Oat fields over Luddesdown...

Although perhaps not quite as colourful as last year (maybe not surprising given the heat and complete absence of rain since the beginning of the month), the fields overlooking Luddesdown valley (as seen from my favourite perch of the Bassett's Seat at Wrenches Shaw), are still surprisingly green, with many colourful wild flowers now visible in amongst the ripening crops.

Towards Luddesdown, view from the Bassett's Seat

The photograph doesn't really do justice to the blues, yellows and whites of the flowers growing amongst the oats.  The blues and purples are provided by a mixture of chicory, creeping thistle and tufted vetch.

Chicory

Creeping Thistle

Tufted Vetch

Corn Sow-thistle provides a bright yellow contrast...

Corn Sow-Thistle...

The Stinking Chamomile is also starting to show through at the field margins.  An unfortunate name for such a pretty little plant, but it is indeed named for its unpleasant smell.  It closely resembles Corn Chamomile, where its smell distinguishes it from its odourless relative, which also has more feathery, rather than wiry, leaves. The stinker seems to be the prevalent species in the Luddesdown area...

Stinking Chamomile

Views from Six Acre Wood...

Coming back from a short walk into Cuxton on a hot summer's morning, I decided to stay in the shade of Six Acres Wood, rather than the more open route up Church Hill.  I took a couple of photos from the point where Six Acres meets Mays Wood...

Cuxton from Six Acres..

Towards Court Lodge from Six Acres...

Originally a farm and manor house owned by the Darnleys, Court Lodge became a drawing office for aircraft manufacturer's Shorts during WW2.  The surrounding land was eventually sold off and industrialised, playing host to a plastics factory and then (from 1955) local paint factory Turner, King and Shepherd (TKS). That ceased trading in 1985, and the land was eventually sold off for housing.  The area is now the mini-housing estate of Riggalls Court.

Walking around the edge of Mays Wood, there was much colourful summer wildlife to be seen...

Common Poppies

Bristly Oxtongue

Enchanters Nightshade

Marbled White

Greater Knapweed

Wild Marjoram with Meadow Brown (top left) and Common Blue (centre).

Ranscombe Farm reserve...

This very warm Sunday afternoon was spent casually walking around Ranscombe Farm reserve  in the company of Richard, a botanist from Plantlife. I count myself very lucky to have this area so close to home, as it is a veritable oasis of interesting plants and wildlife. This area of woodland and arable fields is managed by Plantlife and an enlightened and supportive local farmer, Andrew Lingham.

More information on this flagship reserve for Plantlife can be found here...

From the edge of Kitchen Field, looking east across Southern Valley...

I have no doubt that I missed many of the treasures that Ranscombe had to offer that day, but here are some of the ones I managed to catch on camera...

The butterflies were very numerous. In the grassland areas opposite Longhoes there were dozens of Marbled Whites, newly emerged.  The hot weather made them very restless and active, but this one stayed still just long enough for a slightly out-of-focus photocall...

Marbled White...

I saw four Large Skippers that afternoon. Here's one...

Large Skipper...

This rather splendid Comma took a break from laying her eggs on nearby nettle tips and settled on an adjacent bramble leaf long enough to be photographed..

Comma...

A couple of White Admirals were spotted on the boundaries of Great Wood, as well as one or two fast-flying Silver-Washed Fritillaries.  The Speckled Woods could also be found in the shady woodland margins...

Speckled Wood

A few (I counted three on the wing, there could well have been more) of the numerous grassland Meadow Browns were missing the otherwise distinctive black spot on their forewings: these are subspecies aberrations known as anommata. This one was enjoying a drink from a knapweed flower...

Meadow Brown, var. anommata...

Some of the plants were also rarities, for which Ranscombe is a known stronghold. The striking blue flowers of Meadow Clary were a welcome sight...

Meadow Clary...

The rare and delicate-looking Rough Mallow were also found in their dozens, scattered low down in the parched grassy borders...

Rough Mallow...

There were other colourful and interesting, albeit not so rare wildflowers on show...

Viper's Bugloss...

Viper's Bugloss was once believed to be an antidote to adder venom: I guess the folk who believed that have all long since died from adder bites..

Creeping Jenny...

The little yellow flowers of the low-growing Creeping Jenny were a common site on the grassland paths...

Common Sorrel...

The striking red blooms of Common Sorrel provided a colourful contrast to the blues of the nearby mallows and knapweeds...

Cotton (Scotch) Thistle..

This singular specimen of Cotton Thistle (named for its downy coating) was about to flower...

Musk Mallow...

The large purple flowers of Musk Mallow were common in the woodland path edges, albeit mostly as single specimens...

Bee Orchid...

A few Bee Orchids were on show alongside the woodland paths...

Marjoram and Hedge Bedstraw...

Back out in the grasslands, colourful and contrasting masses of purple Marjoram and Hedge Bedstraw were on display...

To Luddesdown from Halling

Some snapshots from a walk to Luddesdown...

Common Spotted Orchid, Rochester Forest

Birds Foot Trefoil, Bavins Shaw

Self-heal, Bavins Shaw

Silver-Washed Fritillary, Bavins Shaw

The summer heatwave is starting to ripen the Luddesdown oat fields...

Luddesdown church - view from Wrenches Shaw

Cobham church - view from Wrenches Shaw

Annual Cuxton bell-ringer's outing...

This year saw the crew visiting a selection of bell towers in the Thames Valley region.  First port of call was St. Mary's at Winkfield...

St. Mary's, Winkfield

The church aisle is rather unusual as a row of roof supports runs down its centre.  Apparently, bridal couples have to walk down it separately...

Aisle, St. Mary's Winkfield (with One Man and His Dog)...

Nave, St. Mary's Winkfield

Next stop, All Saints at Maidenhead...

All Saints, Maidenhead...

The high-walled interior is rather splendid...

All Saints, Maidenhead...

All Saints, Maidenhead...

All Saints, Maidenhead...

Crypt brass, All Saints, Maidenhead...

Lunch was at Henley-On-Thames, followed by a ringing session at the Church of St. Mary The Virgin...

St. Mary the Virgin, Henley-on-Thames...

The church itself is quite close to the River Thames...

River Thames from Henley, looking north...

River Thames from Henley, looking south...

This is another church blessed with a high-ceilinged interior...

St. Mary the Virgin, Henley-on-Thames...

Stained glass, St. Mary the Virgin, Henley-on-Thames...

On to St. Lawrence at Waltham...

St. Lawrence, Waltham...

...and. to end a long day, a visit to All Saints at Binfield...

All Saints, Binfield...

All of the folk we met at all of the towers were wonderfully friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.  Our thanks to all of them for helping to make our outing so enjoyable.