Rotary Christmas Walk

Rotary Christmas Walk

Thursday 13th December 2018

From the “The Stag's Head”

1 High Street,  Great Doddington,
Wellingborough, Northants, NN29 7TQ

We’ll meet in the Stag's Head car park at 10am and order our lunch before walking to Summer Leys Nature Reserve via footpaths.

The reserve is on the Great Doddington to Wollaston road not far from the A45.  It is run by The Wildlife Trust and they look after it very well.  Boots recommenced.

There are many wintering wildlife to view whilst walking around the Reserve. There’s also a chance of the traditional libation being on offer, too! Friends welcome to join us on the walk and non- walkers welcome to join us for lunch.

Jackie Brame

Rotary Club Christmas Walk

Yes folks, it’s that time of year again when the hardy walkers of Northampton Rotary Club battle the elements for the sake of fresh air and exercise!

Well, this year there was no battle as the weather was cold, clear and sunny for us. Nine of us gathered at the Stag’s Head in Great Doddington at 10am on Thursday 13th December, intent on getting the important business sorted first – ordering lunch.  We were pleased to have Margaret, Ann, Hazel and Sarah with us. Under Jackie’s leadership we set off on foot from the pub, heading downhill towards the Nene wetlands and the beautiful Sumer Leys Nature Reserve. We did get the odd puzzled look from an odd sheep or two as we passed through their field but we soon became “ordinary people” when we reached the reserve and mingled with the twitchers.

Our first short stop was at a bird hide that looked out on a varied collection of bird feeders which were attracting a multitude of little birds. Every day someone goes down there to top up the feeders and there was a colourful collection of Tits, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches and Buntings and if you were really alert you would have spotted the shy Bullfinches.

En route to the next bird hide Brian identified some huge, dinner plate size mushrooms as being edible, to our surprise. This hide looked out across the water and one or two of us had been wise enough to remember to bring binoculars – really useful for a good view of the many water birds and waders.

The third bird hide we came across was elevated to give a wonderful view out across the lake and all its residents. It was here Jackie produced the traditional Christmas Tipple – Croft sherry this year – and some delicious mini mince pies (which had also strayed too near a bottle!) Moving on, we continued on the perimeter path around the reserve, passing a path leading off the car park to a Rotary bird hide, which we unfortunately didn’t have time to investigate. After 2 hours walking, we arrived on the High Street in Great Doddington which led us back to the pub. After walking nearly 4 miles we were well ready for lunch.

We had the Garden Room to ourselves for lunch, which was sociable and the food was good.  Sarah and Hazel decided they preferred to be bar-flies but did eventually climb down off their bar stools to eat with the rest of us. Lesley joined us for lunch and we had a leisurely time – 'till suddenly it was 2.15 and time to go!

Aileen Stephens