Photos from walk on Thursday 20th April from Cumnor to Eaton, Appleton & Besselsleigh

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Bablock Hythe

 

Kestrel at Bablock Hythe

 

Tree on Bablock Hythe road up to Eaton

 

Marching pylons

Saint Laurence, Appleton

The oldest parts of the Church of England parish church of Saint Laurence are 12th-century Norman. The north aisle was added late in that century, linked with the nave by a four-bay arcade of pointed arches.

 

In the 13th century a new window and doorway were inserted in the south wall of the nave, as was the priest’s doorway on the south side of the chancel. The east window of the chancel is 14th-century in style.

 

In the 15th century the Perpendicular Gothic bell tower was added, a window inserted on the south side of the nave and the nave was re-roofed. [source]

 

Welsh slate on the north side

 

And 20C tiles on the south, over the nave

 

 

In Besselsleigh wood

Flora

Cardamine pratensis, the cuckoo flower, also commonly known as ‘Lady’s-smock’, is a pretty, springtime perennial of damp, grassy places like wet meadows, ditches and riverbanks, as well as roadside verges. Its pale pink flowers bloom from April to June and are thought to coincide with the arrival of the first Cuckoo – a sure sign that spring has arrived at last.

 

Anemone nemorosa L. Wood Anemone

 

Bluebells, just starting to emerge

 

Hawthorn – Crataegus monogyna.

 

Hawthorn’s leaves appear before its flowers, which appear in May time.

 

Use as a food The young green leaves have a mild nutty taste and can be used as a salad leaf. Syrups, cordials, preserves and infusions can be made with the flowers, which should be collected when still sweet smelling.

 

The berries, or Haws, are extremely high in pectin and therefore particularly useful for making jams, jellies, sweets and fruit leathers.
[source]

 

Butterflies were busy on a sunny day, although these two are resting.

 

Peacock

 

Comma

 

Full stop.

We did this walk in July 2021, with an extension north to Farmoor, and before that in November 2019.

And, without photos, 2005, May 2009, May 2010, April 2013, and November 2013.

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