Some nice views of the effect the ever-changing seasons have on the local countryside were afforded during a gentle stroll from the top of Church Hill through Cuxton, up to Merrals Shaw wood near Ranscombe farm reserve...
The Hawthorns seem to have got a bit confused by the bitter
cold snap at the end of February. They usually bloom before the apple blossom, but this year they have erupted well after the apple blossom has finished...
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| Church Hill, hawthorn in blossom... |
The hawthorns make a colourful contrast with the buttercups, which are still much in evidence on Church Hill...
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| Church Hill, looking towards the Medway Valley... |
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| View from the North Downs Way at Ranscombe, across Longhoes |
I wanted to see how the butterfly population was doing in Merrals Shaw, which has always been a good spot for woodland butterflies...
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| Green-Veined White... |
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| Speckled Wood... |
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| Small Tortoiseshell... |
I also saw a few Brimstones, Orange Tips, Large and Small Whites and a solitary Peacock. Some colourful flowers were on show as well...
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| Early Purple Orchid |
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| Yellow Archangel |
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