Continuing our quest of going new places, three fifths of us went to Fowlmere Nature Reserve. (Cassandra is away, unreplaced by any dancing girls at time of writing, and my eldest was in town with his mates. As he is of that age now.) You can see the obligatory flickr set if you wish.
I love being in such places. I love it more when no other humans (aside from those I own) are around. The only sounds are the wind and the birds. I must get a tape of bird songs, in order to be able to identify what is going on around me. We did pass a few other souls, with their binoculars and matching wind cheaters, but mostly it was just us. Chatting and laughing and listening and looking.
We loved the path, which was a bridge, with the wetlands to either side of us. We loved the reeds, and the wind jabbering through it. We loved the crystal clear water of the multitudinous streams and channels. We loved sitting in the hides, in the quiet, watching. We loved the hide-on-stalks, giving us a 270° view of the whole area. We loved kicking the leaves on the winding paths. We loved the snatched glimpses of squirrels, rabbits, kestrels and merlins. We loved being startled by the call of some bird close by. We loved all the different bird songs we heard. We loved it there.
It still suprises me (although it shouldn’t by now) the knowledge my children have in their heads, and their joy and willingness to share it. It warms me that we can spend hours away from all modern trappings and have as much fun, if not more, than spending large amounts of cash to go into some soulless arena with flashing lights and jarring noises. Who would live in the centre of a city? Certainly not me.
I have no idea where our binoculars are, but I must find them before we go again. As we will go again.
My earliest (and fondest) memory is of being in the woods in autumn, rolling down the hill with my folks in the leaf litter and seeing a deer at the bottom. Parents who take their kids out to the countryside are fabulous. FACT.
You ought to go to Wicken Fen. It’s part of the Great Fen project. Even has wild(ish) ponies and medieval looking swamp (as you’d expect in a fen).
1
Robbie Bow
Sat 10 Nov, 8:34PM
Wicken Fen is on the list, and has been for a while. Fitting all this in to an already-packed weekend is the hard part.
2
Stray Taoist
Sat 10 Nov, 8:37PM
hmmm, I love the quiet places! Visiting my folks in the back of beyond is always a huge treat.
3
Adele
Mon 12 Nov, 5:44PM
It sounds great there! Paxton Pits is also lovely, near St Neots…it’s really quiet and pretty and they even have these little bird watching huts!
4
Heather
Tue 20 Nov, 5:04PM
Wandering along the meanders of the interwebs, I loved your post.
Gazing past the high brows and the low brows, I loved your title.
Sitting by the bubbling brook of beautiful words, I loved your loves.
Your loves shared may just well be contagious, thank you :)
5
TIm
Fri 23 Nov, 9:11AM