Regulars

Rediscovering a rare plant from childhood... and it’s just as glorious

MY word, hasn’t it been windy of late? I had intended to visit some nearby woodlands to see the early flowers but, being a cautious type, decided to wait until the gales had died down (I didn’t want to be crushed by a falling tree!)Today it has...

I dread to think how yew trees called Devil’s Churchyard got the name

ENTERING the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Checkendon, one is reminded of the sheer age of the building. The scent of the past pervades the structure and also inhabits the surrounding churchyard. However, my friend Matt Coome and I do not linger...

We must nurture our relationship with our big, beautiful friends

ANOTHER cold morning, another slight frost, yet as I step outside there is a beautiful brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni) flitting about — a true herald of spring. It seems to like my holly bush and then investigates its surroundings before...

Flowering woodland bulbs thrive in unusually warm February

THIS morning I’m greeted outside by mist and frost but I think, “not to worry, it is February after all”.The weather forecast is pretty good and it turns out to be correct. After feeding the wild birds — sometimes a robin waits on my doorstep — I head...

Pubs have gone but there is still rural landscape and woods to enjoy

IT is a fine morning for this time of year and my pal Matt has invited me to join him for another walk in the Chilterns. Once more we head towards Nettlebed and again park outside the remains of the Dog and Duck pub but this time we are going to head...

Oak trees planted for Victoria’s diamond jubilee still going strong

IF you take a stroll up Fair Mile from Henley and peel off to the right just after Northfield End, there is a public right of way that ...

Alive or dead, this winter woodland is filled with natural wonders

THE other day I bumped into an old friend who I’d not seen in years. We discovered our shared love of nature and walking, so what ...

Huge variety of ever-growing fish that inhabit our waterways

MANY years ago, when I was about nine years old, my grandfather took me fishing at the lake situated in Caversham Park, part of the ...

Little piece of paradise where I’m happy to spend an hour relaxing

THE Warren is long and straight, beginning beside St Peter’s Church in Caversham and leading to the tiny and ancient village of ...

Wild birds and woodland plants can sense the approach of spring

THIS morning I got up later than usual but it seems no problem for my feathered friends. Sitting on my wooden bench, I scatter some ...

Invigorating time spent upon Watlington Hill with all its winter beauty

FROM time to time escaping from the confines of your domestic surroundings can feel extremely liberating. We are just days into ...

From robbers of the avian world to golden days of Mum’s childhood

IT is morning and the raucous noise of magpies is everywhere. Like the sound of old-fashioned football rattles, it appears to emanate ...

And did those feet... windy hill that’s worth the climb for lovely views

IT is a steep climb up Streatley Hill. Years ago, it was a challenge for a young cyclist; today it’s a seemingly never-ending ascent ...

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Riverside amphitheatre where there’s plenty to see in and out of water

ONCE in while something jogs the memory and provides a reason to revisit an old haunt. Which is why I decide to stroll along the ...

Ordinary-looking woodland full of raspberries and edible fungi

AFTER two days of heavy rain, I woke up to an unexpectedly bright but windy day on Friday morning. It was the last day of November and ...

Following a delightful Thames tributary that’s teeming with wildlife

THE Berry Brook is an enchanting and little-known stream, a tributary of the Thames that flows from Lower Caversham to meet our ...

Birds, butterflies and bees... churchyard is an oasis for wildlife

THE morning is bright and sunny and I think how lucky I have been this year as I prepare to go for a walk. Only once in the summer ...

More News:

Plan for trees to prevent parking on verge delayed

PLANS to plant trees along a grass verge in the centre of Goring have been put on hold. The parish council was considering planting up to 10 Himalayan birches on a section of High ... [more]

Yes to angels

A FAMILY has been granted permission for a headstone at White Hill burial ground in Goring despite concerns that the design went against the rules. The parish council, which owns ... [more]

Wargrave local history society

THE society’s annual meeting was held on Tuesday, March 12 when the past year was reviewed, a new committee elected and details of the 2019-20 programme were given. Following the ... [more]

High winds cut Mad March Dash in half

GORING Gap Boat Club hosted its first regional rowing competition at its new £350,000 boathouse on the River Thames at the weekend. About 50 recreational rowers from 10 clubs ... [more]