Yesterday, we went on a walk that guided us through southern Clumber.
Our starting point was the grand clocktower that was equipped with golden hands and Roman numerals. This tower was directly above an archway, adding to its majesty. From here, we followed the lake towards Clumber Bridge, passing the stone Clumber Grotto and brick Pump House. As it was previously damaged, Clumber Bridge is closed off to cars by barriers. However, the bridge will be guarded by stone monuments in the future.
Then, we passed through Beech Drive, a track lined with towering beech trees. Leaving Beech Drive behind, we entered the walk’s longest stretch. On the left were rows of coniferous trees grown for timber, while the right was a fenced off, boggy field. Behind this field, a clear transition from deciduous trees to coniferous trees could be seen. Now in woodland, we passed two stone entrances, Drayton and Normanton Gates.
In the boggy field, the conditions were perfect for a type of rush. We wanted a closer look at this plant to confirm it was a type of rush. However, most of it was out of reach. When we finally found some we could reach, we saw an obvious difference between it and nearby grass: the rush was round and the grass was flat with nodes.
After passing the gates, we stopped for a warm cup of soup. Then, we entered a field, heading towards Hardwick Village. However, we had to be careful and respectful as the inhabitants were cattle. The path cutting through the field was as sandy as a beach. The main difference between the track and a beach was all the dung! From the field, we could see the weir in the distance.
The final section of walk started at a ford with a very strong current. This area seemed to be popular for ducks. On the ford, we saw an aquatic path forged by reeds winding towards the weir. After traveling through the village, we reached the lake once more. In the distance, we spotted a swan with its…back end in the air.
While traveling past the lake, we checked on the coot nest we saw during the Bluebell Woods of Clumber walk. This time we saw four chicks and two adults, but we had previously seen just two chicks and two adults. Three chicks were swimming with the father, while the other chick stayed on the nest. Meanwhile, the mother was repairing the nest from a flood.
I’m looking forward to seeing the monuments at the bridge and personal imagine statues of lions, deer or another animal. Also, seeing the coot chicks so active was very exciting.