Thursday, 23 August 2012

Silchester and Pamber Forest


The main track through the forest

It was a nice sunny day so I thought I would pay another visit to nearby Pamber Forest and try to take some better butterfly photos using my new monopod.

I parked near the Calleva Arms in Silchester and walked south-west towards the forest, initially along a road but soon through woodland. I passed the Upper Inhams Copse nature reserve and at the entrance to the Pamber Forest reserve turned left following a track (marked blue on the helpful leaflet) down to Silchester Road.

I followed the road into Little London and crossed a field to join the main track which, like last time, I followed about two thirds of the way towards the top before turning right to again reach the entrance and retrace my steps to the Calleva Arms.

Conditions: sunny, becoming cloudy

Distance: about 4 miles.

Map: Explorer 159 (Reading, Wokingham and Pangbourne).

Rating: three stars.


Butterflies of the day

Fewer to choose from than last time: no White Admirals and just one rather battered looking Fritillary. There were lots of Speckled Woods basking in the sunny glades. I think the monopod helped this to be a reasonable picture.



Even more pleasing was this Peacock basking on the ground. The beautiful colours have never seemed brighter or more iridescent, and I had never previously noticed the checkered pattern on the tops of the wings near the body.


So overall I think the monopod was a hit!


Flower of the day

I saw quite a lot of this. I think it is Creeping Cinquefoil.


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