Spring Memory Walk 27th April 2014

Mark's Hill Nature Reserve

This might well have been re-titled ‘Bluebell Walk’ as thousands of these delicate woodland plants were in full bloom.  Spring being early this year, the bluebells provided a magnificent sight as a group of 21 people set off from Delmores car park into the nature reserve.

Thankfully we were spared the rain showers forecast earlier and in fact the sun came out and shone beautifully through the trees.  We sauntered along, maps in hand, with Colin pointing out various areas of interest.  Peck’s Pond, the site of the former large house ‘Nore View’, a huge pollarded Hornbeam tree marking the boundary between Lee Chapel and Laindon, a large strongly constructed well, known as a ‘cistern’ and various subtle signs of the former plotland community.

The group were in good spirits, chatting and laughing and one or two of them who were familiar with the area were able to point out where various bungalows had once stood.  We continued to the small pond in the far corner of the orchid meadow which marks the site where the German Dornier Do 17 Bomber came down on 15th September 1940 in a garden in Gladstone Road.  We stood quietly while Ken told a little of the history.

As always, a couple of hours simply fly past when you are enjoying yourselves and all too soon we were walking back through the bluebell lined path to the car park.  Here, the group lingered a while, after an enjoyable afternoon, still chatting away happily.  We waved each other ‘goodbye’ adding ‘hope to see you again next time’.

We arrived home at 4:30 and before long, the weather changed and the rain came down.  Were we jammy or what!

Nina Humphrey
Helen Painter
Nina Humphrey
Nina Humphrey
Nina Humphrey
Propeller from the crashed Dornier bomber displayed at Billericay Library - date unknown.
Ken Porter
Nina Humphrey

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  • Looks like you all had a great day for it. Love those bluebells they take me back over 60 years to the days we walked through the Crown [Hall?] woods at the back of St Marys church. 

    Enlighten me please, what is a ‘pollarded Hornbeam tree”?,

    I’ve never heard of it??. Thanks for the photos of the walk, keep them coming, all the best to you all, Ken Page, Australia.

    By Ken Page (04/05/2014)
  • Hornbeam (Carpinus Betulus) is a relatively small hardwood tree.  Pollarding is a pruning system in which the upper branches of a tree are removed, promoting a dense head of foliage and branches.

    By Anne Burton (04/05/2014)
  • Lovely walk, thank you very much!

    By Lisa Horner (03/05/2014)
  • Looks like a lovely walk, I love bluebells, in fact I have made the first photo my background picture and have printed it out and now have it in a photo frame.

    By Anne Burton (29/04/2014)

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