Monday

 On Monday we visited Ilam (pronounced eye-lamb) Park, in the Staffordshire Village of Ilam.  It is a 158 acre site which sits on either side of the River Manifold. It's managed by the National Trust.

  It seems ages since we last walked there.  I'd have to search back through my photos to see when it was.  I searched on here and came up with a post of November 2021, so possibly that was the last time.   

Ilam Hall, which was re-built and re-designed in the 1820s by the Watts-Russell family, was donated to the National Trust in 1934.  The main hall is leased to The Youth Hostel Association.

How the hall used to look before part of it was demolished in the 1930s.

Above The Church of the Holy Cross. 

The remains of a Saxon Cross on Paradise Walk. It was found in the foundations of a cottage in the village of Ilam in the 1840s.

Morning Coffee at the tea rooms and a visit to the bookshop before a quick photograph of another wallaby.

This one is Walla-B Fierce painted and illustrated by Ella Kasperowicz in collaboration with Pride in the Moorlands.

It was a lovely morning for a walk, dry and not too warm. There were lots of families enjoying themselves on the Mole Trail.

It was time to move on to our next destination for lunch and another wallaby.  I'll save that for a later post.

Monday in the Garden

I went out into the garden about 8pm. yesterday evening.  It was delightful.  Quiet and peaceful, the light was wonderful, making the garden look quite different from earlier in the day.  We had taken a walk, first thing across the local nature reserve and the May or Hawthorn  blossom was certainly out although there was a really cold wind and I was glad I'd added an extra layer under my jacket.

Later that morning I went out and took photos of the plants and flowers that have made an appearance over the last few days.

The Tamarisk tree is moving towards its fluffy pink phase.  The Peony in the back garden has two flowers open already. 

 The one in the front garden is still in bud.  Geums, Aquilegia, Bistort and Astilbe are doing well.  Also the Clematis Montana and Mountain Cornflowers.  Sweet peas are beginning to climb and twist around their supports and Rhubarb, Gooseberries and Strawberries are also doing well.

The Rhubarb is ready to eat and we've already had stewed Rhubarb with a Rhubarb Yoghurt and a Rhubarb crumble with custard.  The Strawberries will be next and then the Gooseberries.

Sweet peas and strawberries

Gooseberries

The shrub above (not sure what it is) was buzzing with bees, we counted at least a dozen on there.

No rain forecast for the next few days so some watering will have to be done.  The water butts will need replenishing soon as we've used some of the water to top up the pond. 

Bluebells in May

Our nearest local woods are noted for their bluebells and this last week has been a good time to see them.

Hem Heath Woods are maintained by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and I think in a previous post about them I mentioned the many trees lost to the Ash Dieback disease. 

 Lots of Ash trees have been felled, the tree canopy is more open and the paths seem wider but the bluebells soldier on regardless.

Trying to spot birds amongst the trees.

I could hear Robins, Wrens and Blackbirds but missed the Song Thrush, Nuthatch and Chiff Chaff that Merlin told me I should have heard. 

It was a lovely bright sunny day, and this seemed to add to the vividness of the green and the deepness of the blue.  I'm afraid my old camera didn't do justice to the intensity of colour and the heat and scent in the woods.

We seemed to have the wood mostly to ourselves, just two or three dog walkers from the nearby houses.

We spotted many other wildflowers along the way.

All for now.  Have a lovely weekend.

Thursday's Walk

Thursday's walk was a leisurely stroll around Westport Lake and later down the canal path we went to Middleport Pottery for lunch, it was a sunny but chilly day with a cool breeze so a thick pea and mint soup was consumed and enjoyed before we headed home.

The grass was white with daisies.

There were lots of lovely reflections in the small pools at the side of the lake.

Greylag goose

 

Swan and cygnets

Female Mallard with ducklings.

 

A brave Greylag hoping we had food

Canalside at the pottery.

Bottle Oven, Bottle Kiln or Pot Bank as they are called locally.

Pottery Entrance

Spotted - does this need a funny caption? My brain has been devoid of words the last few days.

 Sorry, that's three posts in one day but it seemed better to split up each walk to keep the posts  short or shorter.

Tuesday's Walk

Yesterday's walk  at Trentham Gardens was all about Lambs and Swans with a few other birds heard up in the woodland.  It was a beautiful morning so fresh and green after the rain the day before.

We brought the Merlin bird song identifier into use and along the paths up at the top of the estate we heard Jackdaw, Robin, Blackbird, Wren, Chiff Chaff, Blackcap and Jay.  Later down near the lake we heard Greylag geese, Blue tits, Coots, and Common Reed Warblers.  Up in the trees a woodpecker was tip-tapping but for some reason,  this didn't seem to register on the App.

It was lambing time on the Estate and we saw quite a few lambs.

The sheep are brought into the lambing area from the field when lambs are due.

There are a mixture of Jacob and Herdwicks.

Back down by the lake there were lots of swans.  

Quite a gathering in fact.

Whilst in the formal garden the tulips were looking wonderful.

I love all the different colours together

Such a cheerful sight.