Christmas Common - A bit early for the best of the bluebells

We try to do this route from Christmas Common at bluebell time each year. The road from the Junction 5 of the M40 to Christmas Common was part of a organised cycle ride today, so we had to pass lots of groups of cyclists. Our walk started with a stretch along this road. I did wonder whether we should walk in single file and then suddenly switch to side-by-side as a cyclist approached.

A few weeks ago, it seemed that the bluebells would be early this year, but the cold April has put paid to that. Judging by today's display, next week will be the peak of the season. Let's hope the weather's good enough for an outing.

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Frilsham, Bucklebury and Standford Dingley

This walk is from David's AA 50 Walks in Berkshire & Buckinghamshire and close to Newbury - it made a nice change to venture out of the Chilterns.

We parked at the nice-looking Pot Kiln near Frilsham, and walked through some pleasant woods and countryside to Bucklebury (as David now knows, home of a certain Princess) and then to the banks of the River Pang for our crisp-free picnic.  It didn't seem warm enough to linger, so we made our way to The Bull at Stanford Dingley for a drink or two.

The sun was our by the time we got there, so we were able to sit outside to enjoy the excellent 'Good Old Boy' from the West Berkshire Brewery in nearby Yattendon (and some crisps). When we collected the second round of drinks, someone in the bar was playing with a ring on a string attached to the ceiling. It turns out that  this is a long-established game called 'Ring the Bull'  in which the player tries to swing the ring and try to hook it over a horn-like hook on the wall.

Our route back was not exactly as the book, but didn't involve being lost!

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Rescuing the lamb at Shottesbrooke

This walk is from David's Rambling for Pleasure in East Berkshire book and conveniently situated between Woodley and Marlow, so it met our criteria for today - local, not too long, picnic spot and decent pub. The weather was much brighter and warmer than forecast. As we approached Shottesbrooke Church along the avenue of trees we noticed a lamb that had somehow got separated from its mother. It was the other side of a fence to the right of the avenue, the flock (and presumably the mother) were quite a distance away on the left of the avenue.  After eating our picnic on a conveniently-placed pile of logs, the lamb was still looking a bit forlorn, so Alison managed to coax it along to a  locked gate through which it could squeeze. That was the easy part - even by adopting various lamb-like crouching positions (and probably her teacher voice), she couldn't persuade it through. David and I joined in and, with a pincer movement, the three of us made squeezing through the gate the least scary thing for the lamb to do. Alison then coaxed it (as if it were a cat) across the field toward the distant flock. As it crossed the avenue, we noticed a ewe and another lamb heading towards it. They broke into the sheep equivalent of a gallop and were re-united. Aaaahhhh. Perhaps we should enter the human equivalent of One Man and His Dog.

It wasn't far from there to the The Beehive at White Waltham, and we felt we deserved our planned drink (or even two). I'd never heard of Andwells before, but can recommend their Spring Twist amber beer.

After such a lovely day, it's hard to believe that it's forecast to be below freezing, and may even snow later this week.