May 2018 meeting

22 members plus a guest met for the Club's Nature Ramble. We enjoyed a very pleasant spring evening, with an interesting “mackerel sky”. We gathered at Bower Hill Farm, some being taken on a tour of the wildlife lakes by Guy our host, while others, less able to tackle the terrain, enjoyed the garden and its fine outlook.

For us all, it was a great pleasure to see the rich, green growth of grass and trees, and the colourful wild flowers, especially the bluebells.

Bower Hill Farm is a 42 acre farm set in the rolling landscape of a Greensand Ridge. There is a vast area devoted to the creation and protection of habitats for wildlife, including woodland areas, wildflower meadows, grassland, wildlife corridors, hedgerows, lakes and ponds. 

Bower Hill Farm has been owned by Guy Amos since 1983. The lakes and ponds were constructed in 2003/05. Guy is trained in agriculture, and runs a smallholding of cows and sheep and looks after the conservation areas on the farm, under a diversification programme.

As darkness fell, a fish-and-chip supper was much enjoyed in the barn.

Our next meeting will be the Tipplers' Stroll on Tuesday 5th June starting at 7.00, our hosts being the Dickinsons and the Hoskins.

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