For those of you not on facebook, I thought I'd give a quick overview of our meeting on Monday 9th May so you come prepared. At 7 pm we'll meet on the corner of Holmesdale Avenue and Nutfield Road - nearest 430/435 bus stop in Mill Lane. We'll meet Richard Jones whose taken some fabulous pictures of local wildlife for Merstham Wildlife sightings and guide facebook page who will shows us some of the locations where he has taken his photographs. With any luck we may spot an interesting bird or two. When Debbie and I walked with him for a walk round we actually spotted a buzzard on a post, a heron and the swans - I am actually super excited to share this walk with you all.
As not all members are mobile there are 2 options which are these:
Walk 1, Water colour lakes - just around here and we will stop at the bridge in the middle to see what birds we can. Alice will take those walkers around back to the start and you can go by car to the pub - very easy flat walking and about 1 kilometre distance. The viewing platforms near the houses are worth stopping at for a look and there are couple of benches.
Walk 2. Water colour lake, south side - stop at bridge for a look at the view. We then turn left at the end (if you want to walk up the hill and come down the steps a good over view to be had from the top - no handrail on steps though) we follow the cycle track down by the railway track. Easy flat walking. We will definitely the swans and may see a heron (and if we're really lucky a cormorant or an egret). At the bottom we turn left along cycle track 21 - here we see Paul Matthews living hedge. Here the route gets a little tricky - the cycle path is still flooded so we will take the dry route through the trees - the path is narrow, rutted and slopping in parts. If you need walking poles, take them. Walking boots or good solid shoes with good sole essential. This is not a long stretch but a little rough under foot. Take it slowly ad watch your footing. We continue over some mud and follow the track to Cormongers Lane. We then safely cross the road and walk down Chilmead lane to the pub - yeay! This walk is just over 2kms .
After the pub we can either walk back to the start via Mercers Lake which may provide some lovely opportunities for sunset pictures - or some obliging ladies can give lifts back to Nutfield Road.
So remember - please wear suitable footwear - walking poles if needed, waterproof jacket if weather looks inclement. Insect repellent if you are likely to be a feast for mozzies and of course a camera or mobile phone. Also a torch possibly recommended if likely to leave pub after 8.30 - Sunset is 8.35 pm on 9th May.
Below is one of Richard's pictures taken of a heron on the Holmethorpe Lagoon on 6th May as a taster of what we may get to see on Monday.
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