Welcome to Minchinhampton Walking and Wildlife Group

 Minchinhampton Common north side

The group was formed to share knowledge about the unique wildlife habitats in the parish of Minchinhampton and to enjoy the local environment in the company of like-minded people. We also monitor and investigate local habitats in conjunction with conservation organisations. Knowledge that we gain is shared on this website and by creating documented walks around the parish.

Also find us on Facebook.

 

Green winged orchid

We had our first sighting of this year's orchids today, both Early Purple and Green-winged (though we were told of a sighting last weekend). They are still few, far between and only just showing flowers, but now coming through in a number of the usual locations through which we passed.

Details
Category: Flora

The 6.6km (4.2m) walk follows the Cotswold Way from the car park near Harefield Beacon amongst the magnificent beach trees of Standish Woods. It is superb on a sunny day in the Spring when the bluebells are exceptionally abundant. The return is across the valley climbing to Harefield Beacon, rejoining the Cotswold Way back to the car park (about 220m or 700' of climbing in total). This could be completed in two hours at a brisk pace, but we always find that we linger taking photographs in the woods, or enjoying the view from Haresfield Beacon. Allow at least 30 minutes extra!

Details
Category: Non-local Walks

Box Woods Bluebells

24 April 2016: Spring flowers are appearing in Box Woods.

Details
Category: Flora

Observed while walking along the bottom of Bownham Common above Swells Hill. Also seen: two Small Tortoise Shells and Two Peacocks. We also noticed Larch budding with both this year's and last year's cones on the same branch and this week has also seen the appearance of cowslips on the Commons.

Green HairstreakGreen Hairstreak Larch ConesLarch Cones CowslipsCowslips
Details
Category: Butterflies

Dateline: Good Friday, 25th March 2016 - my first Brimstone of the year, a golden buttery-yellow in colour flitting through the garden, surely a sign of Spring. I wondered on the rain soaked Saturday that followed how it would have faired. They are great survivors - its life would have started in May or June 2015 as an egg laid on a sunny twig of a buckthorn bush in a hedge or woodland edge, the egg would have hatched after two weeks and our small green caterpillar would start to feed on the upper surface of a buckthorn leaf. During July, now a fully grown caterpillar, it would pupate and form a chrysalis. A further two weeks and our fully grown Brimstone butterfly would emerge.

Next priorities would be to feed up on nectar rich flowers ready to hibernate over winter, find a mate in March and April and thus start the life cycle once more. The male of the Brimstone is bright yellow, the female is a much paler green-white.

Details
Category: Butterflies
  • You are here:  
  • Home