Around Thetford are large plantations
of conifers, but away from there are
striking long avenues of scots pines
These started out life as managed hedges,
planted as windbreaks in the 19th century
to cut down on sandstorms as the topsoil
blew away from the brecks (temporarily
cultivated fields)
I stopped off to visit Grimes Graves.
(Link: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConProperty.24/chosenImageId/2)
Having visited the small display at the reception
office I had a look down in the cool depths
of the flint mine pit open for viewing.
Then I wandered over the "minefield" interested
not only by the pock marking of the surface from
1000 years worth of flint mining....
..but, as you might expect, by the fauna and flora
around me.
This is an essex skipper (butterfly)
and unless I am mistaken, this is a silver-spotted
skipper (its quite rare, but increasing, I believe)
This is rock rose...
this is some sort of vetch
..and this is a speedwell (apparently
the breckland heaths have several
varieties of speedwell, to the great
delight of the more knowledgeable)
.... as for birdlife, well I managed to add
another "first" moment to my holiday.
I visited Weeting Heath and was able
to watch some stone curlews (big yellow eyes
"knobbly knees". Quite rare) ...and here's
a photo to prove it!
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