A dappled walk at Kingcombe Meadows

Having recorded 19 species of butterflies in one day in August last year at Powerstock Common and Brackett's Coppice, we decided to see if we could match that number this year. I devised a route which started at the Kingcombe Centre, joined the Jubilee Trail west, headed south to Powerstock Common and then back along the disused railway line to Toller Porcorum and north along the Jubilee Trail back to the Kingcombe Centre.

We started on Kingcombe Road and went through the Kingcombe Meadows Reserve.

Kingcombe Road, Jubilee Trail - SY5598

Kingcombe Meadows - SY 5598

It was a glorious day with just the right amount of cloud cover and with dozens of Meadow Browns and Ringlets keeping us company en route.

Ringlet

We continued along the Jubilee Trail past Redholm Coppice, stopping to photograph small skipper butterflies which we later identified as Essex Skippers as they had black ends to their antennae.

Essex Skipper - a new butterfly species for me.

Kingcombe Meadows - Redholm Coppice - SY5498

We avoided a field of cows by turning onto the road. Even better - the road was closed so we had no fear of traffic and could revel in the quietness of this lazy Sunday. It is wonderful to feel nature's embrace and it's one of the reasons I enjoy being outdoors so much. You become aware of nature's breath, its vitality, its very essence and, in the presence of so much life and vitality, you feel yourself becoming more alive, more energised and more observant. It beats sitting indoors enclosed by four walls any day. Of course it helps when the weather is good, the birds are singing, the bees are buzzing and the butterflies are flitting past, but there's also energy in the rain and so I try to be positive whatever the weather because if you're outdoors, there's movement, there's fresh air, there are bouquets of scent; it's all natural; it's all good for you - I'd go as far as to say it's essential for a healthy lifestyle. 

With these thoughts in mind we trotted down the lane towards Powerstock Common and, without the sound or pollution of traffic it was a delightful walk. Sunrays filtered through the trees' canopy, producing a dancing, dappled effect, movement and light which was accompanied by the suthering of the leaves as they whispered to each other. ('Suthering' is a poetic term used by John Clare to describe the noise of the wind through leaves).

Dappledness and suthering near Powerstock Common - SY5498

I loved the ways the trees' canopies interlaced across the road - a feature known as interarboration.

Interarboration

Once through this delightful bower, the roadside verges continued to assail our sense with the heady scent of Meadowsweet, its creamy colour contrasting beautifully with the shocking pink of the Great Willowherb. I paused to breathe it in more deeply and just to make sure I'd noticed it as much as it deserved!

Meadowsweet and Great Willowherb

Meadowsweet

We were soon at the entrance to Powerstock Common and the reason for the road closure became evident. Repairs to a bridge were being undertaken. We wove our way round barriers and fences and entered the nature reserve, eyes and ears alert.

Powerstock Common - the entrance to the reserve - SY5497

We idled our way round the reserve, keen to see anything. The meadows here are so unspoilt it feels like a hallowed place. We must cherish these places. There were few people about to enjoy this rare untainted corner and we revelled in the company of smaller things, remembering that here we were sharing their home.

Green-veined White on Tufted Vetch

Large White on Knapweed

Common Lizard (probably pregnant)

Silver-washed Fritillary - the boldest and most showy of the woodland butterflies

A very 'elbowed' tree - SY5397

Woolly Thistle - this was a new species for me when I first moved down here

We returned to the entrance of the reserve, wound our way back round the various bridgework barriers and climbed to the railway embankment to walk along the disused railway east to Toller Porcorum. It certainly looked like we were the first to do so in a long while and I almost regretted my cropped trousers as we battled our way through nettles and brambles along what used to be a footpath, but certainly was no longer. There was even a stile to enter what used tob e part of the extended nature reserve.

Stile near Powerstock Common, SY5597

We were relieved to finally emerge into more open landscape, where a sign informed us that the path we had just used was no longer a path, and gave directions for correctly accessing Powerstock Common.  Ah!! That explained it.

Disused railway line and footpath near Toller Porcorum - SY5597

There was more dappled sunlight as we approached the village and crossed a footbridge over the River Hooke.

Footbridge over River Hoooke - SY5597

As is my want, we paid a visit to the church. I am always keen to discover unique facts about the churches in Dorset, not about their architecture, but more about their history, who worshipped there, any ghost stories or anecdotes about their history. Here I learnt that the pre-Raphaelite artist, William Holman Hunt had once lived in the village, opposite the church and it is thought he used the door to the church as his inspiration for the door in his famous painting 'The Light of the World'.

Church at Toller Porcorum - SY5697

Toller Porcorum church door - the inspiration for Holman Hunt's 'Light of the World'

We paused to talk to a resident of the village as we turned to leave the village behind. he confirmed what we'd read about the church door and its association with the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood and went on to tell us how he built horse and cart models out of matchsticks. Much as we would have liked to have taken him up on his offer of a tour of his house, we were spurred on by the thought of yet another cake and tea at the Kingcombe Centre.

I paused for another photo as we crossed the River Hooke again.

River Hooke from bridge at Toller Porcorum - SY5698

We rejoined the Jubilee Trail and wandered through fields all the way back to our starting point where we were disappointed to discover that the cafe didn't take payment by cards so our cup of tea turned  out to be an unrealised dream.

Jubilee Trail between Toller Porcorum and Lower Kingcombe - SY5598

No. of species of butterflies seen; 11

No. of famous doors seen: 1

No. of lizards seen: 3

No. of miles walked: 6.5

No. of new gridsquares: 6