Thornbury Wayfinders

It was my intention to reconnoitre a route I had planned linking three nature reserves by means of two Slow Ways – Austho one and Ausbra one. These ugly constructions designate a route from Aust to Thornbury, which I was going to walk backwards and one from Aust to Bradley Stoke, which I was going to do in part.

The three reserves are a local nature reserve called Woodwell Meadow on the side of a hill at Littleton-on-Severn overlooking the original suspension bridge to Wales, a new Wetland reserve in Aust, which is managed by South Glos in partnership with the zoo, where water buffalo are planned and the Acorn Co-Forest in Almondsbury.

I began in the Mundy playing fields in Thornbury, where, as it happens, there was a Parkrun in progress. It struck me that the Parkrun makes the most of the natural treasures of the Mundy’s as it keeps to the tree-lined periphery of the park, some of which are maintained by the town council, but others grow in neighbouring properties, which, if registered, could be part of Thornbury Town Council’s Community Nature Reserve.

As I left the playing field, I joined the Jubilee Way as it crossed a field that appeared to growing wild flowers and headed up the hill towards the Golf Course, passing on the way the bench dedicated to Allan Burberry, who contributed much to the surviving wild places of Thornbury. The bench enjoys views across the Severn past St Arilda’s church and the disused nuclear power station that squats like a Norman keep on the river bank at Oldbury Naite, and views back towards Thornbury.

The Jubilee Way skirts the Golf Course and the edge of Kington Grove, but the heat of the day was such that it drove me into the shaded path through the wood, which includes conifers that may give off some of the substance that make Shinrin Yoko or Forest Bathing so beneficial.

Across Mumbley’s Platt, the Jubilee Way heads along Sweet Water Lane and Bond Lane, where the shade from Oak, Ash, Thorn, Field Maple, Hazel and Holly were a relief. I noticed that some Ash trees were suffering and some interesting bracket fungi.

When I left the lane to enter a field, I noticed some cattle on the move. I wondered why they were not heading towards me as curious young cattle often do, but the reason became clear when I entered the next field. There was a man leading a young bay horse, which was much more interesting to the cattle than I was. The horse became skittish when the cattle started following it. He turned to face the cattle so the horse settled and he was able to mount it eventually.

I continued past Hay Wood and Cole’s Brake to enter the tree lined bridle way up to Woodwell Meadow. As I climbed, the rider came cantering past and I noticed that he was riding without a bit – so either a bitless bridle or a headcollar!

As I sat to admire the view over the river from a bench, I thought that maybe I had passed three nature reserves already!

To be continued