Redbridge Lakes and Claybury Woods.
A bright though slightly chill-wind 12th April became a bright and not un-warm very-Spring day as Jacky led a group of 10 of us on a visit to Redbridge Lakes and Claybury Woods.
I'd known of the Redbridge Lakes, but had never visited, and it was a new area to most of us, I think. It is really planned for the benefit of anglers, I would say, but is called a conservation area and is a nice place for a family visit, with bee-hives to see, tadpoles to dip for and a bird-hide to hide from birds from. There is also a cafe, so of course that was our first objective.
After walking around one of the two lakes, we made our way across an adjacent playing-field then up Roding Lane North to enter the west end of Claybury Woods, crossing a Roman Road as we did so. Although probably two or so weeks early for the best show of bluebells, the sunshine and warmth had encouraged enough to begin to flower to at least give a tinge of blue. There were chiffchaffs singing all around, and a few butterflies, too.
Jacky gave us a choice of two routes to cater for different levels of ability; with a number of recent injuries and ops. amongst our contingent this was a sensible thing to do. One of the routes began with an uphill climb and was more strenuous and the other was a lower-level route and easier underfoot. Always for some odd reason wanting to go uphill rather than down, I choose to join the group of 6 who took the higher one. This led us up and through the woods - where wild garlic wasn't yet in flower, but wood anemones were. We met up briefly with the others, arranged a meeting place further on and continued through the ancient woodland, with a surprising amount of green-leaf showing on the hornbeams.
Meeting the others – who were relaxing by the pond – we made our way back to our cars from where some of us went to a nearby inn for a meal.
Not at all a bad day. Thanks to Jacky for organising it and being aware of people's needs. Those of us who did the whole circuit covered 3 miles.
Paul Ferris, 13th April 2015