Corporation Bank

After dropping Alex off at Orton Pit for a morning of grass-raking, Pete and I headed out to Newborough as our local Wildlife Trust group needed some photographs. We took Rosie and made time for a quick walk round some of the bye-ways and footpaths in this stretch of the Welland valley. This is the Corporation Bank, which forms the outer bank of the Welland Washes. In the past the washes would have been allowed to flood in winter, but this no longer occurs. However, this cattle grazed grassy bank, with its mature hedge, is excellent for the local birds - a large flock of rooks were foraging near the cattle and at dusk I'm sure barn owls would be hunting over the area.

The rest of the day was spent preparing for a work trip to Surrey, We ate early and drove down in the evening - not too much traffic but heavy rain through most of Essex and an absolutely torrential storm just the other side of the Dartford Crossing. We could see the pitch black cloud descending to ground level for some miles before we were engulfed by it - very eerie. I've never been over the Dartford Crossing at dusk - the Thames estuary looked spectacular and I wished could stop and take it all in slowly - as well as get a few photographs!

Chris, Alex and I finally arrived at the guest house about 9.30 and were shown to our room which was excellent. And there was just time for a quick trip to the local hostelry, Ye Olde Six Bells, just three minutes down the road - a little bit of ancient Horley encapsulated by suburbia.