I have been meaning to take a photo walk to the Alverstone Nature Reserve ever since I saw the fabulous images some folk take there,.
This walk is the one published by the Isle of Wight Ramblers and the full leaflet can be printed out from here with full directions and details. As suggested I started out from Sandown Station, following the route through the grounds of Sandown Bay Academy until it joins the Nunwell Trail and enters woodland with the golf course on the left.
This is a fairly accessible walk, flat and with no stiles, but since it traverses a marshy lowland area there are some wet patches, so it is best done in late spring and summer. Much of the route is boardwalked though to give access across the wettest ground.
Since this is a nature walk I was amused to spot this rare woodland creature!
Just past this paddock an intriguing gate invited me to make a detour along the edge of the golf course along a scenic boardwalk, but it leads away from the route, so I retraced my steps after a while.
Soon we turn right to enter the Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve, an area of wet meadows, woodland and wildflower meadows, home to barn owls, kingfishers and herons.
A raised walkway leads to this wooden hide surrounded with strings of nuts to encourage both birds and red squirrels. Ducks and geese of various breeds were swimming in the stream below and nesting in the reeds, while a pair of mallards was wandering around beneath the hide. Though I and the other observers were quiet, the place was loud with the sounds of the birds.
Whilst waiting for the red squirrels to put in an appearance, I saw plenty of blue tits but they were too fast to capture; however I did just manage to catch this woodpecker swinging from the nut string just outside the hide.
Eventually my patience was rewarded when a few squirrels appeared, not up in the trees as I expected but digging around in the undergrowth. However they move so fast that none of my shots really captured them very well. They are quite tame and will take food from inside the hide and scamper along the walkway fence.
This one perched on the roof of the hide for a nibble.
But most of my other shots caught them disappearing down a hole...
Eventually I thought of taking some video and was quite pleased with the result. The ducks can be heard quacking away throughout,
A second visit offered closer views but I have yet to achieve really sharp images.
From the hide, the path follows the course of Scotchells Brook via a boardway across marshy land to come out on Alverstone Road.
Passing Alverstone Ponds I chanced a sneaky shot of this peaceful moment.
This walk was full of wild flowers throughout; they may be weeds but the hedgerows were looking lovely.
Very common, but this Speedwell was all along the path.
The path leads down to Bretts Meadow, a wet pasture where orchids flourish when in season.
Next the path crosses Youngwoods Copse, mostly oak trees with some silver birch, holly and hazel, where the last bluebells of the season were still in show.
This garden on the edge of the garden village was a riot of colour.
The final stretch of the walk follows the edge of Alverstone Mead, where cow parsley was definitely the weed of the week.
This riverside path behind the cycle way was lined with gorgeous clumps of wild comfrey.
So I had to play with the macro button....
The path meets the Alverstone Road by this lovely mill garden.
To the left are the water meadows of Alverstone Mead along the Eastern Yar.
The dark green area below looks like a lake but is actually a sea of wetland grasses and wild flowers.
Here you can see the wildlife hide from the other side of the meadow.
The cycle path leads back into the bungalow suburbs of Perowne Way, but even here there were splashes of wild flowers; this is locally known as Ventnor Pride, or Valerian. Pretty, but invasive once it gets in the garden. Mostly it is pink but this clump had white spikes too.
Just behind Sandown Academy was a pretty field of daisies and dandelions to finish my nature walk.
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