started from the car park at Impstone Road at the north-west corner of the Forest. In the grassy 

 ride beside the first streann, Common Cow-wheat, Tutsan, Betony and Marsh Thistle were all in 

 flower and Ringlets were still flying, despite the cloudy conditions. The observant botanists at the 

 back of the group also spotted Trailing St John's-wort and Broad-leaved Helleborine. There were 

 many clumps of Hard Fern, with fertile fronds in the centre and infertile fronds on the outside. The 

 route then turned southwards into the main spine ride which crosses the forest. Black berries were 

 beginning to form on a big Alder Buckthorn. Pamber Forest is one of the North Hampshire 

 strongholds for the uncommon Wood Horsetail which was growing at the side of the track. The 

 path then looped through a heathy section, where abundant Bilberries were enjoyed by some of 

 the group. A Tawny Grisette fungus still had a substantial part of the veil remaining and its tawny 

 cap had a serrated edge. Betony, Lesser Spearwort and Lady Fern were found along the next ride. 

 Sneezewort was growing in the open clearing at the end, and in a brief brighter moment, a pair of 

 Small Skipper butterflies was seen. Continuing southwards along the main track, Common 

 Spotted-orchids and False Fox Sedge were amongst the plants in the verge. The fungus Mycena 

 pelianthina had a smell of radishes and purple-edged gills and a piece of blue-green stained wood 

 had fruiting bodies of the Green Wood-cup. A Silver-washed Fritillary was disturbed from bramble 

 blossom, but flew off before the people at the back had a chance to see it. Next destination was 

 the pond, which would have been good for dragonflies on a sunny day, but alas none were to be 

 seen. A lizard was spotted hiding in a twiggy bush at the side of the pond, and it remained there 

 motionless while most people had a look at it. The next fenced section was wood pasture with a 

 distinctive browse line on all the trees. An area of open acid grassland had Common Centaury, 

 Bird's-foot Trefoil and many Cinnabar caterpillars on Ragwort. A Wild Service-tree was spotted on 

 the final climb back to the cars. The walk was followed by lunch at the Plough at Little London. 



15 August 



Julia Cooper and Ian Duddle led a walk round Greywell on 15'^ August, starting and ending at the 

 Fox and Goose pub. The route started out across the road and onto the towpath of the Basingstoke 

 Canal, passing over the entrance to the Greywell tunnel. Two Dabchicks were feeding in the 

 crystal-clear water and the banks were colourful with pink Great Willowherb, creamy 

 Meadowsweet and yellow Common Fleabane. Marestails and Starworts were growing in the canal. 

 There was a brief diversion to explore the ruined Odiham Castle. The walk then continued across 

 the edge of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust's (HWT) Warnborough Greens reserve 

 and into a section of their Bartley Heath reserve, before entering Butter Wood. The trees provided 

 welcome shelter from the rain, which was gradually becoming heavier. At the top of the wood, 

 Devil's-bit Scabious and Heather were growing in the wide grassy rides. The scenery changed 

 again, as the footpath led down across Greywell Hill Park, with distant views towards Odiham 

 airfield and beyond. Sticky Groundsel was spotted at the side of the track to Greywell Mill. The 

 springs just upstream mark the headwaters of the River Whitewater Once again, the water was 

 crystal clear and the bankside vegetation was colourful with Purple Loosestrife and pink Hemp 

 Agrimony. The path led downstream to the church, then back along the village street to the pub. 

 After lunch, some of the group braved torrential rain, which fortunately eased off before the visit to 

 the HWT's Greywell Moors reserve. The Trust did a considerable amount of tree felling last winter, 

 to open up the fen and try to reduce the drying effect of the trees. Plants seen included Water 

 Avens, a Trifid Bur-marigold, Water-plantain and Marsh Fern, and several small frogs were 

 spotted. 



19 September 



Fred Taylor led 10 members on a walk around Crazies Hill above Wargrave on 19'^ September. 

 Start point was the top of Bear Lane, where a number of Red Admiral and Comma butterflies were 

 nectaring on a clump of buddleia bushes. The geology of the Bowsey Hill area is very varied, with 

 London Clay overlying Reading Beds in the woods, while the fields below are on Chalk. The walk 

 started out through woodland, with Pendulous Sedge marking out the wetter areas. Many of the 

 trees beside the path looked very old, including a big ash with an enormous bracket fungus and a 

 series of woodpecker holes. One of the sallows at the side of a long clearing below power lines 

 had leaves which had been stripped bare to the midrib. (Fred returned the next day and managed 

 to find 2 caterpillars of the Coxcomb Prominent moth.) Wood Spurge and Spurge-laurel were 

 identified. Young beech seedlings appeared to be doing well at the edge of a conifer plantation. As 

 the land dropped down, the path passed through an area of beech woodland, then on to a stretch 



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