Lucy Johnson continues her adventures in wetland, this time in a Nottinghamshire variant on the theme: Attenborough Nature Reserve, with thoughts of St Aidan’s and Fairburn Ings in mind.
Fairburn Ings and St Aidan’s are among the most interesting places to visit along the Aire, as former coal mines which have been reclaimed for nature, providing a home to a host of species. In early May I was enticed along to a Nottinghamshire variant on the theme: Attenborough Nature Reserve, which used to be gravel pits for nearly forty years from the late 1920s, and now covers a substantial part of 560 acres of a SSSI.
I chose to come down for a wander having enjoyed a similar Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust event at the other end of the county, at Idle Valley Nature Reserve near Retford. Idle Valley Nature Reserve is a 790 acre SSSI, which counts beavers amongst its residents.
Like Attenborough, it had a previous existence as gravel pits. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust manage around 41 sites. Its origins, similarly to the Aire Rivers Trust, date back to a public meeting in 1962. Attenborough became its first site in 1966 following public objection to the infilling of its lakes.
I had glimpsed the reserve from the train the previous evening, huge expanses of water tracing the space between the trainline and the river. The plan was to take a leisurely stroll from my hotel in Beeston along the couple of miles through the reserve to the meeting point, but I ended up having to walk briskly, passing a range of friendly faces out for a stroll, kitted out with binoculars, or cycling to work. I can’t imagine a more beautiful commute than these wooded areas surrounding calm lakes, framed by the river. The apparent absence of Himalayan balsam, despite the location, was impressive, as was the presence of fistfuls of small fish visible by a small weir.
I was grateful to discover on arrival at the beautifully-designed visitor centre that the planned route was fairly short. Joining the talk today was walk leader Lynn, volunteer Juliet, who has volunteered with the Trust for five years, regular attendee Julie, and not forgetting Ambassadog Timmy. Lynn has bright eyes and a lively manner, and gets a bit of stage fright when she hears I’ve travelled from West Yorkshire specifically for the event.
Timmy is sociable and very well-behaved, as befits his role. He is tasked with modelling good behaviour around the site, such as always being on the lead (vital for ground-nesting birds) and having his leavings properly disposed of. Owner Lynn, in addition to accompanying Timmy on his explorations, can also hand out puppy treat vouchers to responsible dog owners to redeem in the café.
Our walk begins in the car park, with trees I had recently marched past at speed. Although the walk was advertised as, ‘Nature Spotting: Buds, leaves and blossoms,’ most of the talk focuses on the leaves and blossom as buds are few and far between. We find a yellow-blossomed laburnum, which is beautiful, though a little out of place in a nature reserve, nestling alongside some hawthorn and blackthorn, the blossoms on the latter already withered. In this stretch there are willows of various types and a mix of wild flowers which Lynn ably identifies. Over the other side of the car park is an apple or crab apple of doubtful provenance with lovely blossom.
We stop to take in sycamore blossom before taking a path towards Attenborough village, passing cherry trees and a beautiful oak, to which all of the walk participants feel a connection.
As we near the village, we spot some mallards below a fence, on which is perching a grey goose, who looks a little fretful. When we return ten minutes later, having reached the reserve boundary, the goose is still there, looking quite like he was keeping an eye out for something.
Throughout the walk various apps are used as an adjunct to participants’ IDs, or to provide more information. I’m not above using an ID app, but for me and the amount of working brain I have, whether the apps are providing a label or reinforcing an ID I’ve already made, I don’t feel they help with my long-term memory.
Returning to the centre, Lynn kindly invites me to return for future walks. I also have an excellent coffee with Juliet on the platform behind the centre looking at the lake. We discuss bird and plant ID, languages, literature and other such topics. Eventually Juliet has to return to work, leaving me to explore the wildlife garden, which is well used, with a picnic table of women enjoying a coffee and young children peering at the pond. After some mild confusion I find the sand piper viewing area and stand mesmerised as they dive in and out of their carefully located tunnels. Clearly, family business every bit as lively as the families enjoying the wildlife garden is in progress.
I retrace my steps through to Attenborough village, finding the tiny train station that reminds me of the atmosphere of Edward Thomas’s Adlestrop, finding itself accidentally in use. I’m now on two for two with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust events being an excellent choice. I would recommend to anyone to attend a tree and plant ID walk. There’s always more to learn, and if you already know everything you can have the satisfaction of deepening someone else’s connection to nature. Somebody else always has a different knowledge or connection to the same plant, even down to different local names. Seeing, smelling and touching beautiful spring blossom can bring you into a closer connection with yourself and others.
Understanding blossom is part of understanding the life cycle of hedgerows, which are vital to the work of the Aire Rivers Trust. Different guided walks can be followed at Attenborough Nature Reserve on the last Wednesday morning of every month, with details found on Eventbrite.
