A Nice Sunny Day for a Dig Walk, Today

I was on my own today and with the sun shining and the wind almost at storm level I set off with Digby to our Favorite Walk at Hedgerley.

As is my wont, I took a slightly different route today along the path towards Hedgerley Green before ducking through the woods to avoid our usual paths which have become more and more Boggy. The snow has thawed, only to be followed by torrential rain, so now there are more mud and puddles along the very popular footpath routes. 

I enjoyed the walk as is always the case, but also took the opportunity to pause along the way for a few extra photos taken on the mobile phone.

We finished our walk by taking Lunch in the White Horse Inn which was a lovely relaxing end to our trip.

Digby, Waiting to go for his walk. 

Adopting his favorite spot for looking out of the window.

Looking down onto the White Horse Inn (Left) and the Old Quaker Meeting House (Right)

An alternative walk across this small meadow from the Church Gate.

A view across Hedgerley Village from the top of the hill near to the Church.

While walking through the RSPB Reserve in Church Woods I spotted these two unusual deformities. Almost Spooky!

When Will This Snow Go Away?

Everyone across the UK has been suffering from the effect of the recent Snow Storms.....

We have been relatively lucky in that we have been able to get around in our Landi 4x4. Those low gears and diff lock work wonders.

'Dilly' the Defender before the snow came.

One result of the snow has been to confine some our daily Dog Walks to around the town for a few days with the result that we have been able to view one or two  'odd ' Snowmen.

Against the next two examples, my 1 minute Ugly Snowman looks pathetic.  

Very Special!

This Magnificent Geometric Snowman is a work of art but sadly the local, (presumably jealous), Hooligans destroyed it overnight. 

Do Please Come In!

This Elegant Ecclesiastical Snowman is at the 'Meet & Greet' spot outside of The Church of St Terasa. I hope his survival is extended to the eventual thaw. 

My Very Happy 69th Birthday Days.

Sunday was the day we celebrated my 69th Birthday as a Family, with a lovely lunch out at the White Hart Hotel In Beaconsfield.

http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/thewhitehartbeaconsfieldoldtown/

Robin & William talking Harry Potter Lego, I'm sure.

Today, my actual Birthday, therefore, has been almost Normal, but not really. 
This morning I opened my lovely cards and the presents from Ann & Robin before Rob left for work. 
I am now sporting a lovely new Sweater and Shirt combination and have now sorted and packed away the new Toolbox and an Array of Spanners and Maintenance Gadgets from Robin. 

Matt, Sarah, William & Jacob invested in some new computer software for me so that I can hopefully complete the many pages of a Photo Book I am compiling based on my Daily Travels around the British Coastline.

The Snow yesterday was not that heavy but enough to make our daily Dog Walk more interesting watching how Digby treated the Snow and Ice. While scraping the snow off of the cars I thought I would make a Scary Snowman for Jacob as he is keen on Scary and Snowmen. The fact that it is only 6 inches high will not bother anyone but may have given the Postman a scare this morning.

Down in the Woods the snow was thin on the ground and we seemed to be the only people out today.

We have been widening these paths over the last few months and it has paid off as they are much easier to traverse compared to last Springtime.

Church Woods is owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and they are happy for Dog Walkers to use the footpaths as long as the dog is kept on a lead to protect the birds and pother wildlife living there.  Recently we have seen Roe Deer, Muntjac and Fox roaming freely. We occasionally meet Bird Watches either gazing or out maintaining the many Nesting Boxes in the trees there.

There are plenty of fallen tree parts lying about for me to trip over.

As we walked across the fields the snow began to blizzard again and visibility reduced considerably. 

The phone camera was even able to pick up the snow flakes. Very Impressive!

The Hooded Wonder and the Caped Crusader spotted again.

Digby just loves rolling in the grass and snow or hunting mysterious creatures beneath the grass? 

Digby enjoying his free running. 

Back in the White Horse for our welcome Coffee Warmer, the garden looks ready for those sunny Spring afternoons? The Garden Heaters warming our tent are most welcome today.

More Hedgerley Dog Walking Today

I have come the conclusion that it will take a while before we find a better Dog walking Venue than our Hedgerley Walking Circuit. More rain last night left the paths more Claggy than usual but we keep widening the paths by removing more of the brambles and everyone seems to be enjoying their use as the Clag increases. The only benefit if the extra rain is that it keeps the puddles we used to wash our boots refreshed>

As Spring evolves, views of the Church like this one will disappear again behind the leaves 

The White Horse Inn seems to be busy again. We judge by the number of cars parked in the lane. There will  still be a place for us to have our coffee.

 We are most envious of the owners of these three cottages which overlook the Village Pond and the Church

In the White Horse last week they were having some drainage pipework replaced so the Car Park needs a new surface.

As we were enjoying our coffee today, a Newly Wed Couple came out of the Pub. They were married this morning in Slough and were having a small Wedding Breakfast here. They were happy to be in my Blog. The Second Married Couple to be Blogged, following the lovely people I met at the Cullen Bay Hotel while on my Grande Tour in April.

More Views of Hedgerley Bucks During our Dog Walk Today

It was a beautiful Sunny Day today in South Buckinghamshire despite the Weather Forecast which said the area would be overcast all day. It sounds as though someone there needs a new piece of Seaweed. However, we just enjoyed the beautiful day.

Hedgerley has become our Daily Dog Walking venue as we love the village with our walking route through the Churchyard and then into the Church Woods RSPB Reserve where Digby has to stay on his lead.

The walk up the lane at the side of the White Horse Public House leads to the St Mary the Virgin Parish Church which allows some lovely views across the nearby fields.  

The St Mary the Virgin Church Tower (sans clock) taken from the lane.

The view back down the lane towards the Pub. 

 A South Side view of the Church & Porch with the Cockerel Weather Vane on the Tower above.

http://www.achurchnearyou.com/hedgerley-st-mary-the-virgin/

The View across the field to Court Farm House

A field at the back of the Church recently cleared buy the Hedgerley Conversation Group.

Almost every visit there we get to see either a Roe Deer or two (it was Two today) or a Muntjac or a Fox. Not bad for a Bird Sanctuary. Today we heard the call of a Pheasant which is a surprise as the Guns have been popping all over the place and we have seen a couple of support vans 'Jammed to the Gunwales' with dead Pheasants  Last week we say a family of five Partridges making there way across a garden. I wonder if they survived the weekend?  

The footpaths are getting very muddy in places due to the popularity of the walk so we have been gradually widening them by cutting back the Brambles which are thickening over large areas and narrowing the footpaths. The more we cut back, the wider the muddy area becomes, but we are winning, just!

There are a few signs of Spring coming with the occasional Primrose visible and today we saw the first few Catkins appearing.

There are masses of fallen trees in the woods and this piece sported some beautiful fungi.

In the Fields where we allow Digby to run free, the landowner is having his Hedges cut this week. The Tractor Wheels are churning up the footpaths somewhat but the hedges are looking good.

A Well Manicured Hedgerow.

Rare Breeds Cows feeding from a Heap of Hay on the top of the hill to the East.

Looking to the North towards where the M40 cuts through the countryside.

Another view of the Cows on the far Hill

Looking West towards Meadow Cottages

Ann & Digby waiting for me to catch up.

At the end of the Walk we arrive back in the village alongside the Court Farm House and the Village Pond before passing the old School House on the way to the White Horse Inn for our welcome Coffee and Biscuits. The White Horse has a large range of Real Ales and Real Ciders. It  is not unusual to see a customer trying two or three half pints of different ales as there seems to be frequent introductions of new ales from all over the UK. Try it now before it has all gone.   

Hedgerley Village Pond with the Magnificent Georgian Court Farm House in the background. A Mrs Harris is seeking Planning Permission to have the Willow Tree Pollarded! 

A Lovely Terrace of Village Cottages

The School House and the Old School, both are homes now.

 The Popular White Horse Inn with our Jag parked outside. 

Metcalfe Farm House, which is next door to the old Quaker Meeting House (now a home).

Digby, post walkies, looking a little Damp and Forlorn

 Our White Horse Inn Coffee Drinking Venue in the Garden Tent. 

Coffee & Gloves Off looking towards the garden

 Today we were surrounded in the Tent Extension by a group of Retiree Cyclists from the 'Uxbridge Loiterers' Club who were having a welcome lunch following their morning ride. 

http://www.uxbridgeloiterersctc.org.uk/

We sat and had a lovely conversation with a chap who had joined them for the first time today and sadly was left to sit on his own; in typical Club Style treatment of the Newbie. We have experienced similar treatment from some of the members the Morgan Sports Car Club. It's not very inspiring, but this cynic thinks that maybe that is the objective. 

  'nil carborundum illegitimi'

http://www.mscc.uk.com/

Ah. Such is life.

Later in the Afternoon, while the sun was still around I decided to take the Morgan out for a short Hood Up warm up run, to move the oils and the tyres around a bit. 

Digby came with me happily sitting in the Passenger Seat as we drove on our usual 25mile Chilterns warm up circuit via Gerrards Cross, Chalfonts St Peter and St Giles, Amersham, Hazelmere and Penn back to Beaconsfield. The traffic was awful, what with the local School Run and the Home from Work traffic, so we ended up driving half of the run in the dark. 

The Mog is happily back in the garage now until the next time or when I can get out there to wash and then polish her ready for Springtime. It was too dark to stop and take photos so her is:

The Green Goddess herself seen in Old Amersham earlier this year.