May Day Bank Holiday expedition

For details of the next opportunities to 'Walk the Vanguard Way with the Vanguards' please refer to the programme posted on April 6th, 'Our Golden Spring'.

On Monday we walked from Oxted via Limpsfield Chart, Crockham Hill and Haxted Mill to Edenbridge. 


Spring in East Surrey and West Kent has advanced a pace since our Good Friday outing.  Bluebells are in full bloom and most trees are now in leaf, if not in flower.  The Hawthorn bushes have leaves and flower buds but aren't quite 'out' so they're a bit late as the common name for Hawthorn flowers is 'May'.


As our Good Friday walk missed the Vanguard Way Plaque at the point where the Vanguard Way and the North Downs Way cross the Greenwich Meridian,  our May Day walk included a photo-call for Vanguards at the Vanguard Way Plaque.

Blue and bright green were the colours of the day - bluebells and new beech tree leaves were waiting for us as we walked up to Limpsfield Chart.

Although yellows were more dominant as we passed  the Moorhouse Bank sandpits.

There was even a glimpse of yellow archangel, or yellow deadnettle, in amongst the lush spring growth.

I was surprised to get a close up of an ash tree flower - normally they are way above head level.

Elm trees were also in flower, unusual in this post Dutch Elm Disease time.  Hopefully some will be immune.

Once we were down near Crockham Hill, spring lambs were up to mischief - though the guarding alpacas didn't seem bothered.  The calves in the same field were much more placid.

Then we went down to the woods to find more stunning bluebell vistas and also some goldilocks buttercups.  No porridge nor broken chairs though.

We soon arrived at Haxted Mill where the restaurant has re-opened as a 'Pop-up' Tea Room and Gallery.  They hope to appeal to the walking and cycling public as well as car drivers.  It is planned that it will open Wednesdays to Sundays for coffee, light lunches and afternoon teas.  The patio seating area behind the restaurant is in a lovely setting next to the Mill Pond - just like being on holiday!  The Gallery showcases the owner's stunning photographs - worth a visit on its own!

Still on a yellow theme, dandelions were evident throughout but the water meadows alongside the River Eden into Edenbridge had the largest collection of dandelion 'clocks' that I think I have ever seen.  Also still proudly on display are last year's bullrush flowers.

Lost and Found:
Are these your boots?  You'll find them opposite Haxted Mill.

You can look at the whole web album for this post by clicking on the photo below - take the opportunity to click through to Picasa web albums then clicking on slideshow from there will do just that with each photo captioned (Google + won't show you the captions):

May Day Oxted to Edenbridge