The Suffolk Argus
Spring2004
eat there" pointing to a hill some 100 feet above. "Non la" replied Dominique pointing to Mont Capell, which at 1194 metres altitude looked to me like Everest. Following a steep path through some pines I thought that when we come out into the open we would be there, but no, the top still loomed above us. I looked around at the grass and heather and thought that apart from the rocks this looks like a Suffolk Heath tilted at an angle of 30 degrees. I looked up and there was the top a few metres away, the others had all dropped back to let the new English member be the first to the top. It was a wonderful feeling and the highest I had climbed on foot. There was a strong breeze blowing at the summit but we sat just over the edge where it was sheltered and quite warm as long as you found a spot free of snow to sit on. Sitting down my feet did not hurt so much. We were sitting in the sun under a brilliant blue sky yet the odd flake of shining white snow was drifting down. In front of us and to our right we could clearly see the Costa Brava coast in Spain and in front of us and to our left we could see the Cote Vermille coast in France. Directly below us in the valley were several French farms, the vehicle access to these is much easier through a bit of Spain as was proved by the French "La Poste" van taking this route with the mail. Dominique produced a bottle of "Banyuls", the local strong wine, and we all shared our offerings for a Grande Repas. After eating we stood on the peak looking at the mountains across the Tech valley. I heard phrases such as "Tour de Batere", "Tour de Mir", "Source le Tech" and with great reverence "Pie de Costabone" and "Huitheure le marche". My feet were saying huit minutes are enough for me. I saw a large building with a tower several kilometres to the right and asked if it was a church. I was told that it was Mas Cremadells a fortified farm. This had not been a peaceful place in the past. I asked if we were going back that way but told "Non par la" pointing almost directly down towards Saint Laurent, my feet were pleased. As I started down the steep rocky path from the top my right knee said, "I have had enough, uphill I don't mind, but downhill No". I hobbled painfully down the path descending some
300metres to a more level track that I found much better going. Re-entering chestnut forest we followed a gently falling path in and out of valley ends and I began to wonder if we would ever get there. Coming into a clear area we met a wide track and there in front of us was, yes, Mas Cremadells. The others said we were not lost and failed to understand my ''Temporarily unaware of our exact location". At least they said they now knew the way back to Saint Laurent. We followed the track that had seen better days, there were still traces of tarmac but it was now mostly stones and potholes. After about half an hour we arrived at another large Mas complex called Mas Noell. The largest building is used by the Education Authority to give children experience of country living. Smaller buildings are still used for farming as was evident by the cows and sheep wandering freely around. An old car rattled up the track containing two of the farm workers who stopped for a chat. The driver switched off the engine so we could hear. When asked how far it was to Saint Laurent they said about four kilometres. My brain worked out that that meant nearly three miles, my feet were beyond thinking, my knee was just holding up. After a few minutes charring the driver tried to re-start the car but nothing happened. The passenger got out wielding a large hammer, we all stepped back. He lifted the bonnet and gave something several blows at which the engine burst into life. He hopped back in and they rattled off. Setting off along the track we soon arrived at a source (Drinking water spring). We drank the cool clear water, my feet asked to be bathed but I had to refuse, as they would never have gone back into my boots. Fortunately various paths took short cuts across the loops in the track and we were soon back apart from the final 45-degree slope down a high bank to a proper tarmac road. I only got down this by borrowing Yvon's stick and easing myself gently down. Arriving back at the cars at 5.40pm and back to Le Boulou at 6.40pm. Despite having to struggle to get my aching feet and legs out of the car it had been a wonderful and memorable day. Since this first walk I, and my boots, have been on over a hundred more and have
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Salisbury and extends over more than 1700 acres (657 hectares) covering an area of five miles by three at its broadest parts. Owned by the Forestry Commission prior to 1983, it was purchased by a Charitable Trust using funds provided by the late Lady Colman, who lived nearby. Currently there are four Trustees who work closely with various conservation bodies to develop the woodland as a nature reserve whilst continuing its management on commercial lines. It was designated an SSSI in 1985. Over 35 species of butterfly are regularly recorded and the opportunity to see the Purple Emperor attracts visitors from all over the country. Our group spent the morning walking a circular route withi:l the wood and in spite of the damp conditions managed to record - Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Small White, Painted Lady and a female Silver-washed Fritillary. The rich and varied ground flora kept our botanists happy but to record a full list of flora noted would take up too much of this report. By late morning the rain had stopped and we noticed a slight rise in the temperature, we then returned to our cars for a picnic lunch. It was during this break with the obligatory bananas being eaten and Jim Foster having just deposited his offering, that to everyone's surprise and delight a Purple Emperor descended onto the fresher banana skins. A male, somewhat worn, stayed long enough to be photographed and for all of us to have a good view of this most impressive butterfly. A walk in the southern section of the wood, during the afternoon, was eventually abandoned, with the onset of more rain. The only species to add to our morning tally being a Red Admiral, thus making a total of twelve for the day, pretty good considering the weather! In the words of a member "this is such a beautiful wood I wish we could roll it up and take it back to Suffolk" and had it been a fine day the careful management of the rides and the creation of sunny scallops and clearings would have provided many more records to add to our list. Sunday, day two of our weekend 'jolly', dawned fine and sunny with a fresh N.W. wind blowing, in complete contrast to the previous day's
2003 Field Meetings A Weekend in the Salisbury Area Saturday and Sunday, 26th & 27th July 2003 by Alan] ohnson Having had an extremely wet drive to Salisbury, from Ipswich, on the Friday, a combination of an early arrival coinciding with a 'window' in the weather conditions, we decided to find the entrance and car park for Bentley Wood, the venue for the following day's visit. Once found, our half hour stay in the car park was to prove rewarding, with the occasional spells of sunshine tempting out eleven species of butterfly - Brimstone, Comma, Red Admiral, Sped·Jed Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Green-veined White, Marbled White, a Silver-washed Fritillary which obligingly posed on a thistle, finally a fleeting glimpse of a Purple Emperor, high in the canopy. With our 'weather window' duly closing it was then time to find our Guest House in Salisbury and to meet others in our par-tystaying there. The following morning saw our members assembled in the Bentley Wood car park, all eager to see the Purple Emperor, our 'target species' for the day. We stood admiring the roning banana skins adorning the 'roof' over an information board, these placed there to tempt the butterfly down from the canopy of an oak tree. However, the weather was • against us, with showers and longer periods of rain developing by mid-morning, also not very warm, very disappointing after the heat of the previous weeks. Bentley Wood is approx. seven miles east of
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