to catch. There are fish in there, but I have not heard of trout being there.

There was a huge honeysuckle growing over some bushes. The flowers are spectacular and you may notice a bumble bee in there. I also saw a damselfly, but did not get a good photo of it.

There was a mass of webs in one place, but I could not see the spiders.

I have read that there used to be three mills along the river near Arlesey. These are the only remains of one of them. The pool there is popular for swimming in the summer, but I have seen some ladies in there when it has been pretty cold.

At times there have been cows grazing in the meadows, but I have not seen them lately. The railway runs all the way along past Arlesey connecting London to Peterborough. I heard several trains go past. Where that footbridge it you used to be able to cross by walking over the tracks, but I guess someone decided that was too dangerous. I did it plenty of times and you could see of hear trains coming a long way off.

Along this stretch the river is quite shallow. It may not show in the photo, but the light was glistening off it nicely.

A few steps further along I noticed this mallard duck just sitting at the side. He seemed happy enough there. I have seen swans and other water birds along there.

These yellow irises really stood out.

There is a tree nursery along that part and they had the sprinklers going. A little of it was blowing out, but I did not get too wet.

I might have walked a little further, but my hip was sore and so I took the road bridge back across the railway to walk back through town. I have a couple of chores to do before I head out to a music session after lunch.

On previous walks I have taken my bridge camera, but I have a load of other cameras in my drawer that do not get used. I used the Olympus today. I could have used my phone, but having an actual zoom lens gives more options and some better pictures.

Have a great day.